Drug & supplement interaction

Acupressure + Ibuprofen

Ibuprofen brand names: Motrin, Children's Motrin, Advil, Children's Advil, Fenbid Forte Gel, and others.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 13, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Acupressure and Ibuprofen in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

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Interaction report

Acupressure and Ibuprofen

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Ibuprofen and Acupressure in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — research on Acupressure alongside specific medications may be limited.

Worth understanding: our licensed dataset holds no drug-interaction record for Acupressure at all — not against Ibuprofen, and not against any other medication we track. This verdict therefore rests on the absence of any recorded data, not on research that looked at this combination and found nothing. We cannot rule an interaction out.

Acupressure is a treatment rather than something you take. Tell whoever provides it which medicines you use, and ask your prescriber whether it is appropriate for your health and treatment. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Acupressure safety at a glance

Acupressure overall Generally safe Generally safe and low-risk when applied gently by a trained person or with proper instruction.
Pregnancy Possibly Safe When used appropriately. Acupressure has been safely used during pregnancy in clinical trials without significant adverse effects. Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Possibly Safe When used appropriately. Acupressure has been safely used during pregnancy in clinical trials without significant adverse effects. Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — the full detail is in the Special populations card below. Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Ibuprofen and Acupressure? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Acupressure and Ibuprofen May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so having Acupressure while taking the medicine can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do. One of them is worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Bleeding or bruising Worth acting on Additional detail

    Acupressure

    “Skin discomfort, such as bruising, itching, irritation, pressure, and inflammation at the site of application has been reported in people using both acupressure and sham acupressure.”

    Acupressure · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in pruritus.

    5 sources cited
    1. 103398. Zhang CS, Xia J, Zhang AL, Yang AW, Thien F, Li Y, Wu D, Cai J, DaCosta C, Xue CC. Ear acupressure for perennial allergic rhinitis: A multicenter randomized controlled trial. Am J Rhinol Allergy. 2014 Jul-Aug;28(4):e152-7. doi: 10.2500/ajra.2014.28.4081. PubMed
    2. 103407. Vallim ETA, Marques ADCB, Coelho RCFP, Guimarães PRB, Felix JVC, Kalinke LP. Auricular acupressure in the quality of life of women with breast cancer: a randomized clinical trial. Rev Esc Enferm USP. 2019 Dec 2;53:e03525. doi: 10.1590/S1980-220X2018043603
    3. 105120. Susana CT, Maria TML, Pilar DS, et al. Effectiveness of self-applied acupressure for cervical pain of benign origin (EDIDO-CUH): a randomized controlled clinical trial. Acupunct Med. 2020:964528420961398. PubMed
    4. 110311. Yeung WF, Yu BY, Chung KF, et al. Self-administered acupressure for insomnia disorder: A randomized controlled trial. Phytomedicine 2022;99:153993. PubMed
    5. 114084. Jiang ZF, Liu G, Sun XX, et al. Auricular acupressure for constipation in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Physiol 2023;14:1257660. PubMed

    Ibuprofen

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Ibuprofen. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Bloating or gas / Nausea reported in 6.5% of FDA reports for Ibuprofen Additional detail

    Acupressure

    “Nausea, bloating, and stomachache have been reported rarely in clinical research.”

    Acupressure · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in nausea and vomiting.

    2 sources cited
    1. 110307. Israel L, Rotter G, Förster-Ruhrmann U, et al. Acupressure in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis: a randomized controlled exploratory trial. Chin Med 2021;16(1):137. PubMed
    2. 110311. Yeung WF, Yu BY, Chung KF, et al. Self-administered acupressure for insomnia disorder: A randomized controlled trial. Phytomedicine 2022;99:153993. PubMed

    Ibuprofen

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Ibuprofen, and in voluntary FDA adverse-event reports. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Dizziness / Headache reported in 5.8% of FDA reports for Ibuprofen Additional detail

    Acupressure

    “Headache and dizziness have been reported in people using both acupressure and sham acupressure.”

    Acupressure · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in cluster headache.

