Diclofenac Dosages for Adults: Your GoodRx Guide

Diclofenac is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It’s used to treat pain and inflammation from menstrual cramps, different types of arthritis, migraines, and more. It can be taken by mouth, applied to your skin, or instilled in your eye.

In this guide, we’ll go over typical diclofenac dosages for adults. It’s important to note that these are recommendations from the manufacturers. Your healthcare provider might have you take diclofenac differently. If you have questions about your dose, speak to your pharmacist or provider.

What’s the typical diclofenac dosage for adults?

For adults, diclofenac is available in a few different forms. It goes by a few different brand names, too. You can take it by mouth as a capsule, tablet, or oral solution. You can also apply it to your skin as a topical patch, topical solution, and over-the-counter (OTC) topical gel. A prescription eye drop is available, as well. 

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Your diclofenac dosage will depend on why you’re taking it and which form you’re taking. For your safety, follow the instructions on your prescription or on the product packaging. You can take most diclofenac products without food. But diclofenac capsules and oral solution may work better if you take them on an empty stomach.

Keep in mind: Different forms of diclofenac aren’t interchangeable with each other. This is because they’re not absorbed by your body the same way. For example, you’ll find some forms as diclofenac sodium and others as diclofenac potassium. If you’re looking to switch between different types of diclofenac, discuss this with your healthcare provider.

Osteoarthritis

Oral and topical diclofenac dosage forms can be used to treat osteoarthritis. Depending on the product, diclofenac topical solution comes with a dropper or pump and is applied to your knees. Diclofenac gel comes with a dosing card and is applied to certain upper body joints (elbow, hand, wrist) and/or lower body joints (knee, ankle, foot).

Here are the different diclofenac dosages for osteoarthritis:

• Diclofenac potassium tablets (Cataflam, Lofena): The typical dosage is 50 mg by mouth 2 to 3 times a day.

• Diclofenac sodium delayed-release (DR) tablet: The typical dosage is 50 mg by mouth 2 or 3 times a day, or 75 mg twice a day.

• Diclofenac sodium extended-release (ER) tablet: The typical dosage is 100 mg by mouth once daily.

• Diclofenac 1.5% topical solution: The typical dosage is to apply 40 drops to each affected knee 4 times a day.

• Diclofenac 2% topical solution (Pennsaid): The typical dosage is to apply 2 pumps (40 mg) to each affected knee 2 times a day.

• Diclofenac 1% gel (Voltaren Arthritis Pain): You’ll apply the gel to the affected joint(s) 4 times a day. Follow the instructions for how much gel to apply each time. Don’t use more than 8 gm on any upper body joint per day, or more than 16 gm on any lower body joint per day. If you add up the amount of gel you’ve applied in total, it shouldn’t be more than 32 gm per day.

Rheumatoid arthritis

• Diclofenac potassium tablets: The typical dosage is 50 mg by mouth 3 to 4 times a day.

• Diclofenac sodium DR tablet: The typical dosage is 50 mg by mouth 3 to 4 times a day, or 75 mg twice a day.

• Diclofenac sodium ER tablet: The typical dosage is 100 mg by mouth once daily. Your healthcare provider might raise your dose depending on your response.

Ankylosing spondylitis

• Diclofenac sodium DR tablet: The typical dosage is 25 mg by mouth 4 times a day, plus an additional 25 mg at bedtime if needed.

Primary dysmenorrhea (menstrual cramps)

• Diclofenac potassium tablets: The typical dosage is 50 mg by mouth 3 times a day.

Mild to moderate pain

• Diclofenac potassium capsule (Zipsor): The typical dosage is 25 mg by mouth 4 times a day.

• Diclofenac potassium tablets: The typical dosage is 50 mg by mouth 3 times a day.

• Diclofenac epolamine patch (Flector): The typical dosage is to apply 1 patch (180 mg) to the most painful area twice a day.

• Diclofenac epolamine patch (Licart): The typical dosage is to apply 1 patch (182 mg) to the most painful area once daily.

Migraine attack

• Diclofenac potassium oral solution: The typical dosage is 1 packet (50 mg) mixed with 30 to 60 mL of water taken once for symptoms of a migraine attack.

