The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.
Common Side Effects
- Ringing in the ears
- Temporary hearing problems
- Nausea
- Vertigo (dizziness)
- Rash
Less Common Side Effects
- Stomach pain
- Diarrhea
- Stomach bleeding
- Hives
Salsalate serious side effects
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.
- Stomach bleeding: feeling faint, vomiting blood, bloody or dark stools, severe stomach pain or discomfort
- Heart attack: chest pain or tightness, pain that radiates up to your shoulder, arm, neck, or jaw
- Stroke: chest pain, trouble breathing, weakness in one part of your body or face, slurred speech
- Heart failure: difficulty breathing, swelling, fast heartbeat
- Liver problems: swelling of your stomach, yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes, confusion, dark or brown urine
- Kidney problems: tiredness, dry and itchy skin, low appetite, urinating less than usual, foamy or bloody urine, muscle cramps
- Allergic reactions: hives, rash, blisters, swelling of the lips or tongue, difficulty breathing
- Serious skin reactions: skin reddening, blisters, rash, fever
Source: DailyMed
The following Salsalate side effects have also been reported
Side effects that you should report to your care team as soon as possible:
- Allergic reactions—skin rash, itching, hives, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat
- Bleeding—bloody or black, tar-like stools, vomiting blood or brown material that looks like coffee grounds, red or dark brown urine, small red or purple spots on skin, unusual bruising or bleeding
- Heart attack—pain or tightness in the chest, shoulders, arms, or jaw, nausea, shortness of breath, cold or clammy skin, feeling faint or lightheaded
- Heart failure—shortness of breath, swelling of the ankles, feet, or hands, sudden weight gain, unusual weakness or fatigue
- Increase in blood pressure
- Kidney injury—decrease in the amount of urine, swelling of the ankles, hands, or feet
- Liver injury—right upper belly pain, loss of appetite, nausea, light-colored stool, dark yellow or brown urine, yellowing skin or eyes, unusual weakness or fatigue
- Rash, fever, and swollen lymph nodes
- Redness, blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin, including inside the mouth
- Round red or dark patches on the skin that may itch, burn, and blister
- Stroke—sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, trouble speaking, confusion, trouble walking, loss of balance or coordination, dizziness, severe headache, change in vision
Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report these to your care team if they continue or are bothersome):
- Headache
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea
- Upset stomach
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Why trust our experts?

Reviewed by:
Robert Chad Hakim, PharmD, BCCCPRobert Chad Hakim, PharmD, BCCCP, started his full-time career as a clinical pharmacist at UCLA Health in the general medicine, general cardiology, and ICU units after completing residency in 2016. He also was the preceptor for the general medicine rotation from 2017 to 2021, which was a required rotation for all pharmacy residents.

Reviewed by:
Kristianne Hannemann, PharmDKristianne 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.