Can i take naproxen and ibuprofen together

Changing the amount of prostaglandins too much or for too long may increase your blood pressure or damage your kidneys. This can cause fluid retention and changes in the amount and frequency you urinate. People with kidney disease or who take blood pressure medications are at increased risk.

Prostaglandins help protect your stomach from damage. Reducing them too much or for too long can put you at risk for ulcers, heartburn, and nausea. You may notice bloody or black, tarry stools. People with digestive system problems such as peptic ulcer disease and ulcerative colitis are at increased risk. If you have bleeding problems, you may notice frequent bruises or nose bleeds or bleeding from wounds that is difficult to stop.

People are increased risk include people who:. Instead, it could increase your risk of side effects. If your pain is not getting any better by taking just one of the medicines, contact your doctor. The body absorbs naproxen sodium better than naproxen. Doses are in milligrams mg in the table below:. Although available over the counter, naproxen and ibuprofen may not be safe for people with the following conditions:.

People who take prescription naproxen or ibuprofen may have increased risks for:. The risk of cardiovascular events, clots, heart attack, and stroke may be higher in people with a history of cardiovascular disease or risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

If taking NSAIDs within 2 weeks after heart surgery, people may be at an increased risk for heart attack and stroke. People who take naproxen or ibuprofen may have a greater risk of developing high blood pressure , heart failure , and water retention.

Older adults are more vulnerable to these severe side effects. People who take over-the-counter naproxen and ibuprofen at the labeled dose for 7—10 days may not have an increased risk of adverse effects. To minimize the risk for these adverse effects, people should take naproxen or ibuprofen at the lowest dose for the shortest length of time. Before starting naproxen or ibuprofen, a person must have their medication list checked by a doctor or pharmacist to identify any potential interactions.

People in the third trimester of pregnancy should avoid taking naproxen, as it may lead to heart development problems in the fetus. Doctors do not recommend naproxen or ibuprofen for people who are breastfeeding because the nursing baby may develop side effects. Naproxen and ibuprofen are prescription and nonprescription NSAIDs that people can use to treat pain they experience with a wide variety of inflammatory conditions.

The main differences between the two NSAIDs are their uses, frequency of doses, doses, and drug interactions. Instead, the medicine is released further down the gut in your intestine. If you take gastro-resistant tablets, swallow them whole with or after food. Do not crush or chew them. If you take effervescent tablets, dissolve 1 to 2 tablets in a glass ml of water and drink. Doses of 3 tablets should be dissolved in ml. To make sure there's no medicine left, rinse the empty glass with a small amount of water and drink it.

Take with or after food. Take your forgotten dose as soon as you remember, unless it's nearly time for your next dose. You could also ask your pharmacist for advice on other ways to help you remember to take your medicine. If you take too many naproxen tablets, you're more likely to get some of the common side effects.

Contact your doctor straight away. It's OK to take naproxen with paracetamol or co-codamol that you buy over the counter, but this should just be for short periods of time. If you often need to take extra painkillers with naproxen or for more than a few days, you should talk to your doctor or pharmacist. Sometimes taking different painkillers together is a good way to relieve pain, but there may be other treatments you can try. It's OK to take other painkillers with naproxen for longer if your doctor has given them to you on prescription and told you to take them together.

Like all medicines, naproxen can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if these side effects bother you or do not go away. In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction to naproxen. Naproxen is not usually recommended in pregnancy — especially if you're 30 or more weeks — unless it's prescribed by a doctor.

This is because there might be a link between taking naproxen in pregnancy and some birth defects, in particular damage to the baby's heart and blood vessels. There may also be a link between taking naproxen in early pregnancy and miscarriage. Talk to your doctor about the benefits and possible harms of taking naproxen.

It'll depend on how many weeks pregnant you are and the reason you need to take the medicine. There may be other treatments that are safer for you.

Paracetamol is usually recommended as the first choice of painkiller for pregnant women. Naproxen is not usually recommended during breastfeeding. Other anti-inflammatory medicines, such as ibuprofen , are safer. But if your baby is premature, had a low birth weight, or has an underlying medical condition, talk to your doctor before taking any painkillers. For more information about how naproxen can affect you and your baby during pregnancy, read this leaflet on the Best Use of Medicines in Pregnancy BUMPs website.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you're taking any other medicines, including herbal medicines, vitamins or supplements. It works by reducing hormones that cause inflammation and pain in the body. Paracetamol is usually the best treatment for most types of pain, but naproxen is better for some types, such as period pain or back pain. But it might take up to 3 days for naproxen to work properly if you take it regularly twice a day.

Depending on why you're taking naproxen, you may only need to take it for a short time. For example, if you have a sore back or period pain, you may only need to take naproxen for 1 or 2 days. You may need to take it for longer if you have a long-term condition, such as rheumatoid arthritis. If you need to take naproxen for a long time, your doctor may prescribe a medicine to protect your stomach from side effects.

It's best to take the lowest dose of naproxen for the shortest time to control your symptoms. It is also available in generic form alone by prescription, and OTC in a lower dose and in combination with other medications. Ibuprofen is known by the brand names Motrin and Advil, and it is also available in generic form alone and in combination with other medications.

Dosing varies by indication, and the OTC dose is lower than the prescription dose. Also, ibuprofen is shorter-acting and is dosed more frequently than naproxen, which is longer acting and can be dosed less frequently. Because both drugs are available in a variety of combinations, such as many various cough and cold medications as well as sleep formulations, when picking an OTC product, it is a good idea to consult your pharmacist to ensure you are selecting the correct product for your symptoms.

Also, many of the combination products that contain naproxen or ibuprofen may contain a product that may not be compatible with your medical condition s or other medication s you may be taking. Varies by indication Varies by indication Who typically uses the medication?

Adults, children 2 years and older Adults, children 6 months and older Want the best price on ibuprofen? Sign up for ibuprofen price alerts and find out when the price changes! Get price alerts. Naproxen and ibuprofen are two popular medications used to treat pain and inflammation.

Both drugs are indicated to relieve signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, mild to moderate pain, and primary dysmenorrhea menstrual cramps. Naproxen is also indicated for the relief of symptoms of tendonitis, bursitis, acute gout, ankylosing spondylitis, and Polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies comparing naproxen to ibuprofen for osteoarthritis of the knee, looked at both drugs for one week, at OTC lower doses, and found that both drugs were effective at lowering pain.

Naproxen was found to be slightly more effective, and more effective at reducing night pain. Both drugs were well-tolerated. Another small study comparing naproxen to ibuprofen found both drugs to be helpful in reducing stiffness, resting pain, movement pain, night pain, interference of the disease with daily activities, and overall disease severity.