Cataract surgery

• Diclofenac eye drops: The typical dose is to place 1 drop into the affected eye(s) 4 times daily. Start 24 hours after surgery and continue for 2 weeks.

Corneal refractive surgery

• Diclofenac eye drops: The typical dose is to place 1 to 2 drops into the affected eye(s) within 1 hour before surgery. Then, place 1 to 2 drops into the affected eye(s) within 15 minutes after surgery, and 1 to 2 drops 4 times daily for up to 3 days.

Are there any dosage adjustments for medical conditions?

Diclofenac is broken down by your liver, and your body gets rid of it through your liver and kidneys. If you have liver or kidney problems, your healthcare provider may need to lower your dosage. This is to make sure you aren’t building up too much medication in your body.

Kidney problems

There are no recommended dosage adjustments if you have kidney problems. But if you have advanced kidney disease, diclofenac may not be safe for you to take.

NSAIDs like diclofenac are known to cause damage to the kidneys and can also worsen heart failure. If you have a history of kidney or liver problems, or heart failure, let your healthcare provider know. You should also let them know if you’re taking medications for high blood pressure. They may want to monitor your blood pressure more closely during treatment with diclofenac.

Liver problems

As mentioned above, diclofenac is broken down by your liver. And while uncommon, it has also been shown to cause liver damage. 

If you have liver problems, your healthcare provider might need to lower your diclofenac dosage if you’re taking it by mouth. But dosage adjustments haven’t been studied with the oral solution, so they can determine if it’s safe for you to take.

Liver damage has been mostly reported with oral forms of diclofenac. But topical diclofenac products also carry this warning. If you have liver problems, talk to your healthcare provider before starting one of these products.

What happens if you miss a dose of diclofenac?

If you forget to take your dose of diclofenac, you can take it as soon as you remember. But if it’s getting too close to the time for your next dose, it’s best to skip the missed dose.

Taking two doses too close together could lead to too much medication in your body. Never double up on your diclofenac dose. If you aren’t sure how to handle a missed dose, call your healthcare provider or pharmacist for help.

What should you do if you take too much diclofenac?

NSAIDs like diclofenac can affect many different parts of your body (such as your kidneys, liver, and gut). Taking too much diclofenac can increase the risk of serious side effects, like tears and bleeding in your stomach or gut. Kidney damage is also possible. 

If you have certain medical conditions, you might be even more sensitive to taking too much diclofenac. This is also the case if you’re taking other medications that are hard on your kidneys or liver.

Taking too much diclofenac by mouth is generally a more serious problem compared to diclofenac eye drops or topical products. This is because less medication gets into your system with topical products. But depending on how much you use, you could still run into problems.

Common signs of an NSAID overdose include headache, vomiting, and nausea. Blurred vision, tiredness, and dizziness are also possible. If you or a loved one might have taken too much diclofenac, get medical attention right away or call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.

How to save on diclofenac

There are many ways to save on diclofenac, which is available as both a brand-name and generic medication. The diclofenac patches are only available as brand-name products. But Flector patches have an authorized generic.

GoodRx can help you save over 50% off the average retail price of the generic versions:

• Diclofenac potassium tablets: $12.00

• Diclofenac sodium ER tablets: $18.36

• Diclofenac sodium DR tablets: $13.20

• Diclofenac epolamine patch (Flector): $134.43

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Kristianne Hannemann, PharmD

Kristianne Hannemann, PharmD, is a licensed pharmacist in California. She has been a retail pharmacy manager and staff pharmacist for over 7 years and has contributed drug information content to different health companies.

Edited by:

Alyssa Billingsley, PharmD

Alyssa Billingsley, PharmD, is the director of pharmacy content for GoodRx. She has over a decade of experience as a pharmacist and has worked in clinical, academic, and administrative roles.

Reviewed by:

Austin Ulrich, PharmD, BCACP

Austin Ulrich, PharmD, BCACP, is a board-certified ambulatory care clinical pharmacist. In his early career, he provided direct patient care in a variety of settings, including hospital and community pharmacies, and in a primary care clinic as a clinical pharmacist.

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