Can you take ibuprofen with amoxicillin?

In this article:

• Can you take ibuprofen with amoxicillin?
• What happens if you take ibuprofen and amoxicillin together?
• When would you need to take amoxicillin and ibuprofen?
• Ibuprofen and amoxicillin drug interactions
• Ibuprofen alternatives
• Amoxicillin alternatives

In this article

• Can you take ibuprofen with amoxicillin?
• What happens if you take ibuprofen and amoxicillin together?
• When would you need to take amoxicillin and ibuprofen?
• Ibuprofen and amoxicillin drug interactions
• Ibuprofen alternatives
• Amoxicillin alternatives

Some people don’t think twice about taking a few ibuprofen when they have a headache or fever. But doing so while also taking other medications can cause adverse and even unsafe reactions. Ibuprofen is the most popular nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) for relieving pain and reducing fever. Meanwhile, amoxicillin is a classic member of the penicillin antibiotic class, used in treating ear and sinus infections, pneumonia, strep throat, urinary tract infections, and skin infections. Since those infections can generate pain and fever, ibuprofen may be an obvious quick fix for relief. Thankfully, it’s generally safe for most people to take them together, but it’s important to recognize the benefits and risks of doing so.

Can you take ibuprofen with amoxicillin?

Until amoxicillin clears up an infection, you may be experiencing fever or body aches, ear pain, sinus pressure, or headache. Ibuprofen, known as Advil and Motrin, can assist with pain relief and does not interact with amoxicillin. 

For example, ibuprofen may lessen your sore throat, while amoxicillin treats your strep throat. 

What happens if you take ibuprofen and amoxicillin together?

While nothing should happen, they have the potential for serious side effects that could worsen when combined. Ibuprofen’s side effects include:

• Abdominal pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• Gastrointestinal bleeding
• Fluid retention
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Heart complications
• Kidney or liver function impairment

Those are only the most notable adverse effects of ibuprofen. Others absolutely exist. Adding amoxicillin to the mix as well entails its own potential side effects, too, such as the following:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea
• C. difficile-associated colitis
• Severe skin and allergic reactions

As you can see, these medications have overlapping side effects on the gastrointestinal tract. Sometimes, these may be minor, but the possibility of severe stomach bleeding or bowel infections exists. Watch for the onset of vomiting, bloody stools, severe diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Report these to a healthcare provider immediately. Ideally, you will want to limit the use of ibuprofen to a short timeframe to reduce the risk of some of these issues. 

Keep in mind that antibiotics aren’t always necessary, so don’t assume you need amoxicillin unless a healthcare provider prescribes it. Viral infections like the common cold and influenza do not require antibiotic treatment, and amoxicillin won’t help.

When would you need to take amoxicillin and ibuprofen?

When enduring the pain and discomfort of an ear, sinus, or throat infection, taking some ibuprofen to lessen the discomfort can be greatly beneficial, considering that it can take two or three days of antibiotic therapy to see improvement. However, not everyone should reach for ibuprofen. Ibuprofen can exacerbate various underlying medical conditions. Stomach ulcers, kidney disease, liver disease, hypertension, congestive heart failure, and heart disease are among the health problems that can worsen with ibuprofen use.

Ibuprofen and amoxicillin drug interactions

It’s important to ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist before taking any medication, since they can identify potential interactions. Although ibuprofen and amoxicillin are generally safe together, either may interact with other medications or supplements you may be taking. 

For example, ibuprofen alone interacts with aspirin and other blood thinners. And both amoxicillin and ibuprofen interact with warfarin, an anticoagulant, so taking both of them while taking warfarin carries a major risk of bleeding. 

A combination cough and cold medicine can also be problematic in these situations because these medications include multiple active ingredients. It can be all too easy to mistakenly use two products with the same drug component, leading to an overdose. For example, someone could take ibuprofen along with Advil Cold and Sinus (pseudoephedrine and ibuprofen), which may exceed the recommended dose of ibuprofen. 

Ibuprofen alternatives

Tylenol (acetaminophen) is an alternative for pain and fever, and for some, it may be a better choice since it does not negatively impact the stomach and kidneys like NSAIDs do. Nevertheless, NSAIDs sometimes work better, which is why they are more often chosen for joint sprains, muscle strains, or menstrual pain.

Acetaminophen is in lots of cold remedies, and taking Tylenol with a product like DayQuil Cold and Flu (acetaminophen, dextromethorphan, and phenylephrine) can lead to overdose. The issue has become enough of a problem to warrant an advisory from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Amoxicillin alternatives

Amoxicillin is not the only antibiotic for various bacterial infections, nor the only antibiotic that can be coupled with ibuprofen. Each medication combination must be looked at, but most antibiotics can be taken with this NSAID. However, quinolones like Cipro (ciprofloxacin) could increase seizure risk when taken with ibuprofen.

Bottom line: It is safe to take ibuprofen with amoxicillin 

Although using ibuprofen with amoxicillin is generally safe for most individuals, exceptions may include those with kidney, liver, and heart disease. Aside from these examples, everyone should be aware of additive side effects and drug interactions when taking multiple medicines. For ibuprofen and amoxicillin, that means gastrointestinal effects. Staying safe with the use of these medications means running the decision to take them together past your medical provider and limiting ibuprofen use as much as possible.