Conditions that prevent you from safely taking NSAIDs include: If you have or have had stomach issues in the past, your healthcare provider may advise you to avoid NSAIDs altogether if possible. They can cause stomach upset and increase the risk of stomach ulcers, although ibuprofen may cause less stomach irritation than aspirin. NSAIDs are known to be rough on the stomach. Since Advil Migraine and Excedrin Migraine both contain NSAIDs, you’ll notice a bit of overlap. Overusing these medications can cause medication-overuse headache (MOH), which can be just as unpleasant as a migraine. What are common side effects of Advil and Excedrin?īefore we get into specific side effects, you should know about a precaution that applies to any OTC migraine medication you might take: If you find yourself using either medication 10 or more days per month, consider talking to your healthcare provider about other options. When you put all three of these ingredients together, they form a powerful combination that can help stop migraines in their tracks. Caffeine also makes pain relievers like acetaminophen and aspirin more effective. Caffeine helps constrict or narrow those blood vessels, which relieves the pain. If those vessels are too wide, they can cause pressure that results in a headache or migraine. Some headaches and migraines are caused by inflammation and swelling of the blood vessels in the brain. It keeps your brain from releasing chemicals that make you feel pain.Ĭaffeine might strike you as a bit odd, but it actually works well for headache relief, including migraines. Unlike NSAIDS, acetaminophen does not reduce inflammation, but it is an effective pain reliever. But what about acetaminophen? And why is there caffeine in this medication? Since aspirin is an NSAID, you already know how it works - the same way as the ibuprofen in Advil Migraine. One of the key differences between Advil and Excedrin Migraine is that Excedrin is a combination medicine with three ingredients:Ģ50 mg acetaminophen, commonly known by the brand name Tylenol Without this protein, your body makes less prostaglandins, so you won’t have as much inflammation and pain.
Fortunately, ibuprofen and other NSAIDS work by blocking an important protein known as COX that’s necessary for making certain prostaglandins. These chemicals cause inflammation, which leads to pain, redness, and swelling. So how exactly does ibuprofen treat migraine pain? Well, much of the pain you feel in your body, including migraine pain, is linked to chemicals called prostaglandins. In many cases, reducing inflammation can also reduce pain. NSAIDs aren’t steroids, but like steroids, they can help reduce inflammation. Ibuprofen belongs to a group of medications called nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs or NSAIDs. Ibuprofen comes in handy when treating many types of pain, including migraines, other headaches, body aches, and tooth pain. But the Advil Migraine option comes in a liquid-filled capsule that helps the medication absorb into your body more quickly. Advil Migraine and plain Advil contain the same ingredient in the same amount: 200 mg of ibuprofen.