{"id":309466,"date":"2025-12-10T19:55:07","date_gmt":"2025-12-10T19:55:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/309466\/"},"modified":"2025-12-10T19:55:07","modified_gmt":"2025-12-10T19:55:07","slug":"nhs-issues-advice-for-naproxen-and-aspirin-users","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/309466\/","title":{"rendered":"NHS issues advice for Naproxen and aspirin users"},"content":{"rendered":"

The NHS has warned about the risk of side-effects from mixing with one common medicationFiona Callingham Lifestyle writer and Robert Rowlands<\/a> Deputy editor, Money and lifestyle hub<\/p>\n

11:57, 10 Dec 2025<\/p>\n

\"AAdvice has been issued by the NHS about common painkillers(Image: Getty)<\/p>\n

The NHS<\/a> has issued advice warning against the combination of naproxen and aspirin with a commonly used drug, as this mix could result in undesirable side effects. Over-the-counter painkillers are a godsend for many people dealing with everyday aches and illnesses.<\/p>\n

Regular discomforts such as headaches, backaches, and common cold symptoms can often be eased with standard pain relief options. Ibuprofen is one of the most frequently used painkillers across the UK.<\/p>\n

It is readily available without a doctor’s prescription. Sold under brand names like Nurofen, Calprofen, and Ibuleve, it falls into the category of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs.<\/p>\n

This medicine works by inhibiting hormones that cause inflammation and pain in the body. It’s used to treat a variety of conditions, from backache and menstrual cramps to toothache and managing symptoms of colds, flu<\/a>, or even COVID-19.<\/p>\n

However, like any medicinal product, it’s important to understand how to use ibuprofen correctly to avoid potentially harmful side effects. This includes being mindful about combining ibuprofen with other medications, which could lead to adverse interactions, reports the Mirror<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The NHS has issued a warning: “Ibuprofen does not mix well with some medicines<\/a>.” As a result, the health<\/a> service recommends avoiding taking ibuprofen at the same time as other NSAIDs.<\/p>\n

This includes aspirin and naproxen, which when combined with ibuprofen, may increase the risk of complications including stomach bleeding or kidney problems. “Common” side effects of ibuprofen include:<\/p>\n

Indigestion and stomach discomfortNausea and vomitingHeadachesSkin rashesDizzinessDiarrhoea or constipation<\/p>\n

However, more serious but rarer side effects can involve:<\/p>\n

Stomach ulcers or internal stomach bleeding \u2013 manifesting symptoms such as abdominal pain, breathlessness, pallor, vomiting blood or excreting black, sticky, tar-like faecesAn allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) \u2013 exhibiting symptoms like a swollen throat or tongue, an elevated, itchy rash or difficulty in breathingKidney issues \u2013 presenting symptoms such as shortness of breath, blood in urine or swelling in your ankles, feet or hands<\/p>\n

The NHS has cautioned: “The risk of serious side effects is higher if you’re taking a high dose of ibuprofen or taking it for a long time.” It’s also important to watch out for medications that may not obviously contain NSAIDs.<\/p>\n

“NSAIDs are also used in medicines you can buy from pharmacies, such as cough and cold remedies,” the NHS noted. “Before taking any other medicines, check the label to see if they contain aspirin, ibuprofen or other NSAIDs.”<\/p>\n

For your wellbeing, it’s advisable to tell your GP if you’re taking any of the following medications before starting any type of ibuprofen:<\/p>\n

Medications that help prevent blood clots, such as warfarinTreatments for hypertensionCorticosteroid medications including betamethasone, dexamethasone, hydrocortisone or prednisoloneAntibiotic treatments such as ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, norfloxacin or ofloxacinAntidepressant medications including citalopram, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, venlafaxine, paroxetine or sertralineDiabetic medications such as gliclazide, glimepiride, glipizide or tolbutamide<\/p>\n

Furthermore, mixing ibuprofen with gingko biloba supplements ought to be prevented as it can “increase the chance of bleeding”. The NHS recommends getting urgent medical help or calling 111 if you’ve been taking ibuprofen and experience:<\/p>\n

Dark-coloured stools or blood present in vomit \u2013 potential indicators of stomach bleedingPuffy ankles, blood in urine or complete absence of urination \u2013 possible signs of kidney complications<\/p>\n

Other NSAIDs include diclofenac, celecoxib, mefenamic acid, etoricoxib, and indomethacin.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The NHS has warned about the risk of side-effects from mixing with one common medicationFiona Callingham Lifestyle writer…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":309467,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[42],"tags":[2505,102,6591,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-309466","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-medication","8":"tag-drugs","9":"tag-health","10":"tag-medication","11":"tag-uk","12":"tag-united-kingdom","13":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/309466","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=309466"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/309466\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/309467"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=309466"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=309466"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=309466"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}