# Naproxen

Hacker Approved page: https://hackerapproved.com/p/naproxen/

5 people recommended Naproxen in Hacker News comments, 3 had mixed feelings and 6 criticized it, November 2025 to October 2026. It was recommended in 2 of 12 months, in 2 threads. It does not meet the Hacker Approved badge rule.

4 of the 5 people who recommend it commented in one thread, “The Mystery in the Medicine Cabinet: Acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and what to know”. These are opinions from Hacker News comments, not medical advice. Talk to a doctor.

**Verdict:** Criticized more than recommended, mainly for a higher risk of stomach ulcers and bleeding; those who recommend it see it as more effective than ibuprofen or acetaminophen for pain and inflammation.

Summary written by Claude from the comments below.

## What people warn about

- Stomach ulcers and GI bleeding (5 comments in the sample): "It likely has a somewhat lower risk of serious renal and cardiovascular events, but higher risk of GI bleeds." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47859923)) "naproxen is a NSAID like ibuprofen and can cause all the same gastrointestinal issues" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47858520)) "Naproxen sodium has much higher risk of GI damage especially with long term use." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47859987))
- Doesn't work for some pain (2 comments in the sample): "paracetamol/ibuprofen/naproxen which did nothing" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47860033)) "For some things Naproxen simply doesn't work." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47865565))

## Why people recommend it

- More effective than ibuprofen or acetaminophen (3 comments in the sample): "I weirdly always found Naproxen much more effective than ibuprofen" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47860443)) "I weirdly find Naproxen the most effective of all of these" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47860460)) "it feels an order of magnitude more effective" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48654582))
- Effective for inflammation and brief pain (2 comments in the sample): "most effective way to control inflammation" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47860034)) "It's super effective for brief periods." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48654384))

## Other pain relievers people recommend

- [Ibuprofen](https://hackerapproved.com/p/ibuprofen/): 23 recommend, 9 mixed, 22 criticize
- [Acetaminophen](https://hackerapproved.com/p/acetaminophen/): 12 recommend, 1 mixed, 17 criticize
- [Paracetamol](https://hackerapproved.com/p/paracetamol/): 6 recommend, 0 mixed, 10 criticize

## The badge

A product earns the Hacker Approved badge when at least 10 people recommend it, recommenders outnumber critics at least 2 to 1 (mixed feelings count toward neither side), it was recommended in at least 4 of the 12 months and in at least 5 different threads, and no single thread supplies more than half of the people who recommend it. Health and money products are never badged.

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Naproxen", https://hackerapproved.com/p/naproxen/ (5 recommend, 3 mixed, 6 criticize; Hacker News comments, November 2025 to October 2026).

Counts updated 2 Nov 2026, with data through October 31, 2026.