Aleve is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (often referred to as an NSAID). It is available over the counter, meaning you don’t need a prescription from a doctor to purchase it.
This means you can purchase Aleve as soon as you need it and can start using it to deal with minor aches and pains straight away without waiting for appointments.
Aleve provides temporary yet effective relief from a variety of conditions and symptoms. It can help ease minor aches and pains, making it suitable for general illness symptoms and muscular aches.
It can also temporarily reduce fever along with the various irritating symptoms and general feelings of unwellness that often accompany a fever.
Common FAQ's
What Is The Active Ingredient?
The active ingredient in Aleve is naproxen sodium. Aleve contains 220mg of naproxen sodium, which is commonly used to relieve the pain caused by common conditions such as headaches, muscular aches, dental pain and period pain.
As it is an NSAID, it should not be taken with aspirin or any other products containing aspirin or any other NSAIDs unless your doctor has specifically told you otherwise.
How Does It Work?
Aleve gets to work quickly after you take it. It works to reduce minor aches and pains by temporarily blocking the production of naturally occurring chemicals in your body. These chemicals are called prostaglandins, and they play an important role in helping us feel pain.
By temporarily blocking the production of these natural chemicals, Aleve can reduce the amount of pain you feel.
How Do I Take?
If you want to take Aleve to help you manage general aches and pains or to temporarily reduce a fever, you should take a single tablet, caplet, gelcap or liquid gel once every 8 to 12 hours with a full glass of water.
When you take your very first dose, you can take two pills in the first hour if you wish. You must not take more than two tablets, gelcaps, caplets or liquid gels in a 12-hour period and must not take more than three in a 24-hour period.
You might find that you require far fewer doses of Aleve than you are used to when taking other painkillers. As Aleve works so effectively and over a relatively long time period, it’s important you don’t take any more than the recommended maximum dosage printed on the packaging.
What Are the Advantages?
As Aleve is so effective, it doesn’t require the same frequency of dosing as many other painkillers. This means you may very well take far fewer pills than you would if you opted for other products. Just two Aleve pills can provide long-lasting pain relief that lasts for a whole day. Each single pill is strong enough to provide 12 hours of pain relief.
In addition, as Aleve is available over the counter without a prescription from a doctor, you can buy it as soon as you need it and start managing your pain right away without waiting hours – or even days – for a GP appointment.
While some other pain medications might contain higher levels of naproxen, they are generally only available with a prescription from a doctor. This means you won’t have instant access to them and might have to suffer for longer.
What Symptoms and Conditions Can I Take Aleve For?
You can take Aleve for a number of general minor aches and pains. This list is by no means exhaustive, but here are some of the most common reasons you might want to take Aleve:
– Minor pain from arthritis
– Headaches
– Toothaches and other dental pain
– Period pains
– General aches and pains and other symptoms caused by the common cold
– Minor muscular aches and sprains
How Long Can I Take It For?
Aleve provides effective and temporary pain relief from a variety of conditions. It also has the ability to temporarily reduce a fever. However, as with all painkillers, it’s important you do not take it for longer than the recommended length of time without consulting your doctor.
If you are taking Aleve to temporarily reduce a fever, you should not take it for any longer than three days without speaking to your doctor. In the event that you are taking Aleve for the management of minor aches and pains, you should not take it for longer than ten days without consulting your doctor.