    6 sources cited
    1. 103398. Zhang CS, Xia J, Zhang AL, Yang AW, Thien F, Li Y, Wu D, Cai J, DaCosta C, Xue CC. Ear acupressure for perennial allergic rhinitis: A multicenter randomized controlled trial. Am J Rhinol Allergy. 2014 Jul-Aug;28(4):e152-7. doi: 10.2500/ajra.2014.28.4081. PubMed
    2. 103407. Vallim ETA, Marques ADCB, Coelho RCFP, Guimarães PRB, Felix JVC, Kalinke LP. Auricular acupressure in the quality of life of women with breast cancer: a randomized clinical trial. Rev Esc Enferm USP. 2019 Dec 2;53:e03525. doi: 10.1590/S1980-220X2018043603
    3. 105120. Susana CT, Maria TML, Pilar DS, et al. Effectiveness of self-applied acupressure for cervical pain of benign origin (EDIDO-CUH): a randomized controlled clinical trial. Acupunct Med. 2020:964528420961398. PubMed
    4. 110296. Chen SR, Hou WH, Lai JN, Kwong JSW, Lin PC. Effects of acupressure on anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Integr Complement Med 2022;28(1):25-35. PubMed
    5. 110308. Lin J, Chen T, He J, Chung RC, Ma H, Tsang H. Impacts of acupressure treatment on depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis. World J Psychiatry 2022;12(1):169-186. PubMed
    6. 110311. Yeung WF, Yu BY, Chung KF, et al. Self-administered acupressure for insomnia disorder: A randomized controlled trial. Phytomedicine 2022;99:153993. PubMed

    Ibuprofen

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Ibuprofen, and in voluntary FDA adverse-event reports. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Acupressure but not commonly for Ibuprofen: a fast or pounding heartbeat, low blood pressure and itching.

Effects for Ibuprofen come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Acupressure come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 283,500 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Ibuprofen that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Special populations

Acupressure in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy And Lactation Possibly Safe

When used appropriately. Acupressure has been safely used during pregnancy in clinical trials without significant adverse effects.

DISCLAIMER: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center

Overlapping uses

What Ibuprofen Is Prescribed For, and What Acupressure Has Been Studied For

These two come up together because they touch the same health topic — not because they do the same job. Ibuprofen is a prescription medicine with approved uses on its FDA label. Acupressure is a treatment: what follows is what researchers have looked at it for, and how strong that evidence is.

Ibuprofen is prescribed for: Oral ibuprofen products (tablets, coated tablets, and liquid-filled capsules) are used to temporarily relieve minor aches and pains from headache, backache, toothache, muscular aches, menstrual cramps, minor arthritis pain, and the common cold, and to temporarily reduce fever. The oral prescription tablet (Ibu) is also indicated for the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, mild to moderate pain, and primary dysmenorrhea (painful periods). Caldolor, an intravenous (IV) form, is approved for adults and children 3 months and older to manage mild to moderate pain, to manage moderate to severe pain alongside opioid pain medicines, and to reduce fever. A separate intravenous solution, Ibuprofen Lysine, is used specifically in premature infants to close a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) — an abnormal blood vessel connection near the heart — when standard medical management has not worked.

Acupressure has been studied for:

  • Dysmenorrhea Natural Medicines rates the evidence for Acupressure: Possibly Effective Read what the research shows

    Acupressure for dysmenorrhea

    Acupressure seems to reduce pain in adults and adolescents with primary dysmenorrhea.

  • Osteoarthritis studied, not established Acupressure has been studied for this. Natural Medicines rates the evidence: Possibly Ineffective Read what the research shows

    Acupressure for osteoarthritis

    Most research shows that manual acupressure does not improve pain or function in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Effectiveness ratings and the research summaries above are the verbatim record from the Natural Medicines database, which grades evidence from “Effective” down to “Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate”. A rating below the top of that scale means researchers have looked at it — not that it works, and never that it can stand in for a prescribed medicine. Do not stop or replace Ibuprofen on your own; if you are taking Acupressure for the same health topic, tell your prescriber, especially if the medicine is being adjusted to a target.

