Motrin is a type of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that is used to help relieve mild to moderate pain, inflammation, and stiffness. By blocking the effects of certain pain-causing hormones in the body, the medication can help reduce symptoms of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and other forms of arthritis, painful menstrual periods, and fever, among other things.
It may be used by itself or combined with other medications in several common cold, flu, and sinus products. These can be used to help relieve common cold symptoms, flu symptoms, or sinus problems, such as fever, aches, and pains.
Motrin comes in tablet, caplet, and oral suspension forms and is available in both prescription and non-prescription strengths. Common side effects of this drug include nausea, stomach pain, and heartburn.
Motrin and other NSAIDs are believed to work by inhibiting the action of certain hormones that cause inflammation and pain in the body. These hormones are called prostaglandins.
By blocking the effects of prostaglandins, Motrin is effective in:
Reducing pain related to bone, muscle, or tendon injury or inflammation
Reducing fever
Alleviating pain and joint swelling associated with different forms of arthritis and other conditions.
Some general considerations for when and how to take the medication include:
It comes in tablet, caplet, and oral suspension forms.
It is best if you take it with food or milk to avoid an upset stomach.
For it to work properly, you have to take it as prescribed. The medicine will not work if you stop taking it.
It is important to take the lowest effective dose for the least amount of time in order to treat your condition. This will decrease the chances of developing serious side effects.
If using over-the-counter Motrin products (Children's Motrin, Infant Motrin, Motrin IB, or Motrin Cold and Sinus), you should follow the instructions on the label. Do not exceed the recommended over-the-counter doses, and do not take the medication for more than 10 days for pain relief or 3 days for fever unless your healthcare provider recommends it.
The dosage that your healthcare provider recommends will vary depending on a number of factors, including:
The form of Motrin
The medical condition being treated
Other medical conditions you may have
Other medications you may be currently taking.
As is always the case, do not adjust your dose unless your healthcare provider specifically instructs you to do so.
If you have mild to moderate pain, you may benefit from Motrin (ibuprofen). Specifically, this medication is most often used for:
Reducing pain related to bone, muscle, or tendon injury or inflammation
Reducing fever
Alleviating pain and joint swelling associated with different forms of arthritis and other conditions.
As a type of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), Motrin works to relieve pain and inflammation by blocking the effects of certain hormones in the body (prostaglandins).
Motrin may be used alone or combined with other medications in several common cold, flu, and sinus products. These can be used to help relieve common cold symptoms, flu symptoms, or sinus problems, such as fever, aches, and pains.
(The side effects listed below are NOT a complete list of possible side effects of Motrin. Your healthcare provider can discuss a more complete list of side effects with you.)
As with any medicine, there are possible side effects. Yet, not everyone who takes the drug will experience side effects. When side effects do occur, in many cases they are minor, meaning that they require no treatment or are easily treated by you or your healthcare provider.
The most common Motrin side effects include:
Nausea
Stomach pain
Heartburn
Dizziness
Unexplained rash.
Less common but serious side effects include:
Cardiovascular problems, including a heart attack or stroke
Stomach or intestine problems, including bleeding, ulcers, or a hole (known as a perforation)
Liver damage
Kidney problems, including kidney failure
Rapid weight gain
Congestive heart failure
Allergic reaction
Unexplained rash.
These possible side effects are shared with all NSAIDs and can lead to life-threatening complications or even loss of life.
(The drug interactions listed below are NOT a complete list of possible drug interactions with Motrin. Your healthcare provider can discuss a more complete list of drug interactions with you.)
Motrin (ibuprofen) has a number of medicines that it can potentially interact with. Some of these drug interactions with Motrin include:
Warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven)
Other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as naproxen (Naprosyn), naproxen sodium (Aleve, Anaprox, Naprelan), diclofenac (Cataflam, Voltaren), indomethacin (Indocin), nabumetone (Relafen), oxaprozin (Daypro), celecoxib (Celebrex), meloxicam (Mobic), etodolac (Lodine), ketoprofen, ketorolac (Toradol), and others
Aspirin
Lithium (Eskalith, Lithane, Lithonate, Lithotabs)
Diuretics, such as torsemide (Demadex), furosemide (Lasix), and hydrochlorothiazide
ACE inhibitors such as lisinopril (Zestril, Prinivil), fosinopril (Monopril), catopril (Capoten), quinapril (Accupril), benazepril (Lotensin), enalapril (Vasotec), or ramipril (Altace)
Methotrexate (Rheumatrex, Trexall)
Beta blockers, such as metoprolol (Lopressor), propranolol (Inderal), atenolol (Tenormin), and metoprolol (Toprol XL)
Corticosteroids, such as prednisone, hydrocortisone (Cortef), dexamethasone (Decadron, Dexone, Hexadrol), and many others.
Several herbal and nutritional supplements can also interact with Motrin and may increase the risk of bleeding. Examples of these include, but are not limited to:
Dong quai
Feverfew
Garlic
Ginger
Ginkgo biloba
Ginseng
St. John's wort
Fish oil supplements.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns that people using NSAIDs (other than aspirin), including Motrin, may have a higher risk of having a heart attack or stroke than those who do not take NSAIDs. This risk may be higher in people who have been taking NSAIDs for a long time. These events can occur without any warning and can lead to death. Be sure to tell your doctor if you have or have ever had any of the following:
Heart disease or a heart attack
A stroke
High blood pressure (hypertension)
High cholesterol.
Prior to taking Motrin, you should also tell your healthcare provider if you have:
Asthma
Congestive heart failure
Liver disease or liver failure
Kidney disease or kidney failure
Bleeding problems or are taking medicines that decrease the ability of blood to clot
Diabetes
Nasal polyps
Systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus or SLE)
Stomach ulcers, stomach bleeding, or a history ofeither problem
Any allergies to medicines, including sulfa drugs, aspirin, or other NSAID pain medicines.
Let your healthcare provider know if you:
Drink alcohol frequently
Smoke
Are having or have recently had heart surgery.
Also, tell your healthcare provider about all other medicines you may currently be taking, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Do not give Motrin to a child without the advice of a doctor.
You should not use Motrin (ibuprofen) during pregnancy (and especially during third trimester of pregnancy) because it can possibly cause problems in the unborn child or complicate labor and delivery.
Motrin is considered a pregnancy Category C medicine by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which means that Motrin has not been studied in pregnant women. However, when studied in pregnant animals, problems were seen with the unborn fetus. This suggests that Motrin could potentially cause harm to your unborn child. It is important to note, however, that animals do not always respond to medicines the same way that humans do.
It is not known whether Motrin passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
People who take too much Motrin may have overdose symptoms that could include, but are not limited to:
Vomiting
Difficulty breathing
Dizziness
Excessive sleepiness
Coma.
If you happen to overdose, seek medical attention immediately.
The medication should be stored at room temperature and kept in an airtight container.
Keep Motrin and all medications out of the reach of children.
If you do not take your dose as scheduled, take your next dose as soon as you remember. If it is close to the next scheduled dose, skip the missed one and continue with normal dosing. Never take a double dose!
Motrin tablets, caplets, and oral suspension are available in several strengths.
Non-prescription strengths include:
Motrin 100 mg
Motrin 200 mg
Motrin 50 mg/1.25 mL oral solution -- 1.25 mL contains 50 mg of Motrin
Motrin 100 mg/5mL oral solution -- one teaspoon (5 mL) contains 125 mg of Motrin.
Prescription strengths include:
Motrin 400 mg
Motrin 600 mg
Motrin 800 mg.
Besides being sold in prescription strengths, the medication is also sold as various non-prescription products. Some of these include:
Motrin IB
Children's Motrin
Children's Motrin Cold
Infants' Motrin
Junior Strength Motrin
Motrin Cold and Sinus
Motrin Migraine Pain.
Generic Motrin is sold under a number of names, including Ibuprofen tablets, Ibuprofen capsules, Ibuprofen oral suspension, and Ibuprofen caplets. It is available as either a prescription or nonprescription medicine and comes in multiple strengths.