Why do they tell patients not to take ibuprofen 3 days before getting an epidural for pain management in the neck.

Ibuprofen v clotting: Ibuprofen, like all non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (nsaids), can affect your platelet function, the component of your blood responsible for clotting. That's why we often recommend stopping nsaids, including aspirin, several days prior to surgeries & procedures, since we don't want you bleeding at the wrong time!

Ibuprofen & ESI: Ibuprofen can caused platelet dysfunction and may cause bleeding from any type of spinal injection. Stopping Ibuprofen may reduce the risks of bleeding from these injections.

Unsubstantiated: Fear of bleeding in the spinal canal following the injection.