What You Need to Know About Naproxen
What is Naproxen?
Naproxen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) prescribed to relieve pain, swelling and stiffness caused by different types of arthritis in adults and children and pain from other causes.1
Does Naproxen work?
A 2004 study of patients with osteoarthritis pain in the knee concluded that Naproxen sodium provided more effective pain relief than placebo and that patients in the study didn’t experience adverse effects.2
A 2007 study found that Naproxen was effective and “generally well tolerated” by patients in the study.3
A review of studies of treatment of migraine with Naproxen concluded it was effective but that it may cause more adverse effects than placebo.4
What should I go over with my doctor before I decide to take Naproxen?
A 2011 review of trials involving 116,429 patients taking NSAIDs found that there was “little evidence to suggest that any of the investigated drugs are safe in cardiovascular terms” and that Naproxen, while not safe, “seemed the least harmful.”5
People who have ever had a reaction to aspirin or another NSAID should not take Naproxen. Naproxen should not be taken for pain right before or after heart bypass surgery or any type of surgery where increased bleeding could be a problem because most NSAIDS thin the blood for 2-3 days after taking a dose. Other medications may have harmful reactions with Naproxen and other NSAIDs. NSAIDs should not be used by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.6
Serious side effects of NSAIDs can include heart attack or stroke, heart failure as a result of body swelling from fluid retention, low red blood cells (anemia), potentially fatal allergic and skin reactions, liver failure and other liver problems, asthma attacks and kidney problems, including kidney failure, bleeding and ulcers in the stomach and intestine.7
Other side effects can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, dizziness and stomach pain.8
What if I’m already taking Naproxen?
You should always talk to your doctor before stopping any prescription medication, but NSAIDs can cause life-threatening conditions. If you are taking Naproxen and you experience any of the following symptoms, stop taking your NSAID medication and call your doctor immediately: nausea, more tired or weaker than usual, jaundice (your skin or the whites of your eyes become yellow), stomach pain, flu-like symptoms, vomiting blood, blood in stool or stool that is black and sticky, unusual weight gain, skin rash or blisters with fever, swelling of the arms and legs or hands and feet.9
Learn everything you can about Naproxen before you start taking it.
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1 PubMed Health, “Naproxen,” (revised 15 June 2012), http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000526/
2 J Rheumatol., Schiff M and Minic M., “Comparison of the analgesic efficacy and safety of nonprescription doses of naproxen sodium and Ibuprofen in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee.” (July 2004), http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15229960
3 Ann Rheum Dis, Reginster JY et al., “Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of etoricoxib compared with naproxen in two, 138-week randomised studies of patients with osteoarthritis” (2007), http://ard.bmj.com/content/66/7/945.abstract
4 Headache, Suthisisang CC., “Meta-analysis of the efficacy and safety of naproxen sodium in the acute treatment of migraine” (5 March 2010), http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20236345
5 British Medical Journal, Trelle S., (2011), http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3019238/
6 Food and Drug Adminstration, “Medication Guide for Non-steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)” (retrieved 22 October 2012), http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm085911.pdf
7 Ibid.
8 Ibid.
9 Ibid.