You Should Never Take Ibuprofen With This Common Beverage

Pain can affect your quality of life. Ibuprofen can help with toothache, headache, and period pain. Ibuprofen stops pain by disrupting the hormones responsible for it. It's as easy as taking a dose with a glass of water. But water isn't the only smart option. You can take ibuprofen with lots of different drinks, including some you might not think of as suitable for medication. Coffee can improve how ibuprofen works in your body. It can also make you feel worse. Take ibuprofen with water. Water is the best liquid for taking medication. Swallowing ibuprofen with water makes it easier to carry. It can also stop your throat from itching, which is rare but sometimes happens when you take ibuprofen. Milk can prevent ibuprofen irritation. You might not think of milk when you reach for ibuprofen, but it can help. Milk can help you tolerate NSAIDs. This is important because ibuprofen can damage the stomach lining. The calcium in milk makes stomach acids less likely to irritate. Milk may also prevent other common side effects of NSAIDs, including nausea, stomach aches, and bloating. Coffee could make ibuprofen work better. If you like its taste or effect, you might want to drink coffee with ibuprofen. Not everyone can take ibuprofen with coffee. If you have a sensitive stomach, you probably know this is not a good combination. Coffee is acidic and can irritate. If you have a sensitive stomach or high blood pressure, it's best to avoid the combination, as it can cause problems. Herbal tea may affect ibuprofen. Some herbs and spices, like turmeric, ginger, and fennel, may help with pain. Some herbal teas can help relieve pain and tension. Tea has a downside, too. Some herbs can affect how well NSAIDs work or increase the risk of side effects. Ginkgo biloba is a natural antioxidant used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine to treat many ailments. It is also used to treat dementia in Germany. The herb can also slow down your body's blood clotting. Avoid taking ibuprofen with alcohol. Alcohol and medication don't mix. Alcohol makes you less able to think and remember. Alcohol can make stomach irritation worse if you take NSAIDs. Drinking alcohol can irritate your stomach and increase the risk of bleeding. Another risk is that ibuprofen can interact with other drugs. Some patients take NSAIDs to manage pain from chronic conditions that require different drugs. Mixing alcohol with these drugs can increase the risk of serious complications or organ damage.