Acetaminophen and ibuprofen are over-the-counter painkillers. Acetaminophen helps relieve pain and fever. Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that can assist reduce pain and inflammation.

People may accept acetaminophen to ease the symptoms of cold and flu.

People may take ibuprofen for torso aches, headaches, or chronic health conditions, such as arthritis or lupus.

This article will discuss if people tin safely take these over-the-counter (OTC) drugs together, the recommended dosages, and potential side effects.

acetaminophen and ibuprofen in a persons hand Share on Pinterest
Always consult a doc before giving acetaminophen or ibuprofen to a child under two years of age.

People can safely have acetaminophen and ibuprofen together.

Research has shown that it is safe to take acetaminophen and ibuprofen on their own or together for short-term use, equally long equally people follow the right dosage.

OTC drugs containing acetaminophen include:

  • Tylenol
  • Excedrin
  • paracetamol
  • Panadol
  • Sudafed

OTC drugs containing ibuprofen include:

  • Advil
  • Motrin
  • Midol IB
  • Genpril

People may take both acetaminophen and ibuprofen if they accept chronic or astringent hurting. However, they should talk to a doctor earlier doing and so.

Dosages for acetaminophen and ibuprofen for infants and children will depend on their age and weight.

Anyone considering giving either of these OTC medications to a child must e'er consult a doctor beforehand if the child is 2 years of historic period or younger.

A person tin can follow didactics labels carefully or consult a pharmacist if they are unsure about the right dosage.

Adults should follow the instructions of the particular medication they are taking.

Acetaminophen

In a single dose, the maximum amount of acetaminophen an adult can take is 1,000 milligrams (mg). A person should not have more than iv,000mg in 24 hours.

Co-ordinate to the National Wellness Service (NHS), the typical dose is 1 or 2 tablets of 500 mg up to four times a day. A person should leave at to the lowest degree 4 hours between each dose.

Those with chronic pain, which may demand college doses of acetaminophen, can check with their doctor first.

Dosage can vary, depending on the product blazon. People should always follow instructions on the label and consult their pharmacist or doc if they are unsure.

Ibuprofen

An adult can take OTC doses of 800–1,200 milligrams per day (mg/mean solar day) to treat small-scale pain, including:

  • muscle aches
  • toothache
  • headache
  • fever
  • backache
  • menstrual cramps

If a doc prescribes ibuprofen, a person can typically take 1,800–ii,400 mg/day to treat:

  • osteoarthritis
  • rheumatoid arthritis
  • ankylosing spondylitis

A pediatric patient can take two–10 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) every 6–8 hours to care for pain and fever.

Adults should not have ibuprofen tablets for more 10 days, or whatever gel class of ibuprofen for more than than 2 weeks, without talking to their physician kickoff.

Both ibuprofen and acetaminophen have side furnishings.

A person should seek medical aid if they feel:

  • claret in their vomit
  • black colored stool
  • symptoms of anemia, such as shortness of breath, stake skin, or exhaustion

Acetaminophen

People with liver atmospheric condition should avoid taking acetaminophen. This is because the liver breaks it down, and it can crusade liver disease.

The U.Southward. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns that acetaminophen can cause rare simply dangerous reactions of the skin. Skin reaction symptoms include:

  • redness
  • rash
  • blisters
  • the top layer of the skin coming away

Stevens-Johnson Syndrome is an extremely rare only potentially life threatening condition that results in the summit layer of peel separating from the layer beneath. Some experts, including the FDA, accept associated it with taking sure medications, including acetaminophen and ibuprofen.

Some research has highlighted gastrointestinal concerns with chronic apply of acetaminophen, and people should discuss these with their doctor.

Ibuprofen

Ibuprofen can increase the risk of strokes and center attacks. Those who take cardiovascular disease are at a college risk.

Ibuprofen may also cause impairment to the kidneys. People with existing kidney conditions may demand to consult their doctor before taking ibuprofen.

Taking ibuprofen daily over a long time may irritate the stomach and intestines, or increase the take a chance for gastrointestinal problems. Problems may range from an upset stomach to stomach haemorrhage or ulcers.

For this reason, people should have ibuprofen with food to avoid any stomach upsets.

