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Key takeaways
If patients are experiencing symptoms of nausea—like a queasy feeling—they can get medications from a pharmacy or seek natural remedies at home, such as ginger and a cold compress.
Ibuprofen treats pain, inflammation, and fever. It can actually make gastrointestinal issues, like nausea, worse.
If you have any questions or need more drug information, talk to a healthcare provider or pharmacist.
People can feel nauseous for many reasons: motion sickness, antibiotic use, pregnancy, the flu, alcohol, and even a heart attack or undergoing chemotherapy. Nausea can last for minutes, hours, or even days at a time, and it ranges in severity.
Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug; propionic acid is its active ingredient. It can treat many symptoms that can accompany nausea, like aches and a fever. But can a dose of ibuprofen treat nausea itself? For a number of reasons, healthcare professionals discourage people from using ibuprofen to treat nausea.
Does ibuprofen help with nausea?
First, let’s look at information obtained from research. A 2020 study in Wilderness & Environmental Medicine assessed the efficacy of ibuprofen in participants with acute mountain sickness and high altitude headaches. Ibuprofen helped to reduce nausea a little, but not as much as other medications that targeted the GI system.
Ibuprofen is primarily used to treat pain, inflammation, and fever—so if you’re looking for the best remedies for nausea or gastrointestinal issues, this pill isn’t it.
“For nausea itself, it doesn’t do anything,” says Dr. Raj Dasgupta, MD, chief medical advisor for Fortune Recommends and a quadruple board-certified physician. “In fact, ibuprofen can cause stomach ulcers, especially if taken for a long time or in high doses … [It] can break down the stomach’s defenses against stomach acid, leading to inflammation and ulcers.”
Other common side effects of ibuprofen include stomach upset and pain, heartburn, rash, dizziness, and more. The medicine can also contribute to high blood pressure and in some cases, lead to kidney and liver problems. Ibuprofen can be especially damaging if taken in higher doses or on a long-term, regular basis, which can lead to a stomach ulcer and other GI tract issues.
Does ibuprofen help with nausea from flu?
While ibuprofen is not the medication to take for nausea, it can treat other flu symptoms in both children and adults. “As an anti-inflammatory and pain reliever, it may treat other symptoms of the flu, including body aches, fevers, chills, and headache,” says Dr. Wendi LeBrett, MD, a gastroenterologist.
Don’t take ibuprofen on an empty stomach, though—doing so leads to a higher risk of GI upset. Dr. Dasgupta encourages opting for bland foods, such as crackers or toast. Additionally, smaller meals can be easier to consume.
Healthcare providers say some pills and medications can treat flu-related nausea. Examples include ondansetron (an anti-nausea medication) and bismuth salicylate, more commonly known as Pepto-Bismol.
Various forms of treatment can get rid of nausea from the flu, though, not just a pill or other medication. Dr. LeBrett mentions ginger, lemon, peppermint, and staying hydrated. Dr. Dasgupta recommends clear liquids, specifically, such as ginger ale and herbal tea.
Sometimes, nausea or the flu leads to vomiting. Replenishing fluids after vomiting is crucial. Sports drinks can replace the electrolytes lost; ice chips can soothe a sore throat, relieve sweating, or serve as another method of rehydration.
“But if you’re still feeling awful, it’s a good idea to check in with a doctor,” Dr. Dasgupta adds.
Does ibuprofen help with nausea from drinking or hangovers
Again, ibuprofen can’t help with hangover nausea, but if you’re also experiencing a headache or body aches, ibuprofen may help in those ways.
Drawbacks of taking ibuprofen for nausea
Ibuprofen is not only unhelpful for nausea, but it can be harmful if taken for a long time or in high doses, Dr. Dasgupta says.
“NSAIDs are one of the most common causes of stomach/gastrointestinal ulcers,” Dr. LeBrett adds. “Taking ibuprofen or other NSAIDs for digestive symptoms can exacerbate your digestive symptoms, including worsening stomach pain or acid reflux (GERD).”
It can also interact with other medications, Dr. Dasgupta says, like blood thinners, “Bottom line is do not take ibuprofen for nausea.”
What is the best medicine for nausea?
The most effective way to treat nausea is by taking other medications and applying at-home remedies. Some helpful anti-nausea medications include ondansetron, promethazine, metoclopramide, prochlorperazine, lorazepam, dimenhydrinate, meclizine, hydroxyzine, phosphorated carbohydrate, scopolamine, and bismuth subsalicylate. It’s important to note that some of these nausea medications are OTC meds while others are prescription meds, and some have more risks than others.
Home remedies for nausea include eating bland foods, ginger, lemons, hydration, cannabinoid use, aromatherapy, acupressure, applying a cold compress, vitamin B6, herbal tea, sitting and sleeping upright or on your side, breathing techniques, and cool air.
If nausea or vomiting are getting worse or not improving, seek medical attention from a healthcare provider.Ibuprofen (and other medications) can be purchased at a lower cost with one of SingleCare’s prescription discount cards.
Sources
- Prospective double-blinded randomized field-based clinical trial of metoclopramide and ibuprofen for the treatment of high altitude headache and acute mountain sickness, Wilderness & Environmental Medicine (2020)