Best Ibuprofen for Muscle Pain of 2026

Bonnie Salem Avatar
Bonnie Salem
Last Updated: Jan 18, 2026

* We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation.

Ibuprofen for Muscle Pain is a widely recognized over-the-counter medication that offers effective relief for muscle aches and pains. With its anti-inflammatory properties, Ibuprofen helps reduce swelling and alleviate discomfort caused by muscle strains, sprains, and injuries. It works by blocking the production of certain chemicals in the body that contribute to pain and inflammation. Ibuprofen for Muscle Pain is available in various forms, including tablets, capsules, and creams, making it convenient for individuals seeking quick and targeted relief. Always follow the recommended dosage and consult a healthcare professional if symptoms persist or worsen.

At a Glance: Our Top Picks

Timely Ibuprofen 200mg 500 Tablets Cover #TOP 1
Timely Ibuprofen 200mg 500 Tablets
ftb score rating icon 9.9
Advil Pain Reliever and Fever Reducer - 100 Coated Tablets Cover #TOP 2
Advil Pain Reliever and Fever Reducer - 100 Coated Tablets
ftb score rating icon 9.8
Advil Pain Reliever and Fever Reducer Cover #TOP 3
Advil Pain Reliever and Fever Reducer
ftb score rating icon 9.6

Top 9 Ibuprofen for Muscle Pain

Timely Ibuprofen 200mg 500 Tablets

Timely Ibuprofen 200mg 500 Tablets Cover
TIME-Cap Labs 500 Tablets Ibuprofen 200mg Coated - Pain Reliever & Fever Reducer (NSAID) for Adults, Helps with Headache, Back Pain, Muscle Aches, Toothaches, Menstrual Cramps & Minor Arthritis Pain

Timely Ibuprofen 200mg 500 Tablets are full-strength pain relief pills that also reduce fever for adults and children over 12. They offer the same quality as more expensive products and are easy to use. With 500 tablets per bottle, you'll have enough pain relief for months to come.

What We Like
Consistent effectiveness
Affordable price
Large quantity
Comparable to name brands
Easy-to-take coated tablets
#TOP 2

Advil Pain Reliever and Fever Reducer - 100 Coated Tablets

305730150408
Advil Pain Reliever and Fever Reducer - 100 Coated Tablets Cover
Advil Pain Reliever and Fever Reducer, Pain Relief Medicine with Ibuprofen 200mg for Headache, Backache, Menstrual Pain and Joint Pain Relief - 100 Coated Tablets

Advil Pain Reliever and Fever Reducer is a pain relief medicine with Ibuprofen 200mg that targets pain at the sight of inflammation. It provides longer-lasting relief than Tylenol Extra Strength and comes in a new packaging that is eco-friendly. It is easy to swallow and provides relief for up to 6 hours. It is suitable for adults and children 12 years and older for headache, backache, menstrual pain, joint pain, minor arthritis pain, muscle aches, and fever.

What We Like
Fast pain relief
Reliable ibuprofen formula
Good value for money
Convenient Amazon delivery
Long expiration date
#TOP 3

Advil Pain Reliever and Fever Reducer

305730151122
Advil Pain Reliever and Fever Reducer Cover
Advil Pain Reliever and Fever Reducer, Pain Relief Medicine with Ibuprofen 200mg for Headache, Backache, Menstrual Pain and Joint Pain Relief - 10 Coated Tablets

Advil Pain Reliever and Fever Reducer is a pain relief medicine that offers 6 hours of relief from headache, backache, menstrual pain, joint pain, minor arthritis pain, muscle aches, and aches and pains from the common cold. The coated tablets are easy to swallow and contain ibuprofen 200mg. The new packaging features 20% less plastic. The product is suitable for adults and children over 12 years old, and is HSA and FSA eligible.

