{"id":630490,"date":"2024-11-18T17:44:57","date_gmt":"2024-11-18T22:44:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=630490"},"modified":"2025-11-24T10:26:35","modified_gmt":"2025-11-24T15:26:35","slug":"excedrin-and-ibuprofen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/excedrin-and-ibuprofen\/","title":{"rendered":"Can you take Excedrin and ibuprofen together?"},"content":{"rendered":"

When it comes to choosing over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers, there are more than a few options. Two of the most common are ibuprofen and Excedrin. Not only can these medications temporarily relieve pain, but they can also reduce inflammation, making them helpful for managing headaches, including <\/span>migraine<\/span> and tension headaches.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ibuprofen<\/a> is a single-ingredient generic medication, often sold as brand-name Motrin or Advil. Excedrin is a brand-name medication that\u2019s available in several types, including <\/span>Excedrin PM<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>Excedrin Migraine<\/span><\/a>, and Excedrin Extra Strength<\/a>. Most versions of Excedrin contain the same ingredients\u2014acetaminophen, aspirin, and caffeine. People experiencing a severe headache may wonder if taking these two medications together could provide extra pain relief. However, combining them may raise the risk of side effects and complications. Here\u2019s what to know about taking ibuprofen and Excedrin at the same time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Can you take ibuprofen and Excedrin together?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Unless your healthcare provider has given you different instructions, it\u2019s generally best to avoid taking these drugs together. Aspirin (one of the ingredients in Excedrin) and ibuprofen are both <\/span>nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)<\/span><\/a> that prevent the body from producing chemicals that cause pain.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBoth ibuprofen and Excedrin contain NSAIDs,\u201d says <\/span>Erika Gray<\/span><\/a>, Pharm.D., cofounder of Toolbox Genomics, \u201cso taking them together can increase your chances of side effects, including increased risk of bleeding and heart attack or stroke.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Gray says that there is one exception, however. <\/span>Excedrin Tension Headache<\/span><\/a> doesn\u2019t include aspirin, so it can safely be taken with ibuprofen since there is no risk of overmedicating with NSAID pain relievers.<\/span><\/p>\n

On their own, ibuprofen and aspirin carry <\/span>risks of potential side effects<\/span><\/a>, including:<\/span><\/p>\n