Can You Crush Ibuprofen?

In our latest question and answer, the pharmacist discusses whether or not ibuprofen can be crushed.

Question

Can ibuprofen be crushed?

Asked by Foir On Sep 14, 2022

Answered by
Medical Content Reviewed By HelloPharmacist Staff

Published Sep 14, 2022
Last updated Mar 28, 2024

Key points

  • Ibuprofen tablets can be crushed safely without affecting the medication.
  • Some ibuprofen products, such as brand name Advil, are 'coated', which make them easier to swallow. Crushing these will destroy this coating but the medication will work just as well.

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 tablet of adult ibuprofen dose.

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About the Pharmacist

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD

Dr. Brian has been practicing pharmacy for over 13 years and has wide-ranging experiences in many different areas of the profession. From retail, clinical, program development, and administrative responsibilities, he's your knowledgeable and go-to source for all your pharmacy and medication-related questions! Dr. Brian Staiger also has herbalist training and educational certificates in the field of medical ethnobotany. Feel free to send him an email at [email protected]! You can also connect with Dr. Brian Staiger on LinkedIn.

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