What We Like
Provides 6 hours of relief from various types of pain
Easy to swallow coated tablets
New packaging features 20% less plastic
#TOP 4

Motrin Dual Action with Tylenol

JO031112
White
120 Count
Motrin Dual Action with Tylenol Cover
Motrin Dual Action with Tylenol, Ibuprofen & Acetaminophen Fast-Acting Dual Action Pain Reliever for Minor Aches & Pains, Ibuprofen (NSAID) 125 mg & Acetaminophen 250 mg, 120 ct

Motrin Dual Action with Tylenol is a 2-in-1 pain reliever medicine designed to temporarily relieve minor aches and pains due to headache, toothache, backache, menstrual pains, period cramps, muscle aches, and minor pain caused by arthritis. Each tablet contains 250 mg acetaminophen plus 125 mg ibuprofen to provide dual action pain relief. It is intended for adults and children 12 years of age and older, and should be taken every 8 hours while symptoms persist. Please note that severe liver damage may occur if taken with other drugs containing acetaminophen.

What We Like
Provides dual action pain relief
Effective for minor aches and pains
Designed for adults and children 12 years of age and older

Advil Dual Action Back Pain Caplets - 144 Count

F00573014589
Advil Dual Action Back Pain Caplets - 144 Count Cover
Advil Dual Action Back Pain Caplets Delivers 125mg Ibuprofen and 250mg Acetaminophen Per Dose for 8 Hours of Back Pain Relief - 144 Count

Advil Dual Action Back Pain Caplets provide 8 hours of back pain relief with a lower maximum daily dose of each medication. The medication contains 250mg Ibuprofen and 500mg Acetaminophen to fight back pain 2 ways. Acetaminophen blocks pain signals and ibuprofen targets pain caused by inflammation. It also provides relief for headache, toothache, menstrual cramp, muscle pain and lower back pain.

What We Like
Provides 8 hours of back pain relief
Fights back pain 2 ways with Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen
Relieves headache, toothache, menstrual cramp, muscle pain and lower back pain
#TOP 6

Motrin IB 200mg Ibuprofen Liquid Gel Pain Reliever/Fever Reducer for Pain Relief, 120 Ct

300450409126
Motrin IB 200mg Ibuprofen Liquid Gel Pain Reliever/Fever Reducer for Pain Relief, 120 Ct Cover
Motrin IB Liquid Gels with 200mg Ibuprofen per Caplet, Pain Reliever & Fever Reducer for Adults, Relief from Minor Arthritis Pain, Muscle Aches, Headache, Menstrual Cramps & Backache, 120 ct

Motrin IB Liquid Gels is a fast-acting pain reliever and fever reducer that comes in a 120-count bottle. Each liquid gel contains 200 milligrams of ibuprofen, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that can help relieve pain and reduce fever resulting from common cold, headache, backache, toothache, menstrual cramps, and minor pain of arthritis. It is safe and effective for ages 12 years and older, and can provide long-lasting relief when used as directed. Adults and children 12 years and older can take one capsule every 4 to 6 hours while symptoms persist, and up to 6 capsules in 24 hours unless directed by a doctor.

What We Like
Fast-acting pain relief
Effective fever reducer
Contains 120 liquid gels

Amazon Basic Care Ibuprofen PM, Pain Reliever/Nighttime Sleep-Aid, 120 Count

Amazon Basic Care
Amazon Basic Care Ibuprofen PM, Pain Reliever/Nighttime Sleep-Aid, 120 Count Cover
Amazon Basic Care Ibuprofen PM, Ibuprofen 200 mg and Diphenhydramine Citrate 38 mg Tablets, Pain Reliever and Nighttime Sleep-Aid, 120 Count (Packaging may vary)

Amazon Basic Care Ibuprofen PM is a pain reliever (NSAID) and nighttime sleep-aid. It contains ibuprofen 200 mg and diphenhydramine citrate 38 mg, providing relief of occasional sleeplessness when associated with minor aches and pains. This product is intended for adults and children 12 years and over, and is gluten free.

What We Like
Combines pain relief and nighttime sleep-aid
Contains ibuprofen 200 mg and diphenhydramine citrate 38 mg
Relieves occasional sleeplessness when associated with minor aches and pains
Suitable for adults and children 12 years and over
Gluten free

Advil Liqui-Gels Pain Reliever and Fever Reducer - 200 Capsules

60000000133057
200 Count
Advil Liqui-Gels Pain Reliever and Fever Reducer - 200 Capsules Cover
Advil Liqui-Gels Pain Reliever and Fever Reducer, Pain Medicine for Adults with Ibuprofen 200mg for Headache, Backache, Menstrual Pain and Joint Pain Relief - 200 Capsules, Advil PM Ibuprofen - 2 Ct

Advil Liqui-Gels Pain Reliever and Fever Reducer is a fast-acting pain reliever for adults with ibuprofen 200mg for headache, backache, menstrual pain, joint pain relief, and fever reduction. This package contains 200 capsules and 2 Advil PM caplets. It is a non-aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory pain reliever designed for fast absorption. It is suitable for adults and children 12 years and older.

What We Like
Fast-acting and strong pain relief
Fever reducer for adults
Provides relief for various pain types
#TOP 9

Advil Liqui-Gels Pain Reliever and Fever Reducer

305730169301
Other
Advil Liqui-Gels Pain Reliever and Fever Reducer Cover
Advil Liqui-Gels Pain Reliever And Fever Reducer, Pain Medicine For Adults With Ibuprofen 200mg For Headache, Backache, Menstrual Pain And Joint Pain Relief - 40 Liquid Filled Capsules

Advil Liqui-Gels Pain Reliever and Fever Reducer is a non-aspirin pain relief medicine that provides fast absorption of ibuprofen 200mg for headache, backache, menstrual pain, joint pain, and fever reduction. The medicine is available in 40 liquid-filled capsules with faster and stronger pain relief features than Tylenol Rapid Release Gels, and new packaging is environment-friendly. This medicine can be used by adults and children above 12 years of age, taking each capsule every 4 to 6 hours while symptoms persist.

What We Like
Faster and stronger pain relief
Effective in reducing fever
Useful as a joint pain reliever, menstrual pain relief, back pain medication, and headache pain relief
Buying Guide Image

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Does ibuprofen help with muscle pain?

Muscle ache or pulled/strained muscle. Ibuprofen typically works better for this kind of pain relief, due to the anti-inflammatory effects.

2. How much ibuprofen can I take for muscle pain?

Over-the-counter ibuprofen ranges from 200 to 400 milligrams per tablet. The recommended dose for an adult with mild to moderate pain is up to 600 milligrams every 4 hours. Prescription doses can be as high as 800 milligrams.

3. Does ibuprofen relax muscles?

“OTC NSAIDs, like ibuprofen and naproxen, are a good first-line agent to decrease inflammation surrounding an injury,” recommends Joanna Lewis, Pharm. D., creator of The Pharmacist's Guide. They might not have the same potency of high-grade muscle relaxants, but they're still effective and have very few side effects.

4. Can ibuprofen make muscle pain worse?

This was later supported in the medical research which not only showed how NSAIDs destroyed joints but any treatments ability to fix that damage as well. Doctors in Canada wrote in the journal Arthritis Research & Therapy: (7) NSAIDs makes pain worse and interfere with the body's healing capabilities.

Editor's Notes

During our ibuprofen for muscle pain research, we found 24 ibuprofen for muscle pain products and shortlisted 9 quality products. We collected and analyzed 299,917 customer reviews through our big data system to write the ibuprofen for muscle pain list. We found that most customers choose ibuprofen for muscle pain with an average price of $16.78.

The ibuprofen for muscle pain are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of ibuprofen for muscle pain, including TIME-CAP LABS, INC., Advil, Motrin. The seller of top 1 product has received honest feedback from 3,170 consumers with an average rating of 4.9.

Written by
Bonnie Salem Avatar

Bonnie Salem is a stay-at-home mother with two-year-old twins and has spent almost half of her life surrounded by baby products. As a mother and a professional copywriter, she has an insightful and unique eye for researching products suitable for infants. Bonnie Salem is an expert in health and nutrition who lives with her family in New Jersey. She has over 15 years of working experience in an institute of medicine after graduating from the University of Toronto. She is highly interested in personal health and wellness.