{"id":629757,"date":"2024-09-11T13:06:47","date_gmt":"2024-09-11T17:06:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=629757"},"modified":"2024-10-25T09:45:02","modified_gmt":"2024-10-25T13:45:02","slug":"diclofenac-with-ibuprofen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/diclofenac-with-ibuprofen\/","title":{"rendered":"Can you take diclofenac with ibuprofen?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Diclofenac<\/span><\/a> (Cataflam, Voltaren) and <\/span>ibuprofen<\/span><\/a> (Advil, Motrin) are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs <\/span>(NSAIDs)<\/span><\/a> approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to reduce pain and inflammation in certain situations. These drugs may help with <\/span>rheumatoid arthritis, period pain, muscle aches<\/span><\/a>, and other conditions. Because they fall into the same class of drugs, they shouldn’t be taken together, as they can increase your risk of side effects. Continue reading to learn more about the risks of taking diclofenac with ibuprofen.<\/span><\/p>\n

Can you take diclofenac with ibuprofen?<\/span><\/h2>\n

According to <\/span>Kubanych Takyrbashev, MD, <\/span><\/a>Ph.D., a Health and Wellness adviser at NAO based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, since diclofenac and ibuprofen are both NSAIDs, taking them together can increase your risk of serious side effects. In addition, doubling up on multiple NSAIDs is not effective. “Evidence shows that combining NSAIDs generally does not result in significantly more pain relief than giving a single NSAID in an adequate dosage,” Dr. Takyrbashev says.<\/span><\/p>\n

While diclofenac is available as an oral or topical NSAID, neither form may be completely safe when combined with oral ibuprofen. You can still experience health risks with either form of diclofenac, although the systemic drug levels are significantly lower with topical application compared to oral administration, according to a <\/span>2010 study<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Can you take with diclofenac with Tylenol?<\/span><\/h3>\n

Tylenol (<\/span>acetaminophen<\/span><\/a>) is another pain relief medication that provides some similar benefits as ibuprofen but has <\/span>no known drug interactions with diclofenac<\/span><\/a>. Acetaminophen is a <\/span>non-opioid analgesic and antipyretic agent<\/span><\/a> that can treat pain and fever. It does not reduce inflammation in the way that NSAIDs do.<\/span><\/p>\n

A <\/span>2024 literature review<\/span><\/a> of 11 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) revealed that combining oral acetaminophen with topical diclofenac significantly reduced pain for patients with osteoarthritis.<\/span><\/p>\n

An <\/span>older study<\/span><\/a> also supports the combination of diclofenac and acetaminophen for postoperative pain. The researchers discovered that combining oral diclofenac with oral acetaminophen offered extended relief for patients with moderate to severe pain after wisdom teeth removal.<\/span><\/p>\n

Before combining diclofenac with acetaminophen, speak with your healthcare provider to ensure that this combination of drugs is safe for you.<\/span><\/p>\n

Benefits of taking diclofenac with ibuprofen together<\/span><\/h2>\n

There are no benefits to taking diclofenac with ibuprofen or other NSAIDs like <\/span>aspirin<\/span><\/a> and naproxen. Suppose you need to take a secondary pain medication with diclofenac. In that case, your healthcare provider <\/span>may recommend other over-the-counter or prescription drugs<\/span><\/a>, such as acetaminophen or codeine, in place of ibuprofen.<\/span><\/p>\n

Risks of taking diclofenac with ibuprofen?<\/span><\/h2>\n

According to <\/span>Hadva Barenholtz Levy, Pharm.D., BCPS, BCGP<\/span><\/a>, a senior pharmacist and the author of <\/span>Maybe It’s Your Medications<\/span><\/i><\/a> of St. Louis, Missouri, mixing the oral formulations of diclofenac and ibuprofen may cause the following symptoms:<\/span><\/p>\n