Standard Dosage of Ibuprofen for Pain Relief
The standard dose of ibuprofen (Motrin) for pain relief in adults is 400-800 mg every 6 hours, with a maximum daily dose of 3200 mg. 1
Dosing Guidelines by Age Group
Adults:
- Initial dose: 400-800 mg per dose
- Frequency: Every 6 hours as needed
- Maximum daily dose: 3200 mg
- Recommended to take with food or milk if GI complaints occur 1
Children:
- Standard pediatric dose: 7.5-10 mg/kg per dose 2
- Frequency: Every 6-8 hours
- Maximum daily dose: 30-40 mg/kg/day 3
- Clinical trials have shown 7.5-10 mg/kg to be the effective dose range for children 2
Specific Pain Conditions
Mild to Moderate Pain:
- 400 mg every 4 to 6 hours as necessary
- Higher doses (>400 mg) have not shown greater efficacy in controlled analgesic trials 1
Dysmenorrhea:
- 400 mg every 4 hours beginning with earliest onset of pain 1
Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis:
- 1200-3200 mg daily (400 mg, 600 mg, or 800 mg three or four times daily)
- Dose should be tailored to individual response 1
Administration Considerations
- Take with food or milk to reduce gastrointestinal side effects 1
- Use the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration consistent with treatment goals 1
- Oral route is more reliable than rectal administration, especially in young infants 3
- Absorption can be enhanced with certain formulations (lysine, arginine, potassium salts) 4
Safety Profile
- At OTC doses (800-1200 mg/day), ibuprofen has a good safety profile comparable to paracetamol 5
- Children typically tolerate ibuprofen better than adults 2
- Maximum analgesic effect occurs within 1-2 hours, with fever reduction peaking at 3-4 hours after administration 2
Common Pitfalls and Cautions
- Avoid exceeding recommended doses, as higher doses increase risk of adverse effects without additional analgesic benefit 1
- Use caution in patients with:
- Renal impairment
- Cardiovascular disease
- History of GI bleeding
- Concurrent use of anticoagulants
- Potential drug interaction with aspirin (may reduce cardioprotective effects) 5
- Short-term use is considered safe in infants older than 3 months weighing above 5-6 kg, with special attention to hydration status 3
Ibuprofen's analgesic activity is linked to its anti-inflammatory effects through inhibition of cyclooxygenase enzymes (COX-1 and COX-2) 5. Its relatively short half-life and moderate COX inhibition contribute to its favorable safety profile compared to other NSAIDs, especially at OTC doses 5.