Other possible side effects of ibuprofen include:

  • heart bug
  • swelling of hands, feet, and lower legs, due to fluid retentiveness
  • rashes
  • allergic reactions
  • skin reactions, which can be very serious (run across in a higher place)

For those taking ibuprofen for chronic conditions, proton pump inhibitors may help reduce these risks.

Taking both together together

Taking acetaminophen and ibuprofen together can cause the same side effects people may experience by taking one or the other.

There are currently no reports of negative side effects from combining both acetaminophen and ibuprofen within safe doses.

Benefits of acetaminophen and ibuprofen include:

Acetaminophen

Acetaminophen does not typically aggravate the lining of the stomach or the intestines in the mode that NSAIDs can.

This means acetaminophen may exist suitable for people who have health weather condition that touch the stomach or intestines.

Side effects of acetaminophen are rare when people take the correct dosage.

Ibuprofen

Information technology takes a larger dose of ibuprofen than acetaminophen to cause an overdose. Consequently, at that place is less risk of accidentally taking too much ibuprofen than acetaminophen.

Ibuprofen has less take a chance than some other NSAIDs of causing stomach problems. This is because the drug is a fast hurting reliever, and so it does not need to stay in the body for longer than necessary.

Benefits when taken together

Combining acetaminophen with ibuprofen may provide greater pain relief than using ane or the other on their own.

Taking medication that combines both drugs may likewise make it easier and simpler for people to stick to correct timings and dosage.

Acetaminophen and ibuprofen are safe to accept together for near people. Possible risks of combining the two include taking more than the recommended dosage by accident.

Acetaminophen and ibuprofen are present in a range of hurting relief, cold, and flu medications. Their presence in these OTC products can make it easy to take more than necessary by blow.

People should accept care to read medication labels to check which drugs each production contains. Carefully checking the dose of acetaminophen and ibuprofen in each product can assist avoid an accidental overdose.

Symptoms of an acetaminophen overdose include the following:

  • nausea and airsickness
  • breadbasket pain
  • sweating
  • confusion
  • loss of appetite
  • dark urine
  • yellowing of the skin and eyes

Symptoms of an ibuprofen overdose include the post-obit:

  • nausea and vomiting
  • stomach hurting
  • tiredness or feeling sleepy
  • claret in vomit
  • blackness feces
  • ringing in ears
  • difficulty breathing
  • unusual alter in heart rate

Sure medications interact with other drugs and can cause negative side furnishings. People should check with a doctor before taking acetaminophen or ibuprofen if they are taking any of the following:

Acetaminophen interactions

  • medication for epilepsy
  • medication for tuberculosis
  • blood thinners

Ibuprofen interactions

  • aspirin
  • any other NSAIDs, every bit this can crusade an overdose
  • blood thinners
  • antihypertensives
  • diuretics
  • aldosterone antagonists
  • straight renin inhibitors
  • lithium
  • some antidepressants

People should stop using medication and meet a physician straightaway if they notice any of the following during or after taking acetaminophen or ibuprofen:

  • peel rash or other reaction of the skin
  • yellowing of the pare or optics
  • severe abdominal pain
  • wheezing
  • chest or throat feels tight or constricted
  • swelling
  • difficulty breathing

People should also cheque with their doctor before taking acetaminophen or ibuprofen if they currently take, or have a history of any of the following:

  • liver problems
  • kidney issues
  • stomach bug
  • inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn's illness or ulcerative colitis
  • cardiovascular problems, including loftier blood force per unit area or history of stroke or heart attack
  • regularly consuming more than 14 units of alcohol a week
  • any allergic reactions to acetaminophen or ibuprofen

People tin also check with a doctor if they are taking other medications that may collaborate, such as blood thinners or corticosteroids.

Pregnant women, or women who are trying to get meaning, should consult with their physician before taking acetaminophen or ibuprofen.

Acetaminophen and ibuprofen are safe to accept together within the recommended dosage.

People with whatever existing health conditions or taking other medications may need to bank check with a medico beginning.

If people call back they have taken an overdose, or have whatever severe side furnishings from taking either medication, they should seek medical aid immediately.