Tips For Taking Ibuprofen To Avoid Liver Damage And Other Side Effects
Is ibuprofen bad for your liver? Maybe, and it can have other side effects if taken in a wrong way. So extra care is needed when taking ibuprofen.
Before Taking Ibuprofen
Note that you should inform your doctor, pharmacist or dentist in the following cases:
- You have a history of high blood pressure or hypertension.
- You have ever had deep vein thrombosis or any other blood clotting conditions.
- You have had a problem with your liver or kidney functions.
- You have a history of blood sugar and cholesterol.
- You have allergic reactions to certain medicines or asthma.
- You have any history of stomach or duodenal ulcers.
- You are either pregnant, trying for a baby or already breastfeeding.
- You have a heart condition.
- You have ever experienced an allergic reaction to any other NSAIDs such as diclofenac, aspirin, indomethacin, and naproxen.
- You suffer from any connective tissue conditions like lupus .
How to Take Ibuprofen
Recommended Reading: Can Kidney Stones Cause Constipation Or Diarrhea
How To Cope With Side Effects
What to do about:
- headaches â make sure you rest and drink plenty of fluids. Dont drink too much alcohol. Talk to your doctor if they last longer than a week or are severe.
- feeling dizzy â if ibuprofen makes you feel dizzy, stop what youre doing and sit or lie down until you feel better. Avoid coffee, cigarettes and alcohol. If the dizziness doesnt get better within a couple of days, speak to your pharmacist or doctor.
- feeling sick â stick to simple meals. Do not eat rich or spicy food.
- being sick â have small, frequent sips of water. Speak to a pharmacist if you have signs of dehydration, such as peeing less than usual or having dark, strong-smelling pee. Dont take any other medicines to treat vomiting without speaking to a pharmacist or doctor.
- wind â try not to eat foods that cause wind . Eat smaller meals, eat and drink slowly, and exercise regularly. There are pharmacy medicines that can also help, such as charcoal tablets or simethicone.
- indigestion â if you get repeated indigestion stop taking ibuprofen and see your doctor as soon as possible. If you need something to ease the discomfort, try taking an antacid, but do not put off going to the doctor.
If I Need Pain Medicines What Can I Do To Keep My Kidneys Healthy
Kidney disease caused by pain relievers is often preventable. Here are some things you can do to help keep your kidneys healthy.
How you take these medicines makes a difference:
- Make sure you read the warning label before using any overthecounter analgesics.
- Do not use overthecounter pain relievers more than 10 days for pain or more than three days for fever. If you have pain or fever for a longer time, you should see your doctor.
- Avoid using pain medicines that contain a combination of ingredients, like aspirin, acetaminophen and caffeine mixed together in one pill.
- If you are taking pain medicines, increase the amount of fluid you drink to six to eight glasses a day.
- If you are taking pain medicines, avoid drinking alcohol.
Talking with your doctor about pain medicines can also make a difference:
- If you have kidney disease, ask your doctor before taking a pain medicine, particularly NSAIDs and higher dose aspirin.
- If you have high blood pressure or heart disease, make sure you only take NSAIDs under your doctors supervision. This is especially important if you take diuretic medications or are over 65 years of age.
- Make sure your doctor knows about all medicines you are taking, even over-the-counter medicines.
Also Check: Functional Unit Of The Kidney
Your Ears Might Start To Ring If You Take Ibuprofen Every Day
Taking ibuprofen every day has plenty of side effects and some are more surprising than others.
While it might not be the most intense or dangerous side effect of taking ibuprofen every day, the drug could result in a ringing in your ears. Sure, its not as scary as damage to your organs or ulcers in your stomach, but a ringing in your ears can present a variety of problems. Additionally, theres no cure for the condition also known as tinnitus. As noted by Harvard Health Publishing, tinnitus is defined as sound in the head with no external source and could present as ringing, buzzing, whistling, or even shrieking.
As it turns out, ibuprofen might be the source behind that ringing you hear. Some medications can cause tinnitus that goes away when the drug is discontinued,Harvard Health Publishing reported. If you take ibuprofen every day and notice that theres a ringing in your ears, it might be smart to lay off the pills.
