Can You Crush Ibuprofen?
In our latest question and answer, the pharmacist discusses whether or not ibuprofen can be crushed.
Can ibuprofen be crushed?
Sep 14, 2022- Most ibuprofen tablets and caplets can be crushed, but gel caps and liquid gels should not be crushed. Crushed ibuprofen can be mixed with milk, water, or soft foods like applesauce or pudding. If you need an easier-to-take option, children's liquid ibuprofen is available and contains the same active ingredient as tablets.
Answer Yes, most formulations of ibuprofen can be crushed. This is commonly needed for those who have trouble swallowing pills or need to have drugs administered via a feeding tube. However, only ibuprofen products that are in caplet or tablet form should be crushed. You should not crush gel caps or liquid gel dosage forms.
In terms of administration, ibuprofen can be crushed and then placed into a few ounces of milk or water to drink. Additionally, it could be added to certain foods such as pudding or applesauce.
Lastly, it should be noted that some ibuprofen products, such as the brand name Advil, are coated tablets, which make them easier to swallow than non-coated tablets. Crushing these will destroy this coating, but not otherwise affect the medication. If you don't want to risk this, an option is simply to take children's liquid ibuprofen. It contains the same drug (ibuprofen), just in liquid form. The most common concentration is 100 mg/5 ml so 10 ml (two teaspoonfuls) would equal one 200 mg adult ibuprofen tablet. Final Words
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Glossary — Terms in This Answer
- Caplet
- An oval-shaped tablet that is coated and designed to be swallowed whole.
- Gel caps
- Soft capsules filled with liquid medication that should not be crushed.
- Feeding tube
- A tube inserted through the nose or mouth into the stomach to deliver nutrition or medication to patients who cannot eat or swallow normally.
- Coated tablets
- Pills with a protective outer layer that helps them go down more easily and may protect the stomach from irritation.
- Dosage form
- The physical shape and type in which a medication is prepared, such as tablets, capsules, or liquids.
- Concentration
- The amount of active medication contained in a specific volume or weight of a preparation.
- Ibuprofen
- A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug commonly used to reduce pain, fever, and inflammation.
Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD
Doctor of Pharmacy, board certified clinical pharmacist (BCPS), American Herbalist Guild, Medication Therapy Management certified
Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS, is a licensed pharmacist with more than 13 years of experience across retail pharmacy, clinical pharmacy, medication safety, pharmacy program development, and healthcare administration. He is the founder of HelloPharmacist.com, where he helps patients...
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