Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)Available without a prescription

Advilibuprofen

Also sold as: Motrin, Advil Liqui-Gels, Children's Advil

An anti-inflammatory that works well for swelling-related pain, with real cautions around stomach, kidneys and blood thinners.

Quick answer

What it is: A non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug that blocks the COX enzymes, reducing the prostaglandins behind pain, swelling and fever.
What it's used for: Pain where inflammation plays a part — muscle and joint injuries, period cramps, dental pain, headache, and fever.
Worth knowing: Take it with food or milk, use the lowest dose that works, and keep courses short unless a prescriber is monitoring you.
Main safety point: The main risks are stomach bleeding, reduced kidney function, and raised blood pressure. It adds to the bleeding risk of any blood thinner.

Not sure which option is right for you? Pill4Me pharmacists in Chilliwack can help.

Call 604-705-3644 Book a doctor

Drug class

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)

Use in Canada

One of the highest-selling over-the-counter medicines in Canada, also prescribed at higher strengths

What is Advil?

Ibuprofen relieves pain, reduces inflammation and lowers fever. It is commonly used for muscle strains and sprains, back pain, menstrual cramps, dental pain, headaches, and the joint discomfort of arthritis. Higher, prescription-strength doses are used for inflammatory conditions under medical supervision.

How Advil works

Ibuprofen blocks cyclo-oxygenase (COX) enzymes, which the body uses to make prostaglandins. Prostaglandins drive inflammation, sensitise nerve endings to pain, and raise body temperature — so blocking them reduces all three. The same enzymes also protect the stomach lining and help regulate blood flow through the kidneys, which is exactly why the side effects of NSAIDs cluster around the stomach and kidneys.

Forms and strengths

Over-the-counter tablets, caplets and liquid gels, most commonly 200 mg, with 400 mg also available. Prescription strengths of 600 mg and 800 mg. Children's suspension, usually 100 mg/5 mL, and chewable tablets. Also sold in combination with other ingredients in some cold and pain products.

How Advil is taken

For adults using it over the counter, the usual approach is 200–400 mg every 4 to 6 hours as needed, keeping to the package maximum unless a prescriber has advised otherwise. Take it with food, milk, or a full glass of water to reduce stomach irritation. Children are dosed by weight. Anything beyond a few days of regular use — or any use at all if you have kidney disease, heart failure, a history of ulcers, or take a blood thinner — should be discussed with a pharmacist or physician first.

This is general information, not a dose for you. Dosing depends on the reason you are taking it, your kidney and liver function, your age, and everything else you take — follow the directions on your own label, and ask us if they differ from what you read here.

If you miss a dose

Ibuprofen is taken as needed rather than on a fixed schedule, so there is no dose to make up. If you are on a scheduled anti-inflammatory course from a prescriber, take the missed dose with food when you remember and skip it if the next one is nearly due — never take two together.

Side effects

Common — usually manageable

Stomach upset, heartburn or indigestion — less likely when taken with food
Nausea
Dizziness or headache
Fluid retention, sometimes noticed as mild ankle swelling
A modest rise in blood pressure with regular use

Get medical help for these

Stomach or intestinal bleeding — black or tarry stools, vomiting blood or material that looks like coffee grounds; seek emergency care
Reduced kidney function — much less urine than usual, marked swelling, or unexplained fatigue
Signs of a heart attack or stroke: chest pain, weakness on one side, slurred speech, sudden severe headache — call 911
Severe allergic reaction: swelling of the face or throat, wheeze, widespread hives
Worsening of heart failure — new breathlessness or rapid weight gain from fluid

Important warnings

If you take apixaban, rivaroxaban, warfarin, clopidogrel or daily aspirin, ibuprofen meaningfully increases bleeding risk. Ask a pharmacist before buying it — acetaminophen or a topical NSAID is often the better option.

The combination of an ACE inhibitor or ARB, a diuretic, and an NSAID is hard on the kidneys, especially during illness or dehydration. If you take blood pressure medication, check before using ibuprofen regularly.

Ibuprofen taken shortly before low-dose aspirin can block aspirin's heart-protective effect. If you take both, the timing matters — ask us how to space them.

Avoid in the third trimester of pregnancy, and check before using it at any stage of pregnancy.

Regular use raises blood pressure and can undo some of the benefit of blood pressure medication.

Who should take extra care

History of ulcers or GI bleeding: NSAIDs are a leading cause of repeat bleeding — a stomach-protecting medication or a different pain option is usually safer.
Kidney disease: NSAIDs reduce blood flow through the kidneys and can worsen function, particularly during illness or dehydration.
Heart failure, or high blood pressure: Fluid retention and raised blood pressure can undo the benefit of your other medications.
People on blood thinners: Apixaban, rivaroxaban, warfarin, clopidogrel or aspirin — the bleeding risk stacks. Check before use.
Pregnancy: Avoided in the third trimester, and worth checking at any stage.
Older adults: Higher risk of stomach, kidney and blood pressure effects — the lowest dose for the shortest time is the general rule.
Asthma with nasal polyps: A minority of people with asthma get significant wheeze from NSAIDs.

