Can you take ibuprofen with allergy medicine?

If you have allergies or hay fever, it’s common to reach for an allergy medicine such as Benadryl or Claritin. But what if you also have a headache or muscle pain? Is it safe to take ibuprofen along with your allergy medicine?

The Short Answer

Yes, you can usually safely take ibuprofen and allergy medication together. However, there are some exceptions and important things to keep in mind.

Understanding Allergy Medications

Before we dive into how various medications interact, let’s first get a basic understanding of the two main types of over-the-counter (OTC) allergy medicines:

  • Antihistamines: These drugs work by blocking histamine receptors in your body to prevent allergic reactions.
  • Decongestants: These drugs help relieve nasal congestion by shrinking blood vessels in the nostrils.

Popular antihistamines include Benadryl (a.k.a. diphenhydramine), Claritin (a.k.a. loratadine), Zyrtec (a.k.a. cetirizine), and Allegra (a.k.a. fexofenadine).

Common decongestants include Sudafed (a.k.a. pseudoephedrine) and phenylephrine.

How Ibuprofen Works

Ibuprofen is classified as a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It helps reduce pain, inflammation, and fever by inhibiting enzymes that produce prostaglandins.

Prostaglandins play important roles in our bodies but can also cause pain and inflammation when produced excessively due to injury or illness.

Some other popular NSAIDs include aspirin, naproxen (Aleve), meloxicam (Mobic), diclofenac (Voltaren), celecoxib (Celebrex), and more.

Interactions to Watch Out For

One potential issue when taking ibuprofen with allergy medication is that some OTC drugs may already contain ibuprofen or other NSAIDs. This means you could accidentally overdose on these medications without realizing it.

Be sure to read the labels of all medications you take carefully, including any supplements or herbal remedies.

Another thing to keep in mind is that both ibuprofen and antihistamines can cause drowsiness. Taking them together may exacerbate this effect, especially if you’re also drinking alcohol or using other sedatives (e.g., benzodiazepines).

Drowsiness can impair your ability to drive safely or operate heavy machinery. It’s best to avoid these activities until you know how a particular combination of drugs affects you personally.

If you have high blood pressure or heart problems, be aware that decongestants like Sudafed can increase your blood pressure and heart rate (source). Ibuprofen itself may also increase your risk of heart attack or stroke (source).

Talk with your healthcare provider before taking any new medication if you have known medical problems, are pregnant/breastfeeding, allergic/sensitive to certain ingredients (e.g., aspirin), etc.)

Best Practices for Combining Ibuprofen and Allergy Medication

Assuming no contraindications apply (see above), here are some tips for safely combining these two types of drugs:

Take Each Medicine as Directed

Follow the dosing instructions on each label carefully. Most OTC medications have recommended dosages based on age and weight. Don’t exceed these amounts, even if your symptoms are severe.

Time Your Medications Carefully

To minimize the risk of drowsiness, you may want to space out your allergy medication and ibuprofen doses by a few hours. For example: take Claritin in the morning, then wait ~4 hours before taking ibuprofen for an headache.

If you’re using decongestants, be aware that Sudafed usually lasts for 4-6 hours per dose while phenylephrine is shorter-lasting (\~2-3 hours).

Hydrate Yourself

Drinking plenty of fluids can help flush drugs from your system faster and prevent dehydration (which can exacerbate headaches).

Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages (which could make drowsiness worse) instead drink tea or coffee which have been shown to positively affect energy levels without causing jitters (source)

Conclusion

So there you have it folks, taking ibuprofen with allergy medicine is typically safe as long as you follow certain precautions. However ,if needed seek advice from medical professionals who might recommend alternative medications or doses depending on the clinical picture provided.

Remember that everyone’s body chemistry is different; therefore reactions my vary greatly from person-to-person when combining medicines.

Disclaimer : We here at Witty Health Digest do not endorse any combination of herbs , supplements or pharmaceuticals without discussing potential benefits AND risks(this includes interactions w other substances etc.) with qualified healthcare providers first .

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