Ibuprofen Side Effects

Ibuprofen, a widely used nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), which many people reach for to alleviate pain and reduce inflammation. Explore the various facets of Ibuprofen’s side effects to provide you with a thorough understanding of what this medicine can entail. We’ll discuss common side effects that you might encounter, as well as the more serious ones that require immediate attention.

Allergic reactions and rare side effects will also be on our radar, and we’ll shed light on how to identify symptoms of overdose. Beyond immediate concerns, we’ll address the long-term effects of Ibuprofen use and delve into its implications for special age groups, including pregnancy, breastfeeding, pediatric, and geriatric populations.

Moreover, we’ll categorize the side effects based on the body systems they affect, allowing you to become more informed about the medicine you’re taking. So, let’s embark on this journey to know your medicine – Ibuprofen.

Common Side Effects

• Upset stomach: 15%
• Heartburn: 13%
• Nausea: 11%
• Headache: 11%
• Dizziness: 3%

Serious Side Effects

Certainly, here are more common and less common side effects of Ibuprofen:

More Common

• Abdominal Pain
• Acid or Sour Stomach
• Belching
• Bloating
• Cloudy Urine
• Decrease In Amount Of Urine
• Decrease In Urine Output or Decrease In Urine-Concentrating Ability
• Diarrhea
• Difficulty Having A Bowel Movement (Stool)
• Excess Air or Gas In Stomach or Intestines
• Swelling Of Face, Fingers, Hands, Feet, Lower Legs, or Ankles
• Troubled Breathing At Rest
• Troubled Breathing With Exertion
• Unusual Bleeding or Bruising
• Unusual Tiredness or Weakness
• Vomiting
• Weight Gain
• Full Feeling
• Heartburn
• Indigestion
• Itching Skin
• Pain or Discomfort In Chest, Upper Stomach, or Throat
• Pale Skin
• Passing Gas
• Nausea
• Noisy, Rattling Breathing
• Rash With Flat Lesions or Small Raised Lesions On The Skin
• Shortness Of Breath

Less Common

• Stomach Soreness or Discomfort
• Abdominal Cramps

Allergic Reactions

Seek immediate medical assistance if you experience indications of an allergic response to ibuprofen, such as hives, breathing difficulties, or swelling in your face and throat, or if you encounter a severe skin reaction marked by symptoms like fever, a sore throat, burning eyes, skin discomfort, and the presence of a red or purple skin rash accompanied by blistering and peeling.

Rare Side Effects

• Agitation
• Back, Leg, or Stomach Pains
• Bleeding Gums
• Blistering, Peeling, Loosening of Skin
• Blood in Urine or Stools
• Bloody, Black or Tarry Stools
• Blurred Vision
• Burning Feeling In Chest or Stomach
• Change in Vision
• Chest Pain
• Chills
• Clay-Colored Stools
• Coma
• Confusion
• Constipation
• Cough or Hoarseness
• Dark Urine
• Decreased Urine Output
• Depression
• Difficulty Breathing
• Difficulty Swallowing
• Dilated Neck Veins
• Dizziness
• Dry Mouth
• Extreme Fatigue
• Fast, Irregular, Pounding, or Racing Heartbeat or Pulse
• Fever With or Without Chills
• Frequent Urination
• General Body Swelling
• General Feeling of Tiredness or Weakness
• Hair Loss, Thinning of Hair
• Headache
• Hives or Welts
• Hostility
• Impaired Vision
• Increased Blood Pressure
• Increased Volume of Pale, Dilute Urine
• Irregular Breathing
• Irritability
• Itching
• Joint or Muscle Pain
• Sore Throat
• Sores, Ulcers, or White Spots in Mouth or on Lips
• Stiff Neck or Back
• Stomach Upset
• Stupor
• Swollen or Painful Glands
• Tenderness in Stomach Area
• Thirst
• Tightness in Chest
• Unpleasant Breath Odor
• Upper Right Abdominal Pain
• Vomiting of Blood
• Vomiting of Material that Looks like Coffee Grounds
• Wheezing
• Yellow Eyes And Skin
• Lab Results That Show Problems With Liver
• Lethargy
• Light-Colored Stools
• Loss of Appetite
• Lower Back or Side Pain
• Muscle Twitching
• Nosebleeds
• Painful or Difficult Urination
• Pains in Stomach, Side, or Abdomen, Possibly Radiating to the Back
• Pinpoint Red Spots on Skin
• Puffiness or Swelling of The Eyelids or Around the Eyes, Face, Lips or Tongue
• Rash
• Red Skin Lesions, often with a Purple Center
• Red, Irritated Eyes
• Redness of Skin
• Seizures
• Severe Abdominal Pain, Cramping, Burning
• Severe and Continuing Nausea