What Acetaminophen And Ibuprofen Are Best Suited For
Both ibuprofen and acetaminophen are anti-pyretic . However, some studies indicate that ibuprofen has a slight edge in this area.
Ibuprofen is also better for certain types of pain and inflammation back pain, menstrual cramps, sore muscles, toothaches and earaches. A review published in the British Medical Journal concluded that:
- paracetamol is ineffective in reducing pain and disability or improving quality of life in patients with low back pain.
- paracetamol offers a small but not clinically important benefit for pain and disability reduction in patients with hip or knee osteoarthritis
- patients taking paracetamol are nearly four times more likely to have abnormal results on liver function tests compared with those taking oral placebo
Tylenol is preferred for headaches and arthritis pain.
Read Also: Tamsulosin Hcl 0.4 Mg Capsule For Kidney Stones
How Do I Know If Analgesics Have Affected My Kidneys
Your doctor can check your kidneys by doing a simple blood test called a serum creatinine test. The results of the serum creatinine test can be used to estimate your glomerular filtration rate . Your GFR number tells your doctor how much kidney function you have.
A urine test for the presence of protein may also be done. Persistent protein in the urine may be an early indication of kidney damage.
Is Ibuprofen Bad For My Kidneys
While NSAIDs rarely affect the liver, they have important adverse effects on the kidney that you should know about. Here is the science behind the problem. Ibuprofen and other NSAIDs block prostaglandins, natural body chemicals that normally dilate blood vessels leading to the kidneys. Blocking prostaglandins may lead to decreased blood flow to the kidneys, which means a lack of oxygen to keep the kidneys alive. That can cause acute kidney injury.
A simple blood test may show a rise in creatinine if your kidneys are being affected, usually seen within the first three to seven days of NSAID therapy. Acute kidney injury can occur with any NSAID, though naproxen seems to be a bigger culprit. In one study, folks who took NSAIDs had twice the risk of acute kidney injury within 30 days of starting to take the NSAIDs. Good news is its reversible if you stop taking them.
Who is at risk? In people with high blood pressure, taking NSAIDs long-term may worsen underlying high blood pressure. Also, people with existing kidney problems more often get in trouble with NSAIDs. Regardless, if you are taking ibuprofen for long periods of time, its not a bad idea to have a check of your kidney function with a quick blood test. Remember, acute kidney injury from NSAIDs doesnt cause any symptoms.
Don’t Miss: How Much Is Kidney Worth
Keeping Your Kidneys Safe When Using Pain Relievers
by akhealthfair | May 17, 2019 | News
Many analgesic medicines are available over the counter. These medicines are generally safe when taken as directed. However, their heavy or long-term use may harm the kidneys. Up to an estimated three to five percent of the new cases of chronic kidney failure each year may be caused by chronic overuse of these medicines. It is important to realize that, while helpful, these medicines are not completely without risk, and they should be used carefully. Kidney disease related to analgesics is preventable.
What are analgesics?
Analgesics are medicines that help to control pain and reduce fever. Examples of analgesics that are available over the counter are: aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, ketoprofen and naproxen sodium. Some analgesics contain a combination of ingredients in one pill, such as aspirin, acetaminophen and caffeine.
Can analgesics hurt kidneys?
Is aspirin safe for regular use?
When taken as directed, regular use of aspirin does not seem to increase the risk of kidney disease in people who have normal kidney function. However, taking doses that are too large may temporarily reduce kidney function. In people with kidney disease, aspirin may increase the tendency to bleed. People who already have reduced kidney function, or other health problems such as liver disease or severe heart failure, should not use aspirin without speaking to their doctor.
What analgesics are safe for people who have kidney disease?
Contributed by
Nsaids And Acute Kidney Injury
This article is more than five years old. Some content may no longer be current.
Prescriber Update 34:1415
Key Messages
- All NSAIDs have been associated with the development of acute kidney injury.
- Acute kidney injury is more likely to occur in patients with other risk factors particularly hypovolaemic states.
