Naproxen Dosages: Your GoodRx Guide

Naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn) is an oral medication that’s used to relieve pain and inflammation. Lower doses of naproxen are available over the counter (OTC), but higher doses require a prescription.

If you or a loved one are going to be taking naproxen, it’s important to know the right dose to take. You should always follow your healthcare provider’s instructions when taking naproxen. But here, we’ll review recommended prescription and OTC naproxen dosages.

What naproxen dosage forms are available?

Naproxen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). As mentioned above, it’s available both OTC and with a prescription. All forms are available as both brand-name and generic medications.

Prescription-only naproxen comes in the following dosage forms:

• Immediate-release (IR) tablets: 250 mg, 275 mg, 375 mg, 500 mg, 550 mg

• Delayed-release (DR) tablets: 375 mg, 500 mg

• Extended-release (ER) tablets: 375 mg, 500, 750 mg

• Oral suspension (liquid): 125 mg/5 mL

OTC naproxen only comes in one dose: 220 mg. But it’s available in both IR tablet and IR capsule forms.

What’s the typical naproxen dosage for adults?

The typical adult naproxen dosage depends on the condition you’re taking it for. But regardless of why you’re taking naproxen, using the lowest effective dose for the shortest time necessary is recommended. This helps lower the risk of side effects.

Rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis

The recommended naproxen dosage for rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis is the same. The usual maximum adult dose of prescription naproxen is 1,100 mg in 24 hours. But during flare-ups, a healthcare provider may raise the dose to a maximum of 1,500 mg per day for up to 6 months.

For IR and DR naproxen tablets, take 1 tablet by mouth twice daily. This could range from 250 mg to 550 mg per dose. IR tablets can be split or crushed if needed. DR tablets should be swallowed whole.

For ER naproxen tablets, take 750 mg to 1,000 mg by mouth once daily. Don’t chew, cut, or crush ER naproxen tablets.

For naproxen oral suspension, take 10 mL to 20 mL (250 mg to 500 mg) by mouth twice daily. Shake the bottle well before each dose. Be sure to use a medication dosing cup or spoon to measure your dose. Household teaspoons may provide too much or too little medication.

Dysmenorrhea, acute tendonitis, and bursitis

The recommended dose of prescription naproxen for primary dysmenorrhea (painful menstrual cramps), acute tendonitis, and bursitis is the same. This dosing is also suggested for the treatment of mild to moderate pain. DR naproxen tablets aren’t FDA approved for these health conditions because they take longer to kick in.

For IR naproxen tablets, there’s two recommended dosing options (neither is preferred over the other):

• Take 550 mg by mouth once. After that, take either 550 mg by mouth every 12 hours, or take 275 mg every 6 to 8 hours as needed. If needed, this initial total daily dose can go up to a maximum of 1,375 mg. But it’s not recommended to take more than 1,100 mg total per day after the first day.

• Take 500 mg by mouth once. After that, take 250 mg every 6 to 8 hours as needed. Don’t take more than 1,250 mg per day.

For ER naproxen tablets, take 1,000 mg by mouth once daily. A provider may raise this dosage to 1,500 mg by mouth once daily for short periods of time.

For naproxen oral suspension, take 20 mL (500 mg) once, followed by 10 mL (250 mg) every 6 to 8 hours as needed. Don’t take more than 50 mL (1,250 mg) in 24 hours.

Gout attacks

For IR naproxen tablets, there are two recommended dosage options for gout attacks (neither is preferred over the other):

• Take 750 mg by mouth once, followed by 250 mg every 8 hours until the gout attack is over.

• Take 825 mg by mouth once, followed by 275 mg every 8 hours until the gout attack is over.

For ER naproxen tablets, take 1,000 mg to 1,500 mg by mouth on the first day. After that, take 1,000 mg once daily until the gout attack is over.

For naproxen oral suspension, take 30 mL (750 mg) by mouth once, followed by 10 mL (250 mg) every 8 hours until the gout attack is over.

DR naproxen tablets aren’t approved to treat gout attacks.

OTC naproxen dosage

The recommended adult OTC naproxen dosage for fever or minor aches and pains is as follows:

• Take 1 pill (220 mg) by mouth every 8 to 12 hours as needed.

• For your first dose, you can take 2 pills (440 mg) within the first hour. You should only take 1 pill during subsequent doses.

• Don’t take more than 2 pills (440 mg) in a 12-hour period.

• Don’t take more than 3 pills (660 mg) in 24 hours.

What’s the typical naproxen dosage for children?

Most forms of prescription naproxen are FDA approved to treat polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (PJIA) in children at least 2 years old. ER naproxen tablets aren’t FDA approved for PJIA. Children’s naproxen dosages are based on body weight. The oral suspension is the preferred dosage form because it allows you to measure out lower doses.

Adolescents ages 12 years and older can follow adult doses provided above for OTC naproxen. Don’t give OTC naproxen to children under 12 unless their healthcare provider tells you this is OK.

Polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis

The recommended naproxen dosage for PJIA is 5 mg per kilogram of body weight twice daily. Naproxen tablets aren’t recommended for children weighing less than 110 lbs (50 kg). Below, we’ve provided a table with examples of children’s naproxen dosages for PJIA.

Are there any dosage adjustments for medical conditions?

Your dose of naproxen may be different if you have certain health conditions.

Dosage for people with kidney problems

Naproxen isn’t recommended if you have severe kidney damage. The kidneys help clear naproxen from the body. If they’re not working as well as they should, it can cause naproxen to build up.

If your creatinine clearance (a measure of kidney function) is less than 30 mg/mL, naproxen is typically avoided. However, your healthcare provider may recommend lower doses if you have kidney problems but your creatinine clearance is higher than 30 mg/mL.

What happens if you miss a dose of naproxen?

In most cases, you’ll take naproxen as needed for your symptoms. So if you miss a dose, it’s not a big deal. You can take another dose if your symptoms return.

If your healthcare provider has prescribed regular scheduled dosing of naproxen, it’s possible to forget to take a dose. If this happens, you should take the missed dose as soon as you remember. But if it’s getting close to your next dose, skip the missed dose and just take the next scheduled dose. Never take extra doses to make up for a missed dose.

What should you do if you take too much naproxen?

If you take too much naproxen, contact your healthcare provider. If you only took an extra dose, you may only have mild side effects, like nausea or indigestion. But if you took a large amount of naproxen, you may need emergency medical care.

An naproxen overdose can cause serious symptoms. Symptoms might include severe headache, ringing in the ear, and blurred vision. In severe cases, stomach bleeding, kidney damage, and coma are possible.

If you witness a naproxen overdose, call 911 to get emergency medical help. You can also contact Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.

How to save on naproxen

There are many ways to save on naproxen, which is available as both a brand-name and generic medication. By having your healthcare provider write a prescription for OTC naproxen, GoodRx can help you save over 50% off the average retail price.

OTC naproxen's price at certain pharmacies is as low as $5.82 with a free GoodRx discount. Prescription-strength naproxen's price at certain pharmacies is as low as $2.80 with a free GoodRx discount.

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Written 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.

Edited by:

Christina Aungst, PharmD

Christina Aungst, PharmD, is a pharmacy editor for GoodRx. She began writing for GoodRx Health in 2019, transitioning from freelance writer to editor in 2021.

Reviewed by:

Stacia Woodcock, PharmD

Stacia Woodcock, PharmD, is a pharmacy editor for GoodRx. She earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Kentucky and is licensed in New York and Massachusetts.

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