Overview

• Official NHS advice says people with past allergic reactions to aspirin or other NSAIDs, or those who are pregnant, should avoid ibuprofen taken by mouth or applied to skin.
• Users are told to speak to a clinician first if they have a history of stomach ulcers, bleeding or perforation, an increased bleeding risk, severe heart, kidney or liver failure, uncontrolled high blood pressure, heart disease or a prior stroke.
• The caution list also includes asthma, hay fever or other allergies, Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, and chickenpox, with separate topical guidance advising checks for kidney problems, asthma, hay fever, allergies or a stomach ulcer before using gels or creams.
• People aged 65 and over face a higher risk of stomach ulcers, and doctors may prescribe stomach‑protecting medication for those needing long‑term ibuprofen.
• Common effects reported in more than one in 100 users include headache, dizziness, nausea, wind and indigestion, and the NHS lists urgent red flags such as black stools or blood in vomit, reduced urination or swollen ankles, severe chest or stomach pain, breathing difficulty, meningitis‑like symptoms, hallucinations or signs of anaphylaxis that require immediate medical help.