Can advil upset your stomach?

If you’re an avid pill-popper like me, I’m sure you’ve come across various brands of pain relievers including the ubiquitous Advil. While poppin’ these pills every now and then might feel like second nature to some, it’s important to understand what we are ingesting and how it affects our bodies – especially when it comes to stomach upset.

You might have heard horror stories about people who take too much Advil or whose bellies can’t handle ‘the burn’. Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Isn’t this just another one of those annoying click-bait health articles that tells me what I already know?” Well, don’t fret! This article is anything but boring!

What is Advil?

Advil is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that contains ibuprofen. It’s commonly used to relieve headaches, toothaches, cramps and general pain relief. You can purchase over-the-counter (OTC) versions for mild-to-moderate pain relief; higher doses require a prescription.

Fun fact: Did you know that ibuprofen if broken down looks waaay cooler as “2-(4-isobutylphenyl)propionic acid“?

How does Ibuprofen work?

Ibuprofen works by blocking the production of prostaglandins which helps reduce inflammation which then relieves us from the pains in question – pretty neat right?. Prostaglandins are made by cells in your body tissues during injury or infection so they have a really useful purpose. Unfortunately though when there’s excessive inflammation due to injury or illness they can also cause more harm than good.

Now onto the juicy stuff… Can taking too much Advil give you an upset stomach?

The answer is YES BUT not everyone experiences GI discomfort after taking ibuprofen. ‘Gastrointestinal discomfort’ is just a fancy way of saying that your belly might feel off after taking too much Advil.

What happens when you take too much Ibuprofen?

Taking too much Advil can cause damage to the stomach lining which increases the gastric acid production in turn causing inflammation and eventually ulcers (unhealthy breakage..yikes). This is because non-selective NSAIDs like ibuprofen inhibit COX-1 enzymes, responsible for making prostaglandins associated with protecting the stomach lining.

Another adverse effect caused by some NSAIDs is blood thinning not only does this put one at risk for excessive bleeding it also further inflames an already damaged gut. Definitely take note of how many milligrams you’re gorging on!

Can’t I Just Switch to Tylenol Instead?

While both are pain relievers, they function very differently from each other. Tylenol (which contains acetaminophen), works by blocking signals sent through your nerves so you no longer feel any pain – but doesn’t actually reduce inflammation like with ibuprofen . To make matters worse, if taken in high doses without any attention paid to quantity or frequency, Acetaminophen’s toxic metabolites can lead to liver failure – yep!, life-threatening liver failure!.

Now wait a minute…this article was supposed to be funny! right? You weren’t attempting another rant session about why we should avoid over-the-counter meds were uuuuuh?…..

Nah! let’s insert humour where there’s absolute truth then;

To quoth Captain Raymond Holt: “Everything hurts and I’m dying.”
It isn’t uncommon in today’s age where sitting behind our computers all day doing the most unexpected chores now equal physical workout all the while trying to cope with this mess of a world. Pain relievers are our co-pilots infact, their existence simply proves there’s still some goodness left and at least they can offer us an escape from everyday aggravation when taken in moderation.

“Don’t quit your day-job kid!”

Ok ok back on track now; we get it! Advil has the potential to upset my stomach when taken in large amounts… so how should I avoid this?

How do you take ibuprofen without belly troubles?

Here are ways that’ll help those inclined not just for the short term gains but rather a healthier lifestyle:

1. Don’t overdo it

• To reduce your risk of developing an upset stomach after taking Advil, start by reducing its usage.
• Stick to recommended dosages as advised on package or prescribed by a doctor (I’m telling you, sometimes doctors do know what they’re talking about!).
• Make sure to leave sufficient time between doses

2. Eat before popping pills

• Before taking any painkillers make sure you have something in your tummy.

Fun fact: Basically when we ingest food, various hormones prod our intestines into getting moving..Now who wouldn’t want love like that?

3.Avoid Alcohol

-You probably don’t need yet another reason ‘not’ to drink alcohol but just incase;

-Fun fact: Did you know excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages causes inflammation and injury – surprise surprise just like NSAID tablets!

-Avoid drinking alcohol if possible because adding more inflammation-causing components will aggravate your gut even further.

Congratulations! You’ve made it down here , no egg timer needed well done!

4.Seek alternative treatments

If none works with avoidance treating your pain becomes problematic then consider talking with someone proficient enough whether chiropractic specialists or physiotherapists..there’s always a win-win!

Well there you have it, folks! Advil can indeed upset your stomach – but that doesn’t mean we should be scared of taking pain relievers altogether.

Title	Description
Risks associated with NSAID use.	NSAIDs are responsible for epigastric symptoms worldwide and each year many users experience serious diarrhea; taking them without caution could lead to ulcers or gastrointestinal bleeding in some patients.
It’s all about moderation.	If taken as directed, ibuprofen is generally safe.”. “In general, people shouldn’t rely on long-term ibuprofen use for chronic pain management.” So basically don’t skip out on seeing your doctor especially if its…taking/uncomfortable necks??. Wait….we were still talking about Advil right?(darn me!!)
Maintenance treatment for chronic pain relief comes highly recommended	Long term use of analgesics like opioids is not sustainable nor practical so consider visiting physios along other less intrusive forms of therapy..Can I get an Ayee?!?

As always take great care and try different things out – never hurts to learn something new (pardon the pun!).