Before you reach for a couple of Ibuprofen to relieve pain or inflammation, you should read this advice from the NHS.

Many people may consider doubling up on the different kinds of pain relief so that they feel their effects faster.

Whether it is period pain or migraines, the National Health Service has urged caution when using Ibuprofen alongside other medicines or health supplements. 

One example is if you're already taking anti-depressants or you have been prescribed medication for high blood pressure.

In this case, you should inform a doctor before taking Ibuprofen. 

The NHS has explained the medications you should inform your doctor about before taking the pain relief drug as well as if and how you should take it alongside other painkillers. 

What medicines should I tell my doctor about before taking Ibuprofen? 

The NHS has advised that you should inform your doctor about any of the below medications before taking any kind of Ibuprofen. 

  • medicines that help to prevent blood clots such as warfarin
  • anti-inflammatory painkillers such as aspirin, diclofenac, mefenamic acid or naproxen
  • medicines for high blood pressure
  • steroid medicines such as betamethasone, dexamethasone, hydrocortisone or prednisolone
  • antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, norfloxacin or ofloxacin
  • antidepressants such as citalopram, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, venlafaxine, paroxetine or sertraline
  • diabetes medicines such as gliclazide, glimepiride, glipizide or tolbutamide

For further guidance, visit the NHS website.

Is it safe to take paracetamol and ibuprofen together?

The health service has explained that it is safe to take ibuprofen with painkillers like paracetamol and codeine. 

However, Dr T Shaw has urged that you should stagger the doses.

The doctor explained that each one will take 30 minutes to 1 hour to work.

Therefore, Dr Shaw urged that people wait 1 hour after the first medicine to see if they need the other.

A couple of instances that you may need both painkillers is if they still have a high fever and are distressed or if they are still in pain.

However, the NHS urged: "Do not take ibuprofen with similar painkillers like aspirin or naproxen without talking to a pharmacist or doctor".

The experts explained that this is because Ibuprofen, aspirin and naproxen all belong to the same group of medicines called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

"If you take them together, it may increase the chance of you getting side effects like stomach ache," the NHS advice reads.

@uktoday_ Is napping during the dag good for you? A GP explains #uknews #napping #naps #sleeping #uknewsheadlines ♬ original sound - UKToday 🇬🇧 Newsquest

The experts continued: "NSAIDs are also used in medicines you can buy from pharmacies, such as cough and cold remedies.

"Before taking any other medicines, check the label to see if they contain aspirin, ibuprofen or other NSAIDs".

The NHS has also said that it is best not to take gingko biloba with ibuprofen since it can increase the chance of bleeding.

Recommended reading

The service went on to say that there's not enough information to confirm that other herbal remedies and supplements are safe to take with ibuprofen.

This is because they're not tested in the same way as pharmacy and prescription medicines.

Therefore, the NHS has issued a medicine safety guidance on its website that urges people to tell their doctor or pharmacist if they're taking any other medicines, including herbal remedies, vitamins or supplements.