It’s the morning after a wild night out. You stumble to the medicine cabinet and stare blearily at the array of over-the-counter painkillers, wondering which one will bring the quickest relief. Recent medical research has shown that non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) like Advil, Motrin, Aleve, ibuprofen, aspirin, naproxen, etc. may be harmful to runners' kidney function if taken within 24 hours of running; only acetaminophen (Tylenol) has been shown to be safe. The main differences between Advil, Tylenol, Aleve, and Aspirin summed up in one chart We see ads daily promoting the pain relieving properties of Motrin, Aleve, Tylenol, Bufferin, and similar over-the-counter (OTC) products found on drugstore shelves. Is Aleve safe? When taken as directed on the label, Aleve is a safe and effective pain reliever. Since its introduction as an over-the-counter product in 1994, Aleve has been used by millions of people as a safe and effective pain reliever. What other drugs will affect Aleve? Ask your doctor before using Aleve if you take an antidepressant such as citalopram, escitalopram, fluoxetine (Prozac), fluvoxamine, paroxetine, sertraline (Zoloft), trazodone, or vilazodone. Which drug is safer and better for different kinds of pain? Advil and Aleve are popular over-the-counter painkillers that have more similarities than differences between them. Prolonged use of Tylenol or Aleve causes low white blood cell counts. The National Institute of Health reports this rare but potentially fatal side effect occurs in fewer than 1 percent of users. Not all of these common drugs have the same effect and each one is assigned for a different kind of pain. For headaches, the pain reliever that works best may depend on the kind of headache you have. According to the chart, Tylenol provides the best pain relief for a headache, but if you have migraines or tension headaches, you may want to try one of the combination pain relievers like Excedrin, which mixes acetaminophen, aspirin, and caffeine.