Originally Posted by
alexis_the_tiny
Beth, from what I know, Advil and Aleve are both NSAIDs. The difference, at least according to the friendly pharmacist, is that Aleve is really strong while Advil/Neurofen is a lower dose. He also suggested taking Aleve with antacids and on a full stomach because it can cause irritation to the stomach lining.
Friendly or not, I'm not sure your pharmacist is correct. While both NSAIDs, Aleve and Advil use two different active ingredients--naproxin and ibuprofen, respectively. My understanding is that a standard OTC dose of Aleve controls pain longer than a standard OTC dose of Advil--at least according to Aleve's marketing. Each can irritate your stomach, as can aspirin, another NSAID. One should also be aware that NSAIDs can impact your kidneys. Especially if you're using it during exercise, it's important to up your fluid intake. Tylenol uses yet another active ingredient. In my experience, Tylenol makes a great fever reducer but is less effective when it comes to pain relief. In fact, I'm not even sure it's classified as an NSAID. If it's the only thing your stomach can tolerate, however, I suppose it's an option. Do not, however, use it with alcohol.
I've had a variety of aches and pains--including SI joint irritation over the last year. I have become FAR more relunctant to use NSAIDs to control the pain. The tendency with OTC drugs is to treat that as wholly benign. Unfortunately, they're not benign. I reach for the ice instead and religiously do the exercises my physical therapist gave me. I'm not saying you shouldn't use them, but use them as spraringly if you can. Take them with food if necessary, drink lots of water, and avoid alcohol.
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