What is the Difference Between Tylenol and Ibuprofen

The main difference between Tylenol and ibuprofen is that Tylenol relieves pain and reduces fever whereas ibuprofen is an anti-inflammatory medicine that relieves pain superior to Tylenol.

Tylenol and Ibuprofen are two medications important in relieving moderate pain. Generally, Tylenol is a brand name for paracetamol while ibuprofen is a separate anti-inflammatory drug important in treating pain and fever. Moreover, ibuprofen is important in treating inflammation as well.

Key Areas Covered

1. What is Tylenol
   • Definition, Features, Importance
2. What is Ibuprofen
   • Definition, Features, Importance
3. Similarities Between Tylenol and Ibuprofen
   • Outline of Common Features
4. Difference Between Tylenol and Ibuprofen
   • Comparison with Key Differences

Key Terms

Pain, Ibuprofen, Tylenol

What is Tylenol

Tylenol is the brand name of paracetamol, which helps to treat mild to moderate pain including headaches, menstrual periods, toothaches, osteoarthritis, back pain, flu aches, etc. It treats fever as well. This drug is given orally. When used to treat fever, Tylenol can only decrease the temperature of the body slightly. Along with aspirin and caffeine, paracetamol is better to treat acute mild migraine and tension headaches.

Figure 1: Paracetamol

Moreover, the side effects of Tylenol include abdominal pain and nausea. Usually, chronic consumption of Tylenolresults in a drop in hemoglobin level, indicating possible gastrointestinal bleeding, and abnormal liver function. In addition, a higher dose of Tylenol may result in adverse effects on gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and renal function.

What is Ibuprofen

Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal, anti-inflammatory drug helpful in treating pain, fever, and inflammation. Painful menstrual periods, migraines, and rheumatoid arthritis are the conditions that use ibuprofen as a medicine. However, the main characteristic feature of ibuprofen is its efficiency; its effect is superior to the effect of Tylenol. Normally, the administration of the drug may be either orally or intravenously.

Figure 2: Ibuprofen

Moreover, the common side effects of ibuprofen are rash, gastrointestinal bleeding, and heartburn. Also, it increases the risk of heart failure, kidney failure, and liver failure. Ibuprofen also worsens asthma.

Similarities Between Tylenol and Ibuprofen

• Tylenol and ibuprofen are two types of medicines important in treating mild to moderate pain as well as fever.
• Both drugs take an hour to work.
• Moreover, both drugs have side effects.

Difference Between Tylenol and Ibuprofen

Definition

Tylenol refers to a drug important in treating fever and moderate to mild pain while ibuprofen refers to a nonsteroidal, anti-inflammatory drug important in treating pain, fever, and inflammation.

Inflammation

Usually, Tylenol is not an anti-inflammatory drug while ibuprofen is an anti-inflammatory drug.

Treating

Tylenol is important in treating headaches, menstrual periods, toothaches, osteoarthritis, back pain, flu aches, and fever while ibuprofen is important in treating painful menstrual periods, migraines, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Drug Effect

Tylenol is less effective while ibuprofen is more effective.

Side Effects

Moreover, the side effects of Tylenol include abdominal pain and nausea while the side effects of ibuprofen are rash, gastrointestinal bleeding, and heartburn.

Conclusion

In brief, Tylenol and ibuprofen are two classes of medicine mainly important in treating pain, and fever. Here, Tylenol is the brand name for the paracetamol drug. A high dose of Tylenol can cause adverse effects on gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and renal function. However, ibuprofen helps to treat inflammation as well. It is mainly used to treat painful menstrual periods, migraines, and rheumatoid arthritis. In addition, ibuprofen is a superior drug to Tylenol. Therefore, the main difference between Tylenol and ibuprofen is their effectiveness in disease-treating.

References:

1. “Tylenol oral: Uses, side effects, interactions, pictures, warnings & dosing.” WebMD. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
2. “Ibuprofen.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Retrieved August 12, 2022.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Paracetamol-skeletal” By Benjah-bmm27 – Own Work (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “(RS)-Ibuprofen Structural Formula V1” By Denwet – Own Work (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia