Can You Take Tylenol or Advil for COVID-19 Symptoms?

What are NSAIDs like Advil and Motrin?

Advil and Motrin are brand names of ibuprofen. These belong to a class of medications called NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). NSAIDs are used to treat pain, inflammation, and fever. Other examples of NSAIDs are:

• Aspirin 

• Naproxen (Aleve)

• Diclofenac (Cambia)

• Celecoxib (Celebrex) 

Some NSAIDs, like ibuprofen and naproxen, can be bought OTC. Others, though, need a prescription. 

NSAIDs stop inflammation similar to the way steroids (corticosteroids) do. But they’re not part of the steroid drug class (hence the name “non-steroidals”). Importantly, NSAIDs tend to cause less side effects than steroids.

What is Tylenol?

Tylenol is the brand name for acetaminophen, one of the most widely used pain relievers and fever reducers in the world. Acetaminophen is often used for common issues like: 

• Headaches

• Muscle pain

• Toothaches

• Arthritis

• Menstrual cramps

• Fever

It’s a reliable choice for easing pain and lowering your temperature when you’re not feeling well.

But acetaminophen isn’t an NSAID. That means it doesn’t reduce inflammation in the way that ibuprofen or naproxen do. For pain caused by inflammation — like from an injury or swollen joints — NSAIDs may work better. For other types of pain, acetaminophen can be preferred because it’s easier on the stomach and generally causes fewer side effects.

Can Tylenol and Advil help COVID symptoms?

Yes. Both Tylenol (acetaminophen) and NSAIDs like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) are helpful when you have COVID. Tylenol and Advil can help lower a fever. And they can ease sore throat, headaches, and muscle aches associated with COVID. They may also lower inflammation caused by a COVID infection. 

Tylenol and Advil aren’t a COVID treatment though. They’re an example of what healthcare professionals call “supportive treatment.” That means they help support your body and your recovery while your immune system does its thing. But they don’t get rid of COVID. 

Which is best for COVID symptoms, Tylenol or Advil?

Tylenol (acetaminophen) and Advil (ibuprofen) are different medications, so you don’t have to choose between them. It’s quite safe to take them both together, since they’re different classes of medication. But you must:

• Stick to the recommended dose

• Make sure you don’t have any medical reasons not to take either medication 

These medications tend to work better to ease pain and lower fever when they’re taken together. There’s plenty of good scientific evidence to show that both acetaminophen and ibuprofen are equally safe to use in people with COVID. 

Is it safe to take ibuprofen if you have COVID?

Yes, it’s safe to take an NSAID like ibuprofen for your COVID symptoms. But there are a few things to make sure of before you do.

First, don’t take more than the recommended dose. If you take NSAIDs regularly for another medical condition, you can continue to take your usual dose if you have COVID.

Second, some people may need to avoid NSAIDs. That could be the case if you:

• Are pregnant

• Over age 65

• Have liver disease 

• Have Type 2 diabetes

• Have heart or cardiovascular problems

Finally, all medications come with risks. And NSAIDs are no different. The serious risks linked to NSAIDs like Advil and Motrin are: 

• Stomach ulcers

• Prolonged bleeding after surgery

• Kidney failure

• Increased risk of a heart attack or stroke

• Liver failure

Check with a healthcare professional to see if NSAIDs are safe for you — or whether Tylenol may be a better option. Despite the risks discussed here, NSAIDs won’t make COVID worse, as you may have heard in the news early on in the COVID pandemic. (Read on to learn more about that.)

Is it safe to take Tylenol if you have COVID?

Tylenol has very few side effects for most people. So it’s typically safe to take for COVID symptoms. Most Tylenol-associated risks come from taking too much of the medication, which can harm your liver or cause overdose. Tylenol use is also more risky if you drink large amounts of alcohol, regularly or just on one occasion. This is especially the case if you regularly take Tylenol in large amounts.

How to alternate Tylenol and Advil

Alternating Tylenol and Advil can provide more consistent relief from pain or fever than taking just one medication alone. A common approach is to stagger the doses by a few hours. For example: 

• You can take ibuprofen first. 

• Then take acetaminophen about 3 hours later. 

• Then ibuprofen again 3 hours after that. 

• And so on. 

This helps keep your temperature and pain under control without exceeding safe limits for either medication. 

Always follow the dosing instructions on the package (or from your healthcare professional). And make sure you don’t exceed the maximum daily doses: 

• Acetaminophen: 4,000 mg per day 

• Ibuprofen: 1,200 mg per day

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Written by:

Kerry R. McGee, MD, FAAP

Kerry McGee, MD, FAAP, has over a decade of experience caring for babies, children, and teenagers as a primary care pediatrician. She has a special interest in adolescent health, particularly in adolescent mental health.

Edited by:

Karla Robinson, MD

Karla Robinson, MD, is a medical editor for GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified family physician with almost 20 years of experience in health through varied clinical, administrative, and educational roles.

Reviewed by:

Farzon A. Nahvi, MD

Farzon Nahvi, MD, is an emergency medicine physician and author of “Code Gray: Death, Life, and Uncertainty in the ER.” He works at Concord Hospital in Concord, New Hampshire, and teaches at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth.

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