- Renal function should be monitored in at risk patients.
- If acute kidney injury occurs, the NSAID should be stopped.
- NSAIDs should be avoided in patients who develop or have a history of interstitial nephritis.
All non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have been associated with the development of acute kidney injury.
NSAIDs and Acute Kidney Injury
NSAIDs can cause two different forms of acute kidney injury1.
Acute kidney injury represents a continuum of renal injury ranging from clinically asymptomatic changes in renal function to renal failure and death. Acute kidney injury is characterised by a rapid fall in glomerular filtration rate over hours to days.
Presentation and Diagnosis
There are no specific signs or symptoms for NSAID induced acute kidney injury. Symptoms of acute kidney injury can be non-specific and may include shortness of breath, fatigue, confusion, nausea, decreased urine output and ankle/leg swelling2.
Pathogenesis and Risk Factors
NSAIDs reversibly inhibit the production of renal prostaglandins via their inhibition of COX-1 and COX-2. Maximal inhibition occurs at steady state plasma concentrations .
You May Like: Is Grape Juice Good For Your Kidneys
Dosage Of Ibuprofen Or Acetaminophen
For the treatment of mild to moderate pain, minor fever, and acute or chronic inflammatory conditions 200 mg to 400 mg of ibuprofen will work, and is similar to 650 mg of acetaminophen or aspirin. Typically taken every 6 to 8 hours, the optimum dose of NSAIDs per day is 2400 mg which is 12 over-the-counter pills.
Dont Miss: Whats A Kidney
Can Dogs Have Ibuprofen
While ibuprofen is relatively safe for you to take, there is an incredibly narrow margin of safety in dogs. This means the amount a dog would need to be therapeutic is not that far from the amount that would be toxic. In fact, the toxic dose of ibuprofen is only about 1.5 times the effective dose if used chronically. There are veterinary specific NSAIDs that have a much wider therapeutic range and are, thus, much safer for your dog. This includes medications such as Carprofen , Meloxicam , Deracoxib , and Grapiprant .
Even if you have other NSAIDs at home besides ibuprofen, it’s still a good idea to wait to be seen by the vet before giving your dog anything. Switching from one NSAID to another requires something called a washout period. If you give your dog an NSAID from home to get them through to their appointment, your vet won’t be able to start them on a veterinary NSAID for a few days. Washout periods can vary, but generally your vet will want to wait to start a new NSAID until 5-7 days after their last dose of medication at home. This period may be longer if your dog is having symptoms such as vomiting or diarrhea.
Recommended Reading: Almond Milk Kidney Disease
Is It Bad To Take Ibuprofen Every Day
If you are suffering from an injury or illness, its perfectly acceptable to take Ibuprofen as directed for a few days in a row. However, regardless of whether or not you are prone to kidney problems, you should not take the medication every day indefinitely unless prescribed by your doctor. Not only can it cause kidney damage, but excessive Ibuprofen intake can also cause mild nausea, stomach ulcers, and more.
Your Body Will Be At An Increased Risk Of A Stroke If You Take Ibuprofen Every Day
Even though ibuprofen is sold over the counter and you dont need a prescription for the drug, it shouldnt be taken lightly. Unless your doctor has specifically told you to take a certain amount each day, its best to stick to whatever the bottle recommends. This is because one of the biggest risks of taking ibuprofen every day is that youll be at an increased risk of having a stroke.
According toMayo Clinic, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs increase your stroke risk. Because of that, its of utmost importance to only take the amount you need and its especially important to try not to take the medication every day. While its clear that NSAIDs increase the bodys risk of having a stroke, there really isnt a clear indication of why that is, as Mayo Clinic reports.
All things considered, its better to be safe than sorry and stick to the recommended dosage when it comes to ibuprofen. After all, if you take ibuprofen every day, youre only putting your body even more at risk for having a stroke and no one wants that.
Recommended Reading: Is Grape Juice Good For Kidney Stones
Don’t Miss: Does Aleve Hurt Your Kidneys
Why Is Tylenol Safer For The Kidneys Than Ibuprofen
Patients with chronic kidney disease can be very sensitive to non-steroidals. Their kidney function can get worse, and their blood pressure can go up. So even though a medicine such as ibuprofen is processed in the liver and is meant to control pain, it can have untoward effects on the rest of the system in this case the kidneys and the blood pressure through complex mechanisms. When this happens Tylenol is usually recommended because it doesnt adversely affect the kidneys. The big downside here is that Tylenol doesnt help decrease the swelling or inflammation.
Ibuprofen Could Impact Liver Health
A new study in mice suggests that ibuprofen, perhaps the most common pain relief medication, could affect aspects of liver health.
Ibuprofen is a common nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug . In the United States, drugstores tend to sell the brand-name versions Motrin or Advil.
In the U.S. and other countries, ibuprofen is readily available over the counter. People tend to use it to relieve pain or the symptoms of a mild cold.
Like any other drug, ibuprofen can have side effects. One of them is liver damage, though this is rare.
And now, a new study in mice from researchers at the University of California, Davis suggests that ibuprofens adverse effect on liver health may be more significant than doctors suspect.
The liver plays a key role in energy metabolism and is essential for whole-body homeostasis via the regulation of glucose, lipid, and amino acid metabolism, the researchers explain in their study paper, which appears in Scientific Reports.
The liver is the bodys key filter, processing elements of everything we ingest, including drugs. As a result, medication can have unintended
Don’t Miss: Pineapple Juice Kidney Stones
Kidney Injury Following Ibuprofen And Acetaminophen: A Real
- 1Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Childrens Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- 2Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- 3Pharmacy Department, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
Background: Although kidney injury has been reported as a serious adverse effect in patients treated with ibuprofen or acetaminophen , there are still few real-world studies to compare the specific differences in the adverse effects of nephrotoxicity.
Methods: Disproportionality analysis and Bayesian analysis were devoted to data-mining of the suspected kidney injury after using ibuprofen and APAP based on the FDAs Adverse Event Reporting System from January 2004 to March 2021. The times to onset, fatality, and hospitalization rates of ibuprofen-associated kidney injury and APAP-associated kidney injury were also investigated.
The analysis of FAERS data provides a more accurate profile on the incidence and prognosis of kidney injury after ibuprofen and acetaminophen treatment, enabling continued surveillance and timely intervention in patients at risk of kidney injury using these drugs.
Is Aspirin Safe For Regular Use
When taken as directed, regular use of aspirin does not seem to increase the risk of kidney disease in people who have normal kidney function. However, taking doses that are too large may temporarily- and possibly permanently- reduce kidney function. In people with kidney disease, aspirin may increase the tendency to bleed. People who already have reduced kidney function, or other health problems such as liver disease or severe heart failure, should not use aspirin without speaking to their doctor.
Read Also: Apple Cider Vinegar For Kidney
What To Do If Your Dog Gets Too Much Ibuprofen
If you realize your dog has gotten into your stash of ibuprofen, you should seek veterinary help as soon as possible. Not only can your vet induce vomiting if it’s been only and hour or so since your dog got into the medication, but your dog’s prognosis is much better if medical intervention is sought earlier rather than later. Don’t wait for your dog to become symptomatic. Avoid giving your dog anything at home, such as Pepto-Bismol or Kaopectate some of the formulations may contain salicylates, which can interact with the ibuprofen and cause further damage.
Treatment will be based on how much ibuprofen your dog got into. Some cases may require hospitalization for intravenous fluids to support blood flow to the stomach and kidneys, medications to protect your dog’s stomach, and frequent kidney function blood tests to ensure your dog is responding to treatment. Severe cases may require muscle relaxers to prevent tremors/seizure activity and blood transfusions to replenish not only the blood lost from a dog’s GI ulcers, but to also replenish clotting factors to help the ulcers stop bleeding.
When it comes to NSAIDs for dogs, there are definitely varieties that are much safer than ibuprofen. It’s always best to keep your medication out of reach of your dog and to always check with your vet before giving them your own medication.
Toxciology Brief: Ibuprofen toxicosis in dogs, cats, and ferrets. DVM 360.