ibuprofen or Acetaminophen: Which one do I pick?

By Cam Lewis, 2025

Published 11/30/2023

These are both the most common pain relievers and you can buy them at any drugstore, but they both have important uses. Do you know which one to use?

A clinical pharmacist for OSF HealthCare, Haley Morrissey, has a general rule.“If you have muscle or skeletal pain or inflammation, go with ibuprofen,” Haley said. “If it’s just a regular headache, acetaminophen is good.” However, everyone reacts differently to drugs, so you might need to find the one that works better for you than the other. It is also important to speak to your primary care provider so you can be sure before you take either one. 

Ibuprofen and acetaminophen are both pain relievers that can reduce fevers. They’re both available in tablet, gel cap and liquid form. So, what’s different? Acetaminophen (commonly known as Tylenol) has some things it is specific for. “Acetaminophen is great for fevers, headaches and mild to moderate aches and pains,” stated Haley. You can take acetaminophen every 4-6 hours, and the maximum dosage is 4,000 mgs per 24 hours. However, you should speak with your physician about the proper dosage for you.

Ibuprofen, same as Acetaminophen, is able to prevent your brain from creating the chemicals that help create pain and fever. However, ibuprofen has another function, as well. Ibuprofen (referred to as Advil or Motrin) is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, or NSAID, which means it helps reduce inflammation and swelling at the source of an injury. Acetaminophen cannot do that. Ibuprofen can be taken every 4-6 hours, and the maximum dose for a 24-hour period is 1,200 mgs. It is important to notice that the maximum dosage for ibuprofen is much lower than the maximum recommended dose for acetaminophen, getting them mixed up could become a major problem.

Are either of them bad for you?

You shouldn’t have too much of any medication and acetaminophen is no different. Acetaminophen is metabolized by the liver, so taking too much acetaminophen over a long period of time can cause serious damage to your liver. If you have liver issues make sure to avoid acetaminophen. Ibuprofen should not be taken by pregnant women because it can interfere with the development of their baby but acetaminophen is completely safe for pregnant women. The most common problem with ibuprofen is stomach irritation. It interferes with the chemicals that protect your stomach lining, which can lead to an upset stomach and sometimes heartburn. If you have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or other stomach issues then you should make sure to avoid ibuprofen. 

Overall, medications are helpful if you are in a crunch. However, each medication has their own special skill and it comes in handy to understand which medication you should be taking and why.