Summary: Based on available information at this time, patients who rely on NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen to manage their pain, can continue to do so.
Background: Misinformation has been circulating in traditional and social media regarding the health risks of using ibuprofen or other anti-inflammatories for pain management in patients with COVID-19.
The origin of the misinformation was a letter published on March 11th in a medical journal called The Lancet’. The writer hypothesized that ibuprofen could increase the risk of becoming infected with COVID-19 or worsen the symptoms of COVID-19. Subsequently, the French Health Ministry issued a warning advising patients with COVID-19 to discontinue NSAIDs because some COVID-19 patients had severe side effects. However, there has been no known clinical data supporting this hypothesis.
Recommendations: Orthopedic Institute offers the following advice, consistent with a recent FDA statement, for patients needing to manage their pain.
• Utilize Tylenol (acetaminophen) as a first-line of treatment for pain.
• Continue the use of NSAIDs (such as Advil/ibuprofen, aspirin, Aleve/naproxen, Mobic/meloxicam, etc.) as directed by your physician. For Tylenol (acetaminophen), used in conjunction with NSAIDs, follow the manufactures instructions and your physician’s directions.
• Alternative pain-relieving measures including ice or heat, over the counter pain creams (such as Penetrex, Icy Hot, Aspercreme, etc.), low-impact exercise and stretching can and should be used as needed to manage pain.
*****NOTE: Medical information changes rapidly. This guideline is a general recommendation, based on available information at the time it was published. Please direct any questions about your particular health care situation to your healthcare practitioner.
