Motrin & Tylenol for Arthritis Pain

Arthritis is the term given to a group of conditions that cause damage to your joints. For mild arthritic pain, doctors sometimes recommend over-the-counter medications like Motrin and Tylenol.

Identification

• Tylenol contains acetaminophen and is considered an analgesic. Motrin is a type of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication.

Function

• Tylenol works by inhibiting the protection of chemicals called prostaglandins, preventing your body from feeling the sensations of pain caused by arthritis, explains Tufts University Journal. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications reduce inflammation caused by arthritis, which lessens pain.

Time Frame

• Motrin and Tylenol are meant to make you more comfortable during flare-ups of arthritic pain and are not intended to be taken daily over a long period of time to prevent pain from occurring, explains the Mayo Clinic.

Risks

• When taken in excessive amounts or for a prolonged period of time, Tylenol poses a risk for liver damage, warns the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications like Motrin have the potential to cause stomach ulceration and bleeding and pose a risk for heart attacks or disease, warns the American College of Gastroenterology and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Considerations

• If you have a history of liver disease, diabetes, heart problems, recent heart bypass surgery, lupus, asthma, nasal polyps, hypertension or alcoholism, it may not be safe for you to take Motrin or Tylenol for arthritis pain, cautions Drugs.com.