Drug Classes

Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)

Ana Sandoiu
By
Stephanie Young Moss, PharmD
by
Updated on October 22, 2024

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a class of medications that relieve pain, fever, and inflammation. They may be used to treat a range of conditions, including headaches, arthritis, and menstrual cramps. Some types of NSAIDs are available over-the-counter (OTC), while others require a prescription.

What Are NSAIDs?

As their name implies, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are nonsteroid drugs that reduce inflammation, pain, fever, and stiffness.

NSAIDs work by inhibiting the production of inflammatory-causing chemicals. If your body produces too many of these chemicals, you may experience inflammatory symptoms, such as pain, fever, or stiffness.

By blocking the release of these chemicals, NSAIDs can ease pain and discomfort.

What Conditions Do NSAIDs Treat?

An NSAID can treat various conditions that involve pain and inflammation.

Inflammation is the body’s natural response to a foreign substance or object. For example, if your immune system detects a germ or sharp object against your skin, it releases an inflammatory response to fight off the “intruder” and heal.

While inflammation can help us heal from an injury or illness, too much inflammation can cause a range of symptoms and illnesses. Inflammation can also be harmful if the body starts attacking its own cells, which could lead to chronic inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, Crohn’s disease, or ulcerative colitis.

NSAIDs may be used to treat the following conditions:

Types of NSAIDs

Different NSAIDs have different strengths. Some are available as both OTC and prescription drugs, while others are prescription-only.

Common OTC NSAIDs include:

  • Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
  • Aspirin (Vazalore, Bayer, St. Joseph)
  • Naproxen sodium (Aleve)
Prescription NSAIDs include:

  • Celecoxib (Celebrex)
  • Diclofenac (Voltaren)
  • Fenoprofen (Nalfon)
  • Indomethacin (Indocin)
  • Ketorolac (Toradol)
Most NSAIDs are available as tablets that you can take orally (by mouth). Some are also available for topical use (applied directly to the skin), like diclofenac topical (Pennsaid), which can be used to treat osteoarthritis or pain from injuries.

In some cases, a doctor may administer NSAIDs intravenously (IV) to relieve pain from surgery.

How Do NSAIDs Work?

An NSAID works by blocking certain enzymes called cyclo-oxygenase enzymes, or COX enzymes. COX enzymes produce prostaglandins — hormone-like chemicals in the body that control pain, inflammation, and blood clotting.

By blocking the COX enzymes that produce these substances, NSAIDs can reduce inflammatory responses like pain, swelling, and fever.

What Are the Possible Side Effects of NSAIDs?

Common side effects of NSAIDs may include:

  • Gas
  • Bloating
  • Heartburn
  • Stomach pain
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Diarrhea or constipation
  • Mild headache
  • Dizziness
  • Lightheadedness
To minimize your chances of developing gastrointestinal (GI) side effects, take NSAIDs with food, milk, or antacids.

Additionally, avoid taking different NSAIDs together. It may also be helpful to take the lowest possible dose for the shortest period of time.

In some cases, NSAIDs may cause serious side effects. Contact your doctor immediately if you experience any of the following:

  • Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
  • Itching
  • Red or peeling skin
  • Unexpected weight gain
  • Stools that are bloody, black, or tarry
  • Bloody or cloudy urine
  • Blurred vision
  • Severe stomach pain
  • Vomit that looks like coffee grounds
  • Flu-like symptoms
  • Fatigue
  • Yellowing of the eyes or skin (jaundice)
  • Sensitivity to light
Seek immediate medical care if you experience any signs of an NSAID allergic reaction, including:

  • Swelling
  • Rash or hives
  • Bruising or bleeding without explanation
  • Wheezing, difficulty breathing, or unusual cough
  • Chest pain
  • Fast heartbeat

Are There Any Risks Related to NSAIDs?

Although NSAIDs can reduce inflammation, they can also interfere with the body’s ability to heal.

?NSAIDs have also been linked to an increased cardiovascular risk,

 and long-term NSAID use can cause ulcers in some people.

An NSAID overdose may lead to GI bleeding, high blood pressure, and liver or kidney damage.

Before taking an NSAID, tell your doctor if you have:

NSAIDs are also not recommended during the third trimester of pregnancy.

The Takeaway

NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) are medications used to treat pain, fever, and inflammation by blocking the production of prostaglandins — chemicals in the body that cause pain and inflammation. NSAIDs may cause side effects, and they pose some risks if you have certain health conditions or you’re taking them for a long period. Before taking an NSAID, talk to your healthcare provider.

Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking

Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.

Sources

  1. Ghlichloo I et al. Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs). StatPearls. May 1, 2023.
  2. NSAIDs (Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs). Cleveland Clinic. July 24, 2023.
  3. In Brief: What Is an Inflammation? InformedHealth.org. May 18, 2021.
  4. Schjerning A et al. Cardiovascular effects and safety of (non-aspirin) NSAIDs. Nature Reviews Cardiology. September 2020.
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Stephanie Young Moss, PharmD

Medical Reviewer

Stephanie Young Moss, PharmD, has worked in pharmacy, community outreach, regulatory compliance, managed care, and health economics and outcomes research. Dr. Young Moss is the owner of Integrative Pharmacy Outcomes and Consulting, which focuses on educating underserved communities on ways to reduce and prevent health disparities. She uses her platform to educate families on ways to decrease and eliminate health disparities by incorporating wellness and mental health techniques.

Young Moss is the creator of the websites DrStephanieYoMo.com and MenopauseInColor.com, providing practical health and wellness tips and resources for women experiencing perimenopause and menopause. She has over 100,000 people in her social media communities.?She has also contributed to?Pharmacy Times and?shared her views on international and national podcasts and local television news.

She has served on various boards for organizations that focus on health equity, decreasing implicit bias, addressing social determinants of health, and empowering communities to advocate for their health. She has also been on the boards for the Minority Health Coalition of Marion County and Eskenazi Health Center, for which she was the clinical quality committee chair and board secretary and is currently the board treasurer. She is a board member for Community Action of Greater Indianapolis.

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Ana Sandoiu

Author

Ana is a freelance medical copywriter, editor, and health journalist with a decade of experience in content creation. She loves to dive deep into the research and emerge with engaging and informative content everyone can understand. Her strength is combining scientific rigor with empathy and sensitivity, using conscious, people-first language without compromising accuracy.

Previously, she worked as a news editor for Medical News Today and Healthline Media. Her work as a health journalist has reached millions of readers, and her in-depth reporting has been cited in multiple peer-reviewed journals. As a medical copywriter, Ana has worked with award-winning digital agencies to implement marketing strategies for high-profile stakeholders. She’s passionate about health equity journalism, having conceived, written, and edited features that expose health disparities related to race, gender, and other social determinants of health.

Outside of work, she loves dancing, taking analog photos, and binge-watching all the RuPaul’s Drag Race franchises.

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