It's safe to take ibuprofen with paracetamol or codeine. But do not take ibuprofen with similar painkillers like aspirin or naproxen without talking to a pharmacist or doctor. Ibuprofen, aspirin and naproxen belong to the same group of medicines called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
Maxigesic (AFT Pharmaceuticals) contains a combination of paracetamol 500 mg and ibuprofen 150 mg in a single tablet. The recommended dose in individuals 12 years and over is 1–2 tablets every 6 hours as required, to a maximum of eight tablets in 24 hours.
Paracetamol and ibuprofen can be given together, but you can stagger them so that every few hours, if needed, the child can have some medication. For example, you can give paracetamol at 8am, ibuprofen at 11am and paracetamol again at 2pm (i.e. six hours after the first dose of paracetamol).
So that your child's pain is well controlled, it is OK to alternate giving paracetamol and ibuprofen, or even to give both at the same time.
Giving ibuprofen with other painkillers
However, do not give ibuprofen and paracetamol at the same time. You need to give these medicines 1 at a time (unless your child's doctor or nurse gives you different instructions).
An easy pill to swallow for the one in three who don't know the difference anyway, but ibuprofen's anti-inflammatory firepower blows paracetamol out of the pharmacy. Just use the lowest effective dose, and use sparingly.
You should start to feel better 20 to 30 minutes after taking ibuprofen tablets, capsules, granules or liquid.
“Ibuprofen is a non-steroid, anti-inflammatory. In other words, it reduces inflammation and pain in the body, and it can also be used as a fever reducer,” Reeder says.
Key facts. Ibuprofen works by reducing hormones that cause pain and swelling in the body. It takes 20 to 30 minutes to work if you take it by mouth, and 1 to 2 days to work if you put it on your skin. Ibuprofen is typically used for period pain or toothache.
Paracetamol is useful for treating mild to moderate pain and fever in children. It has only a small effect on inflammation (redness, swelling). Ibuprofen is one of the most common non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) for treating mild to moderate pain and fever in children.
One dose of ibuprofen provides pain relief for four to six hours. But it may take at least 10 hours for your body to completely rid your system of ibuprofen.
For severe or acute pain, paracetamol and ibuprofen may be combined, doses of each may be taken together or alternately. To minimise confusion, it is recommended that doses of ibuprofen and paracetamol are taken together.
Nuromolb contains paracetamol 500 mg and ibuprofen 200 mg in a single tablet. The recommended dose (for people aged 12–65 years) is one tablet every 8 hours as necessary, to a maximum of three tablets per 24 hours – a total of 1500 mg of paracetamol and 600 mg of ibuprofen per day.
You shouldn't take ibuprofen if you: have a history of a strong, unpleasant reaction (hypersensitivity) to aspirin or other NSAIDs. have a current or recent stomach ulcer, or you have had one in the past. have severe heart failure.
The main difference between the two medications is that ibuprofen reduces inflammation, whereas paracetamol does not. According to Hamish, there's no advantage in taking ibuprofen or paracetamol brands such as Nurofen or Panadol over the cheaper chemist or supermarket versions.
Call the doctor if the fever doesn't respond to the medication or lasts longer than three days. Rest and drink plenty of fluids. Medication isn't needed. Call the doctor if the fever is accompanied by a severe headache, stiff neck, shortness of breath, or other unusual signs or symptoms.
While acetaminophen only works in the brain, ibuprofen works in the brain and the rest of the body. This means acetaminophen only helps reduce pain and fever, while ibuprofen has the added benefit of reducing inflammation and swelling at the site of an injury.
The duration of action for ibuprofen is 6-8 hours. Both of these medications begin to work less than one hour after being given to your child. When used as a fever reducer, these medications will take a fever down 1-2 degrees. In other words, fever of 103F degrees will not get to “normal” after one dose of medication.
Paracetamol and ibuprofen do not react with each other to harm your child. The potential risk of using them both together is that you will get confused with how much you have given and then give your child too much.
Paracetamol works similarly to ibuprofen by blocking the production of prostaglandins and COX enzymes in the body - chemicals that promote pain, inflammation and fever. However, unlike ibuprofen that is primarily metabolised in the kidneys, paracetamol is processed in the liver.
What is the safest painkiller to use? Paracetamol tends to have fewer side-effects than other over-the-counter painkillers. Ibuprofen and aspirin can cause stomach problems. Paracetamol is often better for people with conditions that cause bleeding.
Because ibuprofen has a strong anti-inflammatory effect, it is more effective than paracetamol at controlling certain types of pain, including rheumatoid arthritis, period pain, and muscular injuries. Ibuprofen is also available in a variety of forms.
Paracetamol and ibuprofen are both common over-the-counter (OTC) pain relief medicines, but they act in different ways and are different ingredients. The main, or 'active', ingredient in Panadol is paracetamol, which is a simple pain reliever.