What pain relievers can you use with prednisone?
Ask the doctor
Q. What can I take for pain when I am on prednisone? Can I take over-the-counter medicine like Advil, Tylenol, or Motrin?
A. Prednisone is a corticosteroid medication that has powerful anti-inflammatory properties. If your pain is due to inflammation, pain may be rapidly relieved with prednisone treatment; additional pain therapy may not be necessary in these situations.
While prednisone can be highly effective for a number of conditions, side effects such as increased blood sugar, weight gain, weakened bones, and immunosuppression are an important limitation to steroid therapy.
Just about any pain reliever can be taken with prednisone. However, for the medications you asked about, it's important to know about some interactions. For example, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (the active ingredient in Advil and Motrin) are associated with an increased risk of ulcers in the stomach and upper intestine, and this risk is increased even more when combined with prednisone. If prednisone treatment is going to last for more than a week or two, many doctors will avoid the addition of an NSAID. Or, if prescribing both medications, they may recommend an additional medication such as omeprazole (Prilosec) to protect the stomach.
Acetaminophen (Tylenol), tramadol (Ultram), and codeine-type medications can be taken with prednisone if needed. Keep in mind that many pain relievers, such as Excedrin and Midol, also contain acetaminophen.
You are wise to ask about drug interactions and to be concerned about medication side effects when taking something as powerful as prednisone. Talk to your doctor about what medicines you can take and which you should avoid.
Image: © Nico De Pasquale Photography/Getty Images
About the Author
Robert H. Shmerling, MD, Senior Faculty Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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