Can You Take NyQuil With Advil?

NyQuil and Advil (ibuprofen) can be safely together, but it may not be necessary as NyQuil already contains the pain reliever acetaminophen (which is the active ingredient in Tylenol).

NyQuil contains 3 active ingredients (NyQuil Severe contains 4):

• acetaminophen (pain reliever/fever reducer)
• doxylamine (sedating antihistamine)
• dextromethorphan (cough suppressant)
• phenylephrine (nasal) (NyQuil Severe)

If you are looking for pain relief, in addition, to helping with sleeping at night, simply taking NyQuil may do the trick for you because of the acetaminophen it contains.

However, Advil (ibuprofen) is a different type of pain reliever than acetaminophen.

It is an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug), which helps to reduce and relieve inflammation. acetaminophen does not have anti-inflammatory properties.

There is no drug interaction between Advil and any of the ingredients in NyQuil.

Taking both together would most likely provide greater pain relief than taking either alone and you will have the benefit of the anti-inflammatory effects from Advil.

In fact, there are several studies that suggest taking acetaminophen (in NyQuil) and Advil (ibuprofen) close to one another, or cycling them every 2-3 hours, provides far better pain relief than either alone.

Be sure to always take Advil with food as it can cause an upset stomach and long-term use increases the risk of stomach ulcers. Taking it every once in a while, on an as-needed basis, is generally considered to be safe.