Key Takeaways
- Tylenol with Naproxen combines two common pain relievers into one pill to provide relief for minor aches and pains for up to 12 hours.
- The combination may be more effective than either medication alone.
- Because the medication contains both acetaminophen and naproxen, check other medicines you take to avoid accidentally exceeding the recommended dose.
Millions of Americans already reach for Tylenol to treat headaches, muscle pain, and fever. Now, a new over-the-counter option that combines Tylenol with the common pain reliever naproxen sodium will soon be available in pharmacies.
What Is Tylenol With Naproxen?
The new medication, Tylenol with Naproxen, combines 325 milligrams of acetaminophen (Tylenol) and 110 mg of naproxen sodium to provide up to 12 hours of pain relief. Standard Tylenol typically lasts four to six hours.
It’s approved for adults and children ages 12 and older to treat minor aches and pains, including headaches, backaches, muscle aches, toothaches, menstrual cramps, and minor arthritis pain.
Although this product is new, taking acetaminophen and naproxen together is not, said Houston Williams, PharmD, a pain management pharmacologist at UCSF Health. Healthcare providers have long recommended the two medications together because they relieve pain through different mechanisms.
“The benefit is that the two medications can provide greater pain relief than either medication alone, without increasing the dose of either individual drug,” Williams said.
The new product also offers added convenience by combining both medications into a single tablet with standardized dosing. “For some patients, that simplicity may improve adherence and make pain management easier,” Williams said.
He added that the combo is best suited for acute pain that also involves inflammation, such as an ankle sprain, pain after surgery, or burns. However, this treatment would not be effective for severe trauma, major surgery, or cancer-related pain.
Risks and Side Effects of Tylenol With Naproxen
The convenience comes with a trade-off. Fixed-dose combination products offer less flexibility than taking each medication separately. “If a patient only needs one medication or needs to adjust the dose of one but not the other, a combination product may be less ideal,” Williams said.
He noted that the biggest safety concern is that people may accidentally take another OTC or prescription medication that also contains acetaminophen or naproxen. Doing so could increase the risk of exceeding the recommended dose because many common medications already contain one of those ingredients.
Although the combination medication is available over the counter, Williams said that doesn’t mean it’s risk-free. He recommends talking to a healthcare provider or pharmacist before taking it if you:
- Have liver disease.
- Have kidney disease.
- Have a history of stomach ulcers or gastrointestinal bleeding.
- Take blood thinners.
- Have uncontrolled high blood pressure or heart disease.
- Are pregnant.
If you’re looking for pain relief on your own and haven’t talked to a doctor, you can speak to a pharmacist about which pain reliever is most appropriate, said Michael Liu, PharmD, assistant dean of Clinical and Professional Affairs and Pharmacy Practice at the Touro College of Pharmacy in New York City.
As a general rule of thumb, if you need to take pain relievers for more than two weeks, it could be a sign of an underlying condition that needs medical attention. “At that point, talking to your doctor or pharmacist is strongly recommended,” Liu said.
