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Is ibuprofen an anti-inflammatory drug?

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on April 4, 2024.

Official answer

by Drugs.com

Yes, ibuprofen is an anti-inflammatory drug from the drug class called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), that works by reducing hormones that cause inflammation and pain in the body.

It is often used to lessen pain and swelling from conditions such as muscle aches, arthritis, backache, menstrual cramps, and toothaches.

Ibuprofen is also used for fevers, headaches, and body aches from the flu.

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Naproxen vs ibuprofen: What's the difference?

Ibuprofen is short acting, while naproxen is long acting and more likely to cause an upset stomach. Naproxen also increases the risk of uncontrolled bleeding in people taking blood thinners by 4-fold, and ibuprofen increases the risk 2-fold. Naproxen and ibuprofen are both NSAIDs so they are similar in many ways, but there are important differences. Continue reading

Can you take ibuprofen on an empty stomach?

Despite popular belief that you have to take ibuprofen with food, you can take ibuprofen on an empty stomach and this will give you faster pain relief than taking it with food. Food increases the time it takes for ibuprofen to be absorbed, although it won't affect how much is absorbed. There is actually no evidence that taking ibuprofen with food prevents gastric irritation – ibuprofen at OTC doses has a low incidence of gastric irritation anyway. Continue reading

Can you take expired ibuprofen?

Although taking expired ibuprofen is not recommended by the manufacturer, the actual shelf-life is likely to be longer than that indicated by the expiry date, with FDA testing showing many drugs are active for years beyond their expiry date, although specific data on ibuprofen is not available. Within reason, an ibuprofen tablet that is a few months past its expiry date is probably safe to take. Ibuprofen that is years past its expiry date should not be taken. Continue reading

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