From our Q&A

Questions About Acupressure or Ibuprofen

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Acupressure or Ibuprofen, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Ibuprofen

This page covers Acupressure only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Ibuprofen page lists 286 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Asarabacca (major), Beer (major), Danshen (major) and Piracetam (major).

By severity: 7 major · 243 moderate · 36 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Ibuprofen page

“Most people treat ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) as an everyday pain reliever, which is exactly why this list of 286 interacting supplements deserves real attention rather than a shrug. The dominant pattern by far is bleeding: 202 of these ingredients can add to the bleeding and stomach irritation ibuprofen already causes, and the seven maj…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Ibuprofen interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Acupressure and Ibuprofen Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Acupressure
Steady interest

#1,013 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Ibuprofen
Top 1%

#17 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Acupressure reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Acupressure and Ibuprofen records this page draws on were last updated July 10, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Treatment approach

About Acupressure

What is Acupressure?

  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Tension and stress
  • Pain relief
  • Headache
  • Sleep problems
  • Menstrual cramps

Acupressure is a hands-on technique that applies physical pressure to specific points on the body, based on traditional Chinese medicine. It is not an herb or supplement. It is generally low-risk when done gently, and the best evidence is for easing certain types of nausea, though results for most other uses are mixed or limited.

Not applicable — acupressure is a physical technique, not a plant or supplement · Finger or hand pressure on body points; acupressure wristbands; acupressure mats

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Acupressure is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Acupressure record says about it on its own.

Acupressure: dosing

There is no standardized "dose" for acupressure because it is a physical technique, not a pill or supplement. Sessions and pressure vary from person to person. A practitioner may press on a point for a number of seconds to a few minutes, sometimes repeating several times.If you use a product such as an acupressure wristband or mat, follow the directions on the label.

From our Acupressure monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Acupressure monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Ibuprofen

What Is Ibuprofen Used For?

Brand names: Motrin, Children's Motrin, Advil, Children's Advil, Fenbid Forte Gel, Ibugel Forte, Arthrofen, Ebufac, Rimafen, Calprofen, Fenpaed, Galprofen, Nurofen for Children, Orbifen for Children, Brufen, Brufen Retard, Fenbid, Tab-Profen, Ibuprofen, Calodor

Oral ibuprofen products (tablets, coated tablets, and liquid-filled capsules) are used to temporarily relieve minor aches and pains from headache, backache, toothache, muscular aches, menstrual cramps, minor arthritis pain, and the common cold, and to temporarily reduce fever. The oral prescription tablet (Ibu) is also indicated for the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, mild to moderate pain, and primary dysmenorrhea (painful periods).

Caldolor, an intravenous (IV) form, is approved for adults and children 3 months and older to manage mild to moderate pain, to manage moderate to severe pain alongside opioid pain medicines, and to reduce fever. A separate intravenous solution, Ibuprofen Lysine, is used specifically in premature infants to close a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) — an abnormal blood vessel connection near the heart — when standard medical management has not worked.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Ibuprofen

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (283,500 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Fatigue 18,755 reports
Nausea 18,290 reports
Headache 16,566 reports
Arthralgia 13,469 reports
Dyspnea 13,139 reports
See full Ibuprofen drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Acupressure

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Acupressure — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
0Moderate
0Minor
2,829No known interaction
2,829 No interaction
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Acupressure against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,829 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Acupressure list.

See the full Acupressure interactions page
See every supplement checked against Ibuprofen, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Acupressure References

The 20 references that drive our Acupressure monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. Jamigorn M, Phupong V. Acupressure and vitamin B6 to relieve nausea and vomiting in pregnancy: a randomized study. Arch Gynecol Obstet 2007;276:245-9. PubMed
  2. Helmreich, R. J., Shiao, S. Y., and Dune, L. S. Meta-analysis of acustimulation effects on nausea and vomiting in pregnant women. Explore (NY) 2006;2(5):412-421. PubMed
  3. de Aloysio, D. and Penacchioni, P. Morning sickness control in early pregnancy by Neiguan point acupressure. Obstet Gynecol 1992;80(5):852-854.
  4. Alkaissi, A., Ledin, T., Odkvist, L. M., and Kalman, S. P6 acupressure increases tolerance to nauseogenic motion stimulation in women at high risk for PONV. Can J Anaesth 2005;52(7):703-709. PubMed
  5. Steele, N. M., French, J., Gatherer-Boyles, J., Newman, S., and Leclaire, S. Effect of acupressure by Sea-Bands on nausea and vomiting of pregnancy. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs 2001;30(1):61-70. DOI
  6. Werntoft, E. and Dykes, A. K. Effect of acupressure on nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. A randomized, placebo-controlled, pilot study. J Reprod Med 2001;46(9):835-839.
  7. O'Brien, B., Relyea, M. J., and Taerum, T. Efficacy of P6 acupressure in the treatment of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1996;174(2):708-715. PubMed
  8. Hyde, E. Acupressure therapy for morning sickness. A controlled clinical trial. J Nurse Midwifery 1989;34(4):171-178. PubMed
  9. Shin, H. S., Song, Y. A., and Seo, S. Effect of Nei-Guan point (P6) acupressure on ketonuria levels, nausea and vomiting in women with hyperemesis gravidarum. J Adv Nurs 2007;59(5):510-519. PubMed
  10. Zhang CS, Xia J, Zhang AL, Yang AW, Thien F, Li Y, Wu D, Cai J, DaCosta C, Xue CC. Ear acupressure for perennial allergic rhinitis: A multicenter randomized controlled trial. Am J Rhinol Allergy. 2014 Jul-Aug;28(4):e152-7. doi: 10.2500/ajra.2014.28.4081. PubMed
  11. Vallim ETA, Marques ADCB, Coelho RCFP, Guimarães PRB, Felix JVC, Kalinke LP. Auricular acupressure in the quality of life of women with breast cancer: a randomized clinical trial. Rev Esc Enferm USP. 2019 Dec 2;53:e03525. doi: 10.1590/S1980-220X2018043603
  12. Tara F, Bahrami-Taghanaki H, Amini Ghalandarabad M, Zand-Kargar Z, Azizi H, Esmaily H, Azizi H. The Effect of Acupressure on the Severity of Nausea, Vomiting, and Retching in Pregnant Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Complement Med Res. 2020;27(4):25 PubMed
  13. Susana CT, Maria TML, Pilar DS, et al. Effectiveness of self-applied acupressure for cervical pain of benign origin (EDIDO-CUH): a randomized controlled clinical trial. Acupunct Med. 2020:964528420961398. PubMed
  14. Hamidzadeh A, Tavakol Z, Maleki M, et al. Effect of acupressure at the BL67 spot on the spontaneous rotation of fetus with breech presentation: A randomized controlled trial. Explore (NY) 2021. PubMed
  15. Chen SR, Hou WH, Lai JN, Kwong JSW, Lin PC. Effects of acupressure on anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Integr Complement Med 2022;28(1):25-35. PubMed

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Having Acupressure While Taking Ibuprofen: Common Questions

Is it safe to have Acupressure while taking Ibuprofen?
We do not list a known interaction between Acupressure and Ibuprofen. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Do Acupressure and Ibuprofen have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 5 of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
Are Acupressure and Ibuprofen used for the same thing?
They overlap in purpose, which usually means the real question is whether you need both rather than whether they are safe together. This page lists the shared uses and how strong the evidence is for Acupressure in each. That is a conversation for your prescriber, especially if Ibuprofen is being adjusted to a target.
Does Ibuprofen interact with any supplements?
Yes. Ibuprofen has documented interactions with 286 supplements in our database — Acupressure is not one of them. The Ibuprofen interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Where next

Keep Exploring

Acupressure monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Ibuprofen drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Ibuprofen supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Ibuprofen, ranked by severity Supplement interaction checker Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z Every drug we’ve checked against herbs & supplements References The 20 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Ibuprofen and Acupressure?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.