Study shows many ibuprofen users are taking too much

When you have a headache or muscle ache, relief may be as close as the medicine cabinet, but new research show many people are taking to much of a common medication.

The research showed that people were ingesting more than the recommended dose of ibuprofen, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. The dosage recommendations are in tiny print on every bottle of ibuprofen, and sticking to those limits can help people avoid serious risks.

"NSAIDs for side effects, the biggest complication are GI-related events," said Cleveland Clinic pharmacist Angela Giallourakis. "So, gastrointestinal issues, GI bleed, ulceration, potentially throwing up blood; those can all be serious complications due to taking too many NSAIDs."

The study compiled data of more than a thousand NSAID users, and researchers found about 15 percent of users exceeded the maximum recommended daily dose.

Taking too much can be easy to do, health experts say, because many people think one dose isn't going to be effective enough, and since NSAIDs are sold over the counter, some people wrongly think it's safe to take more.

Another problem involves using an NSAID drug for minor pain as well as a combination cough and cold medication that includes the same ingredient, doctors said.

So, Giallourakis said be sure to read the medication label's instructions and ingredients to avoid overdose.

If the recommended dose is not helping your symptoms, call your doctor before taking more.

"If you're not feeling the right relief with the dose that's prescribed, talking to a doctor or pharmacist is important because that might not be the right medication for you," Giallourakis said.