Other Side Effects

More common

• Continuing Ringing or Buzzing or other Unexplained Noise In Ears
• Hearing Loss
• Nervousness

Rare

• Crying
• Depersonalization
• Discouragement
• Dry Eyes
• Dysphoria
• Euphoria
• Feeling Sad or Empty
• Lack of Appetite
• Loss of Interest or Pleasure
• Mental Depression
• Paranoia
• Quick to React or Overreact
• Rapidly Changing Moods
• Runny Nose
• Sleepiness or Unusual Drowsiness
• Sleeplessness
• Sneezing
• Stuffy Nose
• Trouble Concentrating
• Trouble Sleeping
• Unable to Sleep

Symptoms of Ibuprofen Overdose

• Bluish Lips or Skin
• Difficulty Sleeping
• Disorientation
• Dizziness, Faintness, or Lightheadedness when Getting Up from a Lying or Sitting Position Suddenly
• Slow or Irregular Heartbeat
• Stomach Cramps
• Sudden Fainting
• Sweating
• Drowsiness to profound Coma
• Hallucination
• Lightheadedness or Fainting
• Mood or other Mental Changes
• Muscle Tremors
• Not Breathing
• Rapid, Deep Breathing
• Restlessness

Categorize the Side Effects of Ibuprofen Based on Various Body Systems

For Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Pediatric Patients

• Sepsis, anemia, intraventricular bleeding, apnea, GI disorders, impaired renal function, respiratory infection, skin lesions, hypoglycemia, hypocalcemia, and respiratory failure.

Gastrointestinal

• Nausea (up to 57%), vomiting (up to 22%), flatulence (up to 16%), diarrhea (up to 10%) Dyspepsia, abdominal discomfort, epigastric pain, heartburn, abdominal distress, indigestion, constipation, abdominal cramps/pain, fullness of GI tract, bloating, GI hemorrhage, melena (1% to 10%)
• Abdominal distention, dyspepsia, gastritis (0.1% to 1%)
• Peptic ulcer, perforation, hematemesis, mouth ulceration, exacerbation of colitis, exacerbation of Crohn’s disease (less than 0.01%)
• Dry mouth, duodenitis, esophagitis, gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer, GI bleeding, glossitis, rectal bleeding, stomatitis, eructation, gingival ulcer, pancreatitis

For Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Pediatric Patients

• GI disorders non-necrotizing enterocolitis (22%)
• Necrotizing enterocolitis, intestinal perforation (1% to 10%)
• Abdominal distension, gastroesophageal reflux, gastritis, ileus, inguinal hernia
• GI perforation

Cardiovascular

• Hemorrhage (up to 10%), hypertension (10%), hypotension (10%): Very common 
• Cardiac failure (less than 0.01%) 
• Congestive heart failure, tachycardia, arrhythmia, myocardial infarction, palpitations, vasculitis, sinus bradycardia, angina pectoris, thrombotic events

For Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Pediatric Patients

• Tachycardia
• Cardiac failure
•  Hypotension

Nervous system

• Headache (up to 12%) 
• Dizziness, nervousness (1% to 10%)
• Cerebrovascular accident (less than 0.01%)
• Syncope, drowsiness, paresthesia, somnolence, tremors, convulsions, coma

For Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Pediatric Patients

• Intraventricular hemorrhage, periventricular hemorrhage
• Convulsions (1% to 10%)

Renal

• Acute renal failure, renal papillary necrosis, interstitial nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, renal failure, renal insufficiency (less than 0.01%)
• Cystitis, azotemia, creatinine clearance decreased, glomerulitis, tubular necrosis, nephrotoxicity

For Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Pediatric Patients

• Renal events (21%)
• Acute renal failure (0.1% to 1%)
• Within 30 days of intravenous (IV) therapy in preterm infants, there were a total of 21% renal events reported, and these events included: increased blood urea (7%), renal insufficiency/impairment (6%), renal failure (1%), reduced urine output (3%), increased blood creatinine (3%) and increased blood urea with hematuria (1%).

Hematologic

• The incidence of total bleeding events within 30 days of therapy with IV use in preterm infants was 32%. This percentage included grade 1 and 2 intraventricular hemorrhage (15%), grade 3 and 4 intraventricular hemorrhage (15%), and other bleeding (6%)
• Anemia (up to 36%), eosinophilia (up to 26%), neutropenia (up to 13%), thrombocythemia (up to 10%)
• Hemoglobin decreased (1% to 10%)
• Leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, agranulocytosis, hemolytic anemia, aplastic anemia, pancytopenia, hematocrit decreased (less than 0.01%)
• Lymphadenopathy, bleeding episodes

For Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Pediatric Patients:

• Anemia (32%), total bleeding (32%), intraventricular hemorrhage (29%), Neutropenia, thrombocytopenia

Dermatologic

• Rash, maculopapular rash, pruritus (1% to 10%) 
• Stevens-Johnson syndrome, erythema multiforme, toxic epidermal necrolysis (less than 0.01%) 
• Ecchymosis, purpura, alopecia, sweating, photosensitivity, angioedema, exfoliative dermatitis, 
• Urticaria, vesiculobullous eruptions, Henoch Schonlein vasculitis

For Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Pediatric Patients:

• Skin lesion/irritation (16%)

Metabolic

• Hypokalemia (up to 19%), hypoproteinemia (up to 13%), blood urea increased (10%), hypernatremia (10%), hypoalbuminemia (10%): Very common Common (1% to 10%):
• Appetite decreased, fluid retention
• Appetite changes, hyperglycemia, hypoglycemic reaction, acidosis

For Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Pediatric Patients:

• Hypoglycemia (12%), hypocalcemia (12%), blood creatinine increased, blood sodium decreased Hypernatremia:(1% to 10%)
• Feeding problems, hyperglycemia

Other

• Bacteremia (13%), Blood LDH increased (up to 10%)
• Peripheral edema, wound hemorrhage, tinnitus, hearing impairment, edema, fatigue: (10% or more) 
• Aseptic meningitis, vertigo, exacerbation of infection-related inflammations
• Fever, infection, sepsis, weight changes, asthenia, malaise, pseudo-tumor, hearing loss, drowsiness (less than 0.01%)

For Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Pediatric Patients:

• Sepsis (43%)
• Edema, fluid retention (1% to 10%)

Respiratory

• Bacterial pneumonia (up to 10%)
• Cough (1% to 10%)
• Asthma, bronchospasm, dyspnea, wheezing (less than 0.01%)
• Apnea, respiratory depression, pneumonia, rhinitis, epistaxis

For Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Pediatric Patients:

• Apnea (28%), respiratory infection (19%), respiratory failure (10%), bronchopulmonary dysplasia
• Atelectasis, pulmonary hemorrhage (1% to 10%)
• Hypoxemia (0.1% to 1%)
• Pulmonary hypertension

Hepatic

• Hepatitis, jaundice (less than 0.01%)
• Hepatorenal syndrome, liver necrosis, liver failure, abnormal liver function tests

For Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Pediatric Patients:

• Cholestasis
• Jaundice

Hypersensitivity

Syndrome of abdominal pain, fever, chills, nausea, vomiting and anaphylaxis; asthma/aggravated asthma or dyspnea, respiratory tract reactivity comprising bronchospasm; skin reactions, which rarely included exfoliative and bullous dermatoses, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, angioedema, pruritus, and urticaria.

