Let’s break down the risks and benefits.
Between stress, allergies, injuries, chronic conditions, genetics and the general state of the world, a lot of us are walking buckets of aches and pains lately. It’s pretty easy and, to most people, seemingly harmless to turn to over-the-counter medications to relieve those daily physical indignities—but “seemingly” is the key word here.
According to doctors, if you currently take Advil every day, you may want to think twice about it. Here, physicians break down why it may be risky to have a daily Advil habit and what some safer and healthier alternatives may be for pain relief.
First Things First: What Exactly Is Advil?
If you’re like a lot of people (including my husband), you may assume that every over-the-counter pain reliever is pretty much the same and that they’re all relatively interchangeable—but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Many have different active ingredients, and depending on your personal health history, sensitivities, conditions and other medications, not all of them may be safe for you, so you’re going to want to check labels really closely.
“Advil is the trade name for ibuprofen. Ibuprofen is a temporary, nonspecific cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor that disrupts the inflammatory cascade,” Dr. Heather L. Hinshelwood, MD, chief of medicine at Fraum Health, tells Parade. “Inflammation can happen for a variety of reasons: an acute injury such as a sprained ankle or pulled muscle, a chronic unhealed injury such as severe arthritis in an older patient or pathologic inflammation such as rheumatoid arthritis.”
While we’re conditioned to believe inflammation is to be avoided at all costs (there’s a reason the anti-inflammatory dietis popular with doctors and dietitians!), Dr. Hinshelwood points out that inflammation is actually important.
“Inflammation serves several purposes, and one of them is to attempt to trigger healing. One of the byproducts is that inflammation also causes pain, independent of the injury that caused it,” she says. “So, if we disrupt the inflammation, we feel a significant decrease in pain.”
Why Would Someone Take Advil Every Day?
First, it’s important to know why you feel like you need to take Advil every single day and to inform your doctor about whatever pain you may be feeling. There are some instances in which it may be appropriate to pop ibuprofen daily, but it’s important to discuss this with your doctor first.
“Daily use of Advil might be needed for a short course for patients with recent surgery or minimally invasive procedures to mitigate the acute inflammation,” Dr. Tonie Reincke, MD,vascular and interventional radiologist at Reincke Vein Center, tells Parade. “Additionally, patients with flare-ups of chronic inflammatory diseases such as arthritis may also use Advil.”
Advil may be beneficial to people assigned female at birth, according to Dr. Phillip Kadaj, MD, primary care physician and internist, as it may help alleviate and prevent severe menstrual pain.
“Some people consider taking Advil every day when they live with daily pain. For example, conditions like arthritis (whether it’s osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis) can cause constant stiffness and discomfort that make even simple activities difficult,” otolaryngologist Dr. J. Ryan Smolarz, MD, FACS, MBA, says. “In these cases, Advil can help keep pain under control.”
“Doctors may recommend taking ibuprofen every day for some long-lasting inflammatory problems, such as ankylosing spondylitis or ongoing muscle and joint pain,” he adds. “But this is not something to do on your own; it should always be under a doctor’s guidance.”
There are other benefits to Advil for pain management as well. “Advil can be an effective approach to pain that is not sedating and carries no risk of addiction,” Dr. Hinshelwood says. “Furthermore, it is more effective at controlling pain in acute injuries (such as fractures and post-operative pain) than ‘stronger,’ opiate based prescriptions, which carry their own set of risks.” (Anyone who’s seen Dopesick can get behind this!)
What Happens to Your Body if You Take Advil Every Day?
It’s important to be clear about one thing: Dr. Hinshelwood and other physicians note that daily Advil use, for most otherwise healthy people, won’t hurt their health. That said, there are still some serious risks for some individuals, which is why talking to your doctor is crucial.
Dr. Smolarz points out that the same function that makes Advil work for pain and inflammation—by blocking enzymes that make chemicals called prostaglandins—can also make it harmful for some: “Those same chemicals also protect your stomach, kidneys and blood vessels,” he says. As a result, daily Advil use may potentially cause stomach irritation and ulcers.
Additionally, he notes, “Your kidneys may not filter blood as well, which can affect blood pressure. Most importantly, because Advil changes how blood clots, it can increase bleeding risks over time.”
Additionally, Dr. Kadaj reveals that it’s possible that daily, longterm Advil use could increase the risk of heart attack and stroke and can increase blood pressure in some patients. “NSAIDs like ibuprofen are linked to thousands of hospitalizations each year,” Dr. Kadaj warns. “The risks [for certain people] are real. It can cause ulcers, stomach or GI tract bleeding, heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, kidney damage and can also interact with many other meds, specifically blood thinners. We often recommend limiting use to three days at a time unless medically necessary.”
Further, Dr. Reincke warns, “Longer courses of Advil and higher doses can cause heart and liver dysfunction.”
“Some individuals tend to underestimate the potential dangers associated with this medication, especially since it is readily available over the counter,” Dr. Nesochi Okeke-Igbokwe, MD, internist, medical expert and CEO of Dr. Nesochi LLC internal medicine practice, advises. “The takeaway is that if you are dealing with any health concern, an evaluation with your doctor is key to discuss a comprehensive care plan. Your doctor can properly advise upon the dosing and appropriate duration of time to safely take any given medication. Nonetheless, it is crucial to adhere to the guidance provided by a healthcare professional to minimize the risk of medication side effects.”
Written by Jessica Sager for Parade ~ August 26, 2025