Ibuprofen - the truth behind the 200mg

Ibuprofen is everywhere.

Headache. Period pain. Back pain. Sports injury. Fever. Sore throat.

After more than a year in community pharmacy, one medicine I see used extremely frequently is ibuprofen.

It’s familiar, accessible and effective — but familiar doesn’t mean harmless.

For good reason — it is an effective NSAID with analgesic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory activity.

Most people also assume an ibuprofen tablet is just ibuprofen.

It isn’t.

A typical tablet contains the active drug plus excipients that help with stability, compression, disintegration and manufacturing consistency.

And unlike many people realise, ibuprofen is not suitable for everyone — especially with certain stomach, kidney, pregnancy or medicine-related risks.

Common medicine. Serious pharmacology.

Use it when appropriate. Respect the dose. Know what you’re taking.

Educational content only. Formulations vary between manufacturers.