Anaphylactoid reactions, hypersensitivity reaction

Ocular

• Visual disturbances (less than 0.01%) 
• Blurred vision, amblyopia, conjunctivitis, dry eyes, diplopia, optic neuritis, cataracts, optic neuritis, toxic optic neuropathy, diminished vision, scotomata, changes in color vision

Musculoskeletal

• Lupus erythematosus syndrome

Psychiatric

• Anxiety, confusion, depression, dream abnormalities, insomnia, emotional lability, hallucinations

Genitourinary

• Urinary retention (1% to 10%)
• Proteinuria, hematuria (less than 0.01%)
• Dysuria, oliguria, polyuria, menorrhagia

For Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Pediatric Patients:

• Oliguria, hematuria (10% or more)
• Urinary tract infection (1% to 10%)

Immunologic

• Serum sickness

Local

• Infusion site pain (1% to 10%)
• Transient sensation of burning in mouth/throat

For Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Pediatric Patients:

• Injection site reactions

Endocrine

• Gynecomastia

For Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Pediatric Patients:

• Adrenal insufficiency (1% to 10%)

Long Term Effects of Ibuprofen

Long-term use of Ibuprofen, like any medication, can have various effects, including positive pain and inflammation management for chronic conditions but also potential negative consequences such as gastrointestinal issues, bleeding in your stomach or intestines. Impacts on kidney function, a low risk of cardiovascular events, effects on bone health and density, elevated blood pressure, liver function concerns, medication interactions, potential tolerance development, and withdrawal symptoms when discontinuing. 

Side Effects of Ibuprofen During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Ibuprofen stands out as a favorable choice for nursing mothers seeking an analgesic or anti-inflammatory agent. This preference is owed to its minimal presence in breast milk, existing at extremely low levels, its short half-life, and its proven safety for use in infants, even at doses considerably higher than the amounts excreted in breast milk. Consequently, it becomes a suitable option for nursing mothers looking to manage pain or inflammation while breastfeeding.

However, during pregnancy, particularly once you’ve reached at least 20 weeks, it is advisable to refrain from taking aspirin doses of 325 mg or higher. Such doses have the potential to affect your baby’s kidney function and the levels of amniotic fluid in your belly. As you progress to 30 weeks of pregnancy or later, doses of aspirin at 325 mg or higher may even carry a risk of causing heart defects in your unborn baby. Given these considerations, it is of utmost importance to engage in a conversation with your healthcare provider to explore alternative medications that are safer for managing pain and fever during pregnancy. Your healthcare provider can offer guidance on the most appropriate and safe options for your unique situation.

Side Effects of Ibuprofen in Pediatric (Children)

It’s important not to administer ibuprofen to children under 6 months of age unless specifically directed by a healthcare provider. Additionally, for children under the age of 2 or weighing less than 12 pounds (approximately 5.5 kilograms), it’s advisable to consult your healthcare provider before giving them ibuprofen. The most common side effect in children is stomach upset or discomfort. If the medication upsets your child’s stomach, you can try giving it with food to mitigate this effect. 

However, be alert to potential serious side effects, such as severe stomach pains, vomiting blood, or the presence of very dark or black stool, which may indicate a stomach ulcer. Similarly, if your child experiences a decrease in urination or notices blood in their urine, this may signal a kidney problem. If they report hearing ringing in their ears, it’s essential to seek medical attention promptly.

Side Effects of Ibuprofen in Geriatric Age (Elderly individuals)

Older adults should be aware that they may face an increased risk of stomach or intestinal bleeding, kidney issues, as well as heart attacks and strokes when using this medication. While ibuprofen in doses of 600 to 1,200 mg daily has been observed to be generally well tolerated in elderly patients, it’s essential to exercise caution. This is particularly important because elderly individuals may have some level of impaired liver or renal function, making it advisable to use adult dosages with care and under the guidance of a healthcare provider to ensure their safety and well-being.

In case of a medical emergency, please seek immediate medical assistance or contact the Poison Help Line at 1-800-222-1222. Information is also available online at poisonhelp.org. Nevertheless, if you are experiencing severe symptoms, please do not hesitate to dial 911 (or your Local Emergency Number) immediately or proceed to the nearest emergency room for immediate medical attention. Your safety and well-being are paramount.