If you take ibuprofen every day, you may notice your stomach start to hurt more. Kenni Sterns, MPH, the head of Health & Safety for UniMovers, says that long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen has been associated with the development of peptic ulcers, which are open sores lining the inside of your stomach. “These ulcers cause significant pain when eating food, drinking alcohol, and using tobacco products,” Sterns explains. “The ulcers can lead to the development of heartburn, and in serious cases, perforation of the gastrointestinal mucosa which leads to stomach acid leaking into the surrounding tissues.” And for more warnings about your meds, If You’re Taking This Medication, the FDA Has a New Warning for You. If you’re taking ibuprofen daily to treat headaches, you might just be making things worse. In fact, Daniel Wasser, MD, a physician and medication communications professional, says that chronic use of ibuprofen can actually cause headaches. According to the experts at Harvard Medical, these are known as rebound headaches or medication overuse headaches. They say that people who use certain OTC pain-relieving medications like ibuprofen for more than 15 days a month “are at risk for medication overuse headache.” And for more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter. Jessica Nouhavandi, PharmD, lead pharmacist and founder of online pharmacy Honeybee Health, says daily ibuprofen use could increase your risk for a heart attack and the formation of blood clots. And David Beatty, MRCGP, a general practitioner with more 30 years of experience, says overusing ibuprofen can actually “aggravate heart failure by increasing fluid retention,” which is why this medication shouldn’t be used by anyone with severe heart failure. If you use ibuprofen daily and notice “a sudden weight gain, ankle swelling, or breathlessness,” you could be experiencing worsening heart failure, Beatty cautions. And for more on heart health, If You Can’t Do This in 90 Seconds, Your Heart Is in Danger, Study Says. A heart attack isn’t the only serious complication that could arise due to daily ibuprofen use. Nouhavandi says that ibuprofen could also increase your chance of having a stroke, which can lead to brain damage or death. According to the Mayo Clinic, serious side effects such as strokes and heart attacks “can occur as early as the first weeks of continuously using an NSAID and the risk can increase the longer you take it.” And for more on your stroke risk, check out these 17 Surprising Habits That Increase Your Risk of a Stroke. One of the worst adverse reactions that can occur from using too much ibuprofen is decreased kidney function, says Javeed Siddiqui, MD, the chief medical officer at TeleMed2U. According to Nouhavandi, ibuprofen can “constrict the blood vessels that lead to the kidney, in which case less oxygen goes to the kidney and causes kidney injury.” Those highest at risk of developing kidney damage from chronic ibuprofen use include people who already have underlying kidney problems, heart failure, or liver dysfunction. And for more health concerns, If This Body Part Hurts You at Night, See Your Doctor.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb It’s less likely that you’ll experience liver damage from ibuprofen, but it is possible because ibuprofen is metabolized by the liver. Nouhavandi says that studies have shown a slight elevation of liver enzymes in patients who frequently take ibuprofen. “Elevated liver enzymes can be transient, and they indicate that there is inflammation or damage to the liver cells,” she explains. Wasser also says that damage to liver cells may make it harder for your body to metabolize other medications you might be taking, “which can result in unforeseen adverse events.” And for more on your liver, If You Feel This at Night, You Need to Get Your Liver Checked, Doctors Say. While relying on ibuprofen can be beneficial in many ways, “care must be taken to ensure proper dose and safe usage,” as it is clear that the possibility for serious side effects due to overuse of this medications is vast, says Harrison Linder, MD, a board-certified pain management specialist with the Center for Interventional Pain Medicine at Mercy Medical Center. Linder says the current recommendations for ibuprofen are to “limit daily use to no more than 30 days,” with a daily maximum of 3,200 milligrams per day. If you go past this limit, the negative effects will “begin to outweigh the desired benefits of decreased discomfort and pain,” he warns. And for more on your medications, If You Combine These 2 OTC Medications, You’re at Risk of an Overdose.
