Ibuprofen Side Effects
(Advil Side Effects & Motrin Side Effects)

Ibuprofen side effects, at least the more common ones, are pretty manageable and mostly preventable. Just about everyone has used Ibuprofen at one or another in their lives. It's just one of those medications that doesn't need a lengthy introduction... I can almost bet (if I were the betting sort, that is) that you probably have some sitting somewhere in your home right now. Ibuprofen (brand names Advil and Motrin) is one of those medicine cabinet staples.

Officially, over-the-counter Ibuprofen is approved to be used in the following ways:

Children

• Temporary reduction of fever
• Temporary relief of minor aches and pains due to colds, flu, sore throat, headaches, and toothaches

Adults

• Temporary reduction of fever
• Temporary relief of minor aches and pains due to headache, muscular aches, toothache, the common cold, minro arthritis pain, menstrual cramps and backache
• Migraine (only the liquid capsules)

Prescription strength Ibuprofen is approved for the following uses:

• Relief of signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis
• Relief of mild-to-moderate pain
• Treatment of primary dysmenorrhea a.k.a. painful menstrual cramps

A lesser known fact to most people is that Ibuprofen comes in an injectable form in addition to the oral forms. The injectable form though is used for a completely different condition than those the oral form is used for. Injectable Ibuprofen is used ot treat patent ductus arteriosus... getting into the details of this disorder is beyond the scope this website.

In addition to the Ibuprofen side effects listed below, this medication comes with a special black box warning:

• Risk of heart disease - this drug may increase your risk of developing certain types of serious heart conditions including, stroke and myocardial infarction
• Risk to the stomach - this drug may also increase your risk of developing certain serious stomach conditions including bleeding in the stomach, ulceration and perforations in your intestines and stomach

And now that we're done with laying all that ground work, let's move on to what you're here for... the actual Ibuprofen side effects themselves!

Most Common Ibuprofen Side Effects (Oral)

• Abdominal cramps or pain
• Abdominal distress
• Bloating
• Constipation
• Decreased appetite
• Diarrhea
• Dizziness
• Edema
• Epigastric pain
• Flatulence - gas
• Fluid retention
• Headache
• Heartburn
• Indigestion
• Nausea
• Nervousness
• Pruritus - itching
• Rash
• Tinnitus - ringing in the ears
• Vomiting

Less Common Ibuprofen Side Effects (Oral)

• Abdominal pain
• Abnormal liver function tests
• Acute renal failure
• Agranulocytosis - a serious type of low white blood cell count
• Alopecia - hair loss
• Amblyopia (including blurred and/or diminished vision, scotomas and/or changes in color vision)
• Anaphylaxis - major allergic reaction
• Aplastic anemia
• Aseptic meningitis with fever and coma
• Azotemia - high level of nitrogen and nitrogenous substances (which normally should be excreted in the urine) in the blood
• Bronchospasm - abnormal spasm/contraction of the bronchioles (airways)
• Chills
• Confusion
• Congestive heart failure in some people
• Cystitis - a type of bladder infection
• Decreased creatinine clearance - this is an indication of a decrease in kidney function
• Decreases in hemoglobin and hematocrit
• Depression
• Dry eyes
• Dry mouth
• Elevated blood pressure
• Emotional lability
• Eosinophilia - a type of low white blood cell count
• Erythema multiforme - a type of severe skin reaction
• Fever
• Gastric or duodenal ulcer with bleeding or perforation
• Gastritis - inflammation of the stomach lining
• Gastrointestinal hemorrhage - bleeding in the stomach
• Gingival ulcer - ulcer of the gums
• Hearing loss
• Hematuria - presence of blood in the urine
• Hemolytic anemia
• Hepatitis
• Insomnia
• Jaundice
• Melena - blood in the stool which results in dark-colored stools
• Nausea
• Neutropenia - a type of low white blood cell count
• Palpitations
• Pancreatitis
• Polyuria - frequent urination
• Rhinitis - runny nose
• Somnolence - drowsiness
• Stevens-Johnson syndrome - a severe type of skin reaction
• Thrombocytopenia - low platelet count
• Urticaria - hives
• Vesiculobullous eruptions - a type of skin reaction
• Vomiting

Rare Ibuprofen Side Effects (Oral)

• Acidosis - an abnormally high level of acid in the blood
• Angioedema
• Arrhythmias - abnormal heart rhythms
• Cataracts
• Conjunctivitis - pink eye
• Diplopia - double vision
• Dream abnormalities
• Epistaxis - nosebleeds
• Gynecomastia - breast enlargement in men
• Hallucinations
• Henoch-Schonlein vasculitis - a type of blood vessel disorder
• Hypoglycemic reaction - low blood sugar reaction
• Lupus erythematosus syndrome
• Menorrhagia - abnormally heavy and/or prolonged menstrual bleeding
• Optic neuritis - a type of disroder that affects the eye nerve
• Paresthesias - numbness/tingling feeling; "pins and needles" sensation
• Photoallergic skin reactions - sensitivity of skin to light
• Pseudotumor cerebri - a type of nervous system disorder
• Renal papillary necrosis - a type of kidney disorder
• Serum sickness
• Toxic epidermal necrolysis - blistering and sloughing off of the skin and mucous membranes

Common Side Effects of Injectable Ibuprofen

• Adrenal insufficiency
• Anemia
• Apnea - a temporary pause in or cessation of breathing
• Atelectasis - partial or complate collapse of lung
• Decrease in urine output
• Edema
• Hypernatremia - high sodium level
• Hypocalcemia - low calcium level
• Hypoglycemia - low blood sugar level
• Increase in blood creatinine
• Increase in blood urea
• Intraventricular hemorrhage
• Non-necrotizing enterocolitis - a type of gastrointestinal disorder
• Renal failure - kidney failure
• Renal insufficiency (renal impairment)
• Respiratory failure
• Respiratory tract infection
• Sepsis - blood infection
• Skin lesion/irritation
• Urinary tract infection

Rare/Questionable Side Effects
Of Injectable Ibuprofen

• Abdominal distension - abdominal bloating
• Cardiac failure
• Cholestasis - decreased flow of bile from the liver/gallbladder
• Convulsions
• Feeding problems
• Gastritis - inflammation/infection of the stomach lining
• Gastroesophageal reflux
• Hyperglycemia - high blood sugar level
• Hypotension - low blood pressure
• Ileus - a type of intestinal obstruction
• Inguinal hernia
• Injection site reactions
• Jaundice
• Neutropenia - a type of low white blood cell count
• Tachycardia - fast heart rate
• Thrombocytopenia - low platelet count
• Various infections

To avoid delay, please have all your symptoms ready.
- Notice in an English doctor's waiting room

Drug Manufacturer Information

Advil
Wyeth
P.O. Box 26609
Richmond, VA 23261-6609
1-800-88-ADVIL or 1-800-882-3845

Motrin
McNeil
One Johnson & Johnson Plaza
New Brunswick, New Jersey 08933
(732) 524-0400

Neoprofen
Ovation Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Four Parkway NorthSuite 200
Deerfield, IL 60015
(847)282-1000
1-888-514-5204

Various other generic brand manufacturers

This website is updated quite frequently (as things change so rapidly in the world of pharmaceuticals), so if you find the information here useful please subscribe to our monthly newsletter - The Armchair Pharmacist. It tells you each month about new information that has been added to the site as well additional news on the latest goings-on in the world of medications and all things pharma.

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April 1, 2010