Ibuprofen and Alcohol

Ibuprofen is an over the counter medication used to relieve pain arising from a muscle injury. However, day-to-day health problems such as headache and back pain can also be treated with ibuprofen. It is observed that some people have a tendency to take ibuprofen with alcoholic beverages like cocktail. Usually, pain medications are taken with a glass of water. However, few people are replacing water with alcohol, when it comes to swallowing ibuprofen tablets. We all know about the side effects of alcohol on the human body. So, is it safe to take alcohol when following ibuprofen treatment? Can the combination of ibuprofen and alcohol have a negative impact on health. The answer to these questions are discussed below:

Side Effects
People put on ibuprofen dosage are asked to stay away from alcoholic drinks. It is a known fact that ibuprofen and alcohol do not go well together. Taking ibuprofen with alcohol, instead of water can be detrimental to health. Both alcohol and ibuprofen have their own side effects and so mixing them will do, no good. Ibuprofen acts as a painkiller but when the person does the mistake of swallowing the tablet along with alcohol, its pain relieving effects are no longer effective. For the painkiller to work, it is necessary that one avoids alcohol consumption. Arthritis patients taking ibuprofen to relieve discomfort are often advised to exclude alcohol from the diet.

The symptoms of taking the painkiller and alcohol together may not appear immediately but when this combination is consumed on a daily basis or occasionally in large doses, health issues are bound to occur. Some of them are mentioned below:

Headache
Taking ibuprofen in the morning and then drinking a few pints in the evening after a stressful day at work can lead to headache.

Stomach Problems
As we all know, stomach problems are associated with ibuprofen dosage. Those taking it on a daily basis complain about stomach upset and pain. Also, ibuprofen can never be tolerated on an empty stomach, as it damages the stomach lining. All these side effects can worsen if the pain reliever and alcohol are taken together. Damage to the stomach lining may occur when the medication is combined with alcohol. Too much consumption of alcohol with ibuprofen, can predispose a person to ulceration in the stomach. The weakened lining of the stomach can also bleed profusely. On the whole, research has proved that this combination puts a person in the risk zone of gastritis, a condition that causes inflammation of the stomach lining.

Liver Problems
It is known fact the alcohol consumption can cause progressive damage to the liver and so ibuprofen treatment coupled with intake of alcoholic beverages amplifies the chances of suffering from liver problems. Processing alcohol along with ibuprofen is a difficult task for the liver and this overburden will only cause a decline in liver function.

Kidney Problems
Dehydration is one of the most common side effects of drinking alcoholic beverages. Ibuprofen overdose can also give rise to kidney damage. However, dehydration can make the person more susceptible to kidney problems resulting from ibuprofen. In other words, the kidneys' ability to handle ibuprofen dose decreases substantially, when the body becomes dehydrated. As a result, the person may soon experience symptoms of malfunctioning of kidneys.

On the whole, abstinence from alcohol is necessary for patients following a treatment plan that involves intake of ibuprofen dosage. So, those who do not want to spend money on hospitalization charges, should stop the habit of taking this medication with alcohol.