Who should not take it

Active stomach or duodenal ulcer, or previous bleeding from an NSAID
Severe heart failure
Severe kidney impairment
Third trimester of pregnancy
History of asthma, hives or severe allergic reaction triggered by aspirin or another NSAID
Around the time of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery

Drug interactions

Anticoagulants and antiplatelets — apixaban, rivaroxaban, warfarin, clopidogrel and aspirin all combine with ibuprofen to raise bleeding risk substantially. ACE inhibitors, ARBs and diuretics — the combination reduces kidney blood flow and blunts blood pressure control. Low-dose aspirin — ibuprofen can interfere with its antiplatelet effect depending on timing. Lithium and methotrexate — ibuprofen raises their blood levels and toxicity risk. SSRIs and SNRIs — added risk of gastrointestinal bleeding. Corticosteroids — added ulcer risk. Other NSAIDs, including naproxen and prescription diclofenac, should not be combined.

Commonly asked about alongside Advil: Tylenol, Aleve, Voltaren, Aspirin, Eliquis.

This is not a complete list. If you take several medications, or buy anything over the counter, a pharmacist medication review is the reliable way to catch interactions that matter.

Coverage in British Columbia

Over-the-counter ibuprofen is generally not a PharmaCare benefit. Prescription-strength ibuprofen may be covered depending on your plan. Coverage may depend on indication, PharmaCare plan and Special Authority requirements — ask Pill4Me Pharmacy to check your coverage, or call 604-705-3644.

Coverage may depend on indication, PharmaCare plan and Special Authority requirements. Ask Pill4Me Pharmacy to check your coverage, or see BC PharmaCare.

Frequently asked questions

Can I take ibuprofen with Tylenol?

Yes, for most people. Acetaminophen and ibuprofen act differently and can be taken together or alternated, which often gives better relief than either alone after dental work or an injury. Keep each within its own limits, and make sure ibuprofen is appropriate for you — the stomach, kidney, heart and blood thinner cautions still apply. A pharmacist can set up a simple schedule if you are managing a few days of significant pain.

Is ibuprofen safe if I take blood pressure medication?

It needs care. NSAIDs cause fluid retention and can raise blood pressure, which works against medications like ramipril, perindopril, telmisartan or amlodipine. The combination of an ACE inhibitor or ARB with a diuretic and an NSAID is also harder on the kidneys, especially if you become dehydrated. Occasional use is usually manageable for most people, but regular use should be discussed with a pharmacist — often acetaminophen or a topical anti-inflammatory achieves the same relief with less impact.

Can I take ibuprofen while I'm on Eliquis or another blood thinner?

This is one to check before you buy it. Ibuprofen affects platelets and irritates the stomach lining, so combining it with apixaban (Eliquis), rivaroxaban (Xarelto), warfarin or clopidogrel raises the risk of a serious bleed well beyond either alone. It is not always forbidden, but it should be a deliberate decision. Acetaminophen or a topical NSAID is usually the safer route — ask one of our pharmacists to look at your full medication list.

How long can I keep taking ibuprofen?

Over-the-counter use is intended to be short — a few days for pain, and less for fever. If you are still needing it after that, the sensible step is to find out what is driving the pain rather than to continue. Longer courses are sometimes appropriate under medical supervision, usually with a stomach-protecting medication alongside and with kidney function and blood pressure monitored.

Does ibuprofen have to be taken with food?

Taking it with food, milk or a full glass of water reduces stomach irritation and is the usual advice. Food slightly slows how quickly it starts working but does not reduce the overall effect. What food does not do is remove the ulcer risk — that comes from the drug's effect on the stomach lining from the inside, not from direct contact.

Ibuprofen or naproxen — which is better?

Neither is better across the board. Ibuprofen acts faster and clears faster, which suits short bursts of pain and makes it easier to stop if it disagrees with you. Naproxen lasts 8 to 12 hours, so it suits pain that needs all-day cover, such as arthritis or back pain. Both carry the same family of NSAID risks. If you are choosing between them for a specific problem, a two-minute conversation with a pharmacist will settle it faster than comparing labels.

Related medications

Tylenol (acetaminophen)Aleve (naproxen sodium)Voltaren (diclofenac)Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid (ASA))Eliquis (apixaban)

Compare your options

Compare acetaminophen, ibuprofen, naproxen and Voltaren

Not sure which option is right for you?

You don't need an appointment to ask. Our pharmacists can check this against your other medications and your health history, in the store or over the phone — there's no charge for the conversation.

Call 604-705-3644 Minor ailments service Transfer my prescription

Pill4Me Pharmacy is at 5625 Promontory Rd Unit 101, Chilliwack, BC. We deliver free to Chilliwack, Sardis, Promontory, Vedder and Yarrow, and you can reach a pharmacist directly at 604-705-3644.