Combo of Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen as Effective as Opioids for Acute Pain: Study

A study of patients who went to the emergency room suffering from acute pain found those given a combination of ibuprofen and acetaminophen reported as much pain relief as those who were given opioids.

The 416 patients in the study had acute pain in their shoulders, arms, hips or legs, the Los Angeles Times reports. About 20 percent of the patients had a bone fracture, the researchers wrote in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Other patients had injuries such as a sprained ankle or dislocated shoulder.

Patients were assigned to one of four groups. One group received a combination ibuprofen/acetaminophen tablet (containing the medications found in Advil and Tylenol. The other groups received a drug containing a prescription opioid, such as Percocet (a combination of oxycodone and acetaminophen), Vicodin (hydrocodone and acetaminophen) or Tylenol No. 3 (codeine and acetaminophen).

Patients were asked to rate their pain when they arrived at the hospital and two hours after they received their medication. Those who took the acetaminophen/ibuprofen tablet reported pain relief similar to those who received an opioid.