Ibuprofen, like paracetamol, is one of the most prescribed drugs today. It is indicated for fever, for the treatment of mild or moderate pain, such as headaches, or for the treatment of arthritis, among other uses.
Even so, although it is a medicine that we all have at home and that is widely used, it should not be taken without first consulting a specialist. But what should be taken into account about ibuprofen, what are the contraindications and the side effects?
Below we know the contraindications of ibuprofen and what are the side effects that this drug can produce.
Contraindications of ibuprofen
It is contraindicated to take ibuprofen in any of the following situations:
- If you have severe liver or kidney disease.
- If you vomit blood.
- If you have bloody diarrhea or very black stools.
- If you have severe heart failure.
- If you are pregnant.
- If you have had an ulcer.
Likewise, you should also notify your doctor in any of the following contraindications:
- If you have fluid retention.
- If you have high blood pressure.
- If you suffer from asthma.
- If you suffer from kidney or liver disease.
- If you suffer from headaches after prolonged treatment.
- If you are taking other medications that alter blood clotting.
- If you are being treated with diuretics.
- If you have chickenpox.
- If you have undergone major surgery.
- It is essential to consult with the specialist on these occasions since he/she will be the one to give the authorization to take it or to follow up the treatment.
Side effects
Just as there are some contraindications of ibuprofen, there are also some important side effects to take into account:
- Gastric discomfort.
- Blood loss.
- Diarrhea.
- Vomiting.
- Dizziness.
- Skin rash.
- fluid retention
Occasionally, ibuprofen may cause renal dysfunction or congestive heart failure. Very unusually, taking ibuprofen in spite of contraindications may cause a decrease in visual acuity and changes in color vision.
For all these reasons it is very important that, at the slightest symptom after taking ibuprofen, a specialist should be consulted so that he can determine what is happening.
How to take ibuprofen
To take ibuprofen, once all the contraindications have been taken into account, the instructions given by the physician should be followed exactly. It is important to follow the treatment as indicated by the specialist and not to interrupt it prematurely since, in this way, the expected results will not be obtained.
It is also not recommended to take the indicated dose of ibuprofen for longer than necessary to alleviate the symptoms. If the situation has not improved, a doctor should be consulted to consider all possible options.
Both ibuprofen and paracetamol, which are the two most commonly prescribed drugs, can only be bought with a prescription, so you will have to go to your doctor to ask for them. What are the differences between these two drugs? Your doctor will be able to answer all your questions.
