You Might Need This Medication If You Take Ibuprofen Every Day For 6 Months

When you're sidelined by yet another throbbing headache, do you reach for the nearest bottle of ibuprofen? Many people do. When taken according to dosage recommendations, ibuprofen can be a safe way to decrease pain and inflammation, as long as you're otherwise healthy. Still, taking ibuprofen every day for many months could increase your likelihood of developing gastrointestinal issues. Accordingly, your healthcare provider may recommend that you take a medicine to protect your stomach if you take ibuprofen consistently.

Why does long-term ibuprofen consumption sometimes cause gastric irritation and discomfort? Ibuprofen, a non-steroid anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), may encourage a buildup of stomach acid production, according to Medical News Today. In fact, as the Mayo Clinic explains, even the one-time use of ibuprofen can lead to stomach upset in certain people. And in a 2021 Cleveland Clinic article, Dr. Janet Morgan, an internist, concurs that ibuprofen isn't harmless. Explains Dr. Morgan, "It's not without risk, but you can feel pretty safe taking it for about three days . . . Take no more than 400 to 600 milligrams, three times a day, with food. Otherwise, it can ruin your stomach."

In other words, exposing your stomach lining to ibuprofen for six months could increase your risk of developing gastric problems, including ulcers, per Medical News Today. But if you're determined to take ibupofen daily, one way to lower your risk factor could be to ask your provider if you would benefit from taking a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) as well.

A PPI is a medication used to treat stomach discomfort caused by an unhealthy amount of gastric acid. Common PPI brands include Nexium, Prilosec, and Protonix. You can buy some without a prescription, although others must be ordered by a provider.

According to a 2020 review published in Current Treatment Options in Gastroenterology, PPIs and ibuprofen are often coprescribed to prevent gastrointestinal bleeding linked to the use of ibuprofen and similar types of medications. The International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders explains that PPIs work effectively to heal damage caused to the lining of the stomach and esophagus. Although known side effects of PPIs include gastrointestinal distress, which is what you'd be trying to avoid, stomach concerns occur in just 1-2% of people who take the drugs. Therefore, PPIs seem to be a well-tolerated treatment for people with an overabundance of stomach acid and related issues like heartburn and reflux. 

But is the dual use of PPIs and ibuprofen safe if you're not at heightened risk of stomach ulcers, stomach acid overproduction, or related symptoms? A 2018 study from the Journal of Pain Research concluded that, in general, taking both NSAIDs and PPIs could be appropriate. However, there was a caveat: Tandem use of a PPI and NSAID might irritate the small intestine. Consequently, if you're coprescribed a PPI and ibuprofen, you may be asked to monitor your reactions to ensure you're getting the benefits of both medications.

By taking a PPI under your provider's care, you may be able to safely continue to take ibuprofen daily. With that being said, you also might want to consider other, non-medical ways to tame your pains, aches, and inflammation such as through the use of homeopathic and natural treatments. 

For instance, you might want to improve your hydration level if you're experiencing constant headaches. A 2020 study in the Journal of Clinical Neuroscience studied the effects of drinking water on migraine intensity in 256 women over 30 days. The trial results noted a marked connection between increased daily water intake and decreased migraine pain, length, and frequency.

Aromatherapy could potentially deliver headache relief, too. A 2020 review in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology determined that aromatic essential oils, including beneficial peppermint oil, appeared to ease migraine pain in subjects. 

Not getting anywhere by increasing your water consumption or breathing in the scent of essential oils? Grab some ginger and avail yourself of its anti-inflammatory properties that were on display in a 2020 meta-analysis published in the American Journal of Emergency Medicine. The meta-analysis showed that eating ginger instead of a placebo led to a reduction in migraine discomfort within two hours.

Of course, if you stay with ibuprofen, talk with your provider about considering a PPI to protect your stomach from unwanted discomfort.