The Marines often say, “Pain is weakness leaving the body.” However, there are times when you might need some assistance to alleviate that “weakness.” You could take a muscle relaxer to relieve muscle spasms in your lower back. Later, you might notice knee pain during a walk and decide to take ibuprofen, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), to reduce the inflammation. Then, you may worry about whether taking both muscle relaxers and ibuprofen could cause a negative interaction.
According to Drugs.com, there are no known interactions between ibuprofen and some common muscle relaxants, such as Flexeril (cyclobenzaprine), baclofen, benzodiazepines, and metaxalone. Nonetheless, it’s advisable to consult your doctor before combining ibuprofen with a muscle relaxant. It’s also crucial to consider the dosage of each medication. As per Addiction Resource, using muscle relaxants and ibuprofen together at higher doses may result in slowed breathing, headache, nausea, fatigue, or constipation. A 2022 study in CNS Drugs revealed that new users of muscle relaxants who also took a precipitant drug (like NSAIDs or antibiotics) were more likely to experience an unintentional traumatic injury.
Drugs that interact with ibuprofen and muscle relaxants
Although using ibuprofen for common pains is typical, it’s crucial to understand how it might interact with other medications you may be taking. Ibuprofen somewhat thins the blood, so combining it with blood thinners could lead to excessive bleeding, according to GoodRx. In such cases, Tylenol is a better option for pain relief. People may also use low-dose aspirin for heart health, but using it with ibuprofen can result in stomach ulcers. Additionally, avoid other NSAIDs while on ibuprofen. Ibuprofen can reduce the efficacy of some blood pressure medications and diuretics, while it can increase the toxicity of lithium or methotrexate if you’re on these medications. Consuming alcohol with ibuprofen raises the risk of stomach bleeding.
The Cleveland Clinic advises against alcohol consumption while taking muscle relaxers. The combination could cause extreme dizziness or drowsiness, low blood pressure, or liver damage. Since muscle relaxants affect the nervous system, avoid other drugs that do the same, such as opioids or psychotropics, as per Healthline. You should also refrain from taking St. John’s wort or sleeping medications while using muscle relaxants.
