Drug & supplement interaction

Qi Gong + Naproxen

Naproxen brand names: Naprosyn, Naprelan, Anaprox, Anaprox DS, Naproxyn, and others.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Qi Gong and Naproxen 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

Qi Gong and Naproxen

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 Naproxen and Qi Gong in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — research on Qi Gong alongside specific medications may be limited.

Worth understanding: our licensed dataset holds no drug-interaction record for Qi Gong at all — not against Naproxen, 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.

Qi Gong is a practice rather than something you take. Ask your care team whether the type and intensity you plan to practice are 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.

Qi Gong safety at a glance

Qi Gong overall Generally safe For most people, gentle Qi Gong is low-risk when practiced sensibly.
Pregnancy Use caution Gentle practice may be fine, but check with your doctor and avoid strenuous or unstable positions.
Breastfeeding Generally safe As a movement practice it poses little known risk while breastfeeding.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

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

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Qi Gong and Naproxen 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 practicing Qi Gong 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.

  • Back pain Additional detail

    Qi Gong

    “Practicing Qi gong has been associated with muscle soreness, muscle tension, and pain. In one clinical study, muscle soreness was reported in around 16% of individuals practicing Qi gong, while 30% of individuals following an exercise program reported this adverse effect. Muscle tension and pain (back pain or non-specific pain) were reported in 11% and 12% of Qi gong practitioners, respectively.”

    Qi Gong · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in back pain.

    2 sources cited
    1. 96796. Blödt S, Pach D, Kaster T, Lüdtke R, Icke K, Reisshauer A, Witt CM. Qigong versus exercise therapy for chronic low back pain in adults--a randomized controlled non-inferiority trial. Eur J Pain. 2015;19(1):123-31. PubMed
    2. 96793. Lauche R, Cramer H, Häuser W, Dobos G, Langhorst J. A systematic review and meta-analysis of qigong for the fibromyalgia syndrome. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:635182. PubMed

    Naproxen

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

  • Dizziness reported in 5.5% of FDA reports for Naproxen Additional detail

    Qi Gong

    “Practicing Qi gong has been associated with dizziness. In one clinical study, dizziness was reported in around 19% of individuals practicing Qi gong, while only 5% of individuals following an exercise program reported this adverse effect.”

    Qi Gong · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in vertigo.

    1 source cited
    1. 96796. Blödt S, Pach D, Kaster T, Lüdtke R, Icke K, Reisshauer A, Witt CM. Qigong versus exercise therapy for chronic low back pain in adults--a randomized controlled non-inferiority trial. Eur J Pain. 2015;19(1):123-31. PubMed

    Naproxen

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

Effects for Naproxen come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Qi Gong come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 165,062 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Naproxen 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.

Overlapping uses

What Naproxen Is Prescribed For, and What Qi Gong Has Been Studied For

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

Naproxen is prescribed for: Naproxen tablets, naproxen sodium tablets, and naproxen oral suspension are used to relieve the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis. They are also used for tendonitis, bursitis, and acute gout, and for managing pain and primary dysmenorrhea (menstrual cramps). Naproxen Sodium Controlled-Release Tablets are indicated for the same conditions plus the relief of mild to moderate pain. Several over-the-counter naproxen sodium products are indicated for the temporary relief of minor aches and pains from headache, backache, muscular aches, toothache, menstrual cramps, minor arthritis pain, and the common cold, and to temporarily reduce fever.

Qi Gong has been studied for:

  • Ankylosing spondylitis studied, not established Qi Gong has been studied for this. Natural Medicines rates the evidence: Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Read what the research shows

    Qi Gong for ankylosing spondylitis

    It is unclear if practicing Qi gong is beneficial in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

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 Naproxen on your own; if you are taking Qi Gong for the same health topic, tell your prescriber, especially if the medicine is being adjusted to a target.

From our Q&A

Questions About Qi Gong or Naproxen

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Qi Gong or Naproxen, 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 Naproxen

This page covers Qi Gong only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Naproxen page lists 311 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 · 260 moderate · 44 minor.

Open the Naproxen interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Qi Gong and Naproxen 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 Qi Gong
Steady interest

#1,408 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Naproxen
Top 5%

#56 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 Qi Gong reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Qi Gong and Naproxen 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 .
Mind-body practice

About Qi Gong

What is Qi Gong?

  • Stress and relaxation
  • Balance and fall prevention
  • Chronic pain
  • General fitness and energy
  • Quality of life in chronic illness
  • Sleep support

Qi Gong is a gentle Chinese mind-body practice that combines slow movement, breathing, and focused attention rather than a pill or herb you swallow. It is generally safe for most people and may help with stress, balance, and overall well-being, though the research is mixed and often low quality. It is best used alongside, not instead of, standard medical care.

Not applicable (a mind-body practice, not a plant or supplement) · Guided classes, video and online courses, one-on-one instruction, group practice

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

Qi Gong: dosing

There is no standardized "dose" for Qi Gong because it is a practice, not a supplement. Many programs and studies use sessions of roughly 20 to 60 minutes, done several times a week, but the right amount varies from person to person.A reasonable approach is to start with short, gentle sessions and build up slowly as you feel comfortable. Learning from a qualified instructor, at least at first, helps you use good form.

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

Read the full Qi Gong monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Naproxen

What Is Naproxen Used For?

Brand names: Naprosyn, Naprelan, Anaprox, Anaprox DS, Naproxyn, Navalbine, Naproxen, Naprosyn EC, Napro-Na, Aleve, Arthroxen, Synflex, EC-Naprosyn

Naproxen tablets, naproxen sodium tablets, and naproxen oral suspension are used to relieve the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis. They are also used for tendonitis, bursitis, and acute gout, and for managing pain and primary dysmenorrhea (menstrual cramps).

Naproxen Sodium Controlled-Release Tablets are indicated for the same conditions plus the relief of mild to moderate pain. Several over-the-counter naproxen sodium products are indicated for the temporary relief of minor aches and pains from headache, backache, muscular aches, toothache, menstrual cramps, minor arthritis pain, and the common cold, and to temporarily reduce fever.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Naproxen

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (165,062 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Fatigue 13,047 reports
Nausea 12,185 reports
Arthralgia 11,086 reports
Headache 10,504 reports
Diarrhea 9,841 reports
See full Naproxen drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Qi Gong

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Qi Gong — 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
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list
Evidence & sources

Qi Gong References

The 2 references that drive our Qi Gong 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. Lauche R, Cramer H, Häuser W, Dobos G, Langhorst J. A systematic review and meta-analysis of qigong for the fibromyalgia syndrome. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:635182. PubMed
  2. Blödt S, Pach D, Kaster T, Lüdtke R, Icke K, Reisshauer A, Witt CM. Qigong versus exercise therapy for chronic low back pain in adults--a randomized controlled non-inferiority trial. Eur J Pain. 2015;19(1):123-31. 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

Practicing Qi Gong While Taking Naproxen: Common Questions

Is it safe to practice Qi Gong while taking Naproxen?
We do not list a known interaction between Qi Gong and Naproxen. 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 Qi Gong and Naproxen have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 2 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 Qi Gong and Naproxen 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 Qi Gong in each. That is a conversation for your prescriber, especially if Naproxen is being adjusted to a target.
Does Naproxen interact with any supplements?
Yes. Naproxen has documented interactions with 311 supplements in our database — Qi Gong is not one of them. The Naproxen interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

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

Still Have a Question About Naproxen and Qi Gong?

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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.