subject: Is There Anything Wrong With Taking NSAIDs for Pain? [print this page]
Q: Is there really anything wrong with taking an over the counter drug for pain?
It seems like a simple solution. Have a pain, take a pill, pain goes away. What could be wrong with that? Does it really causeharm? Millions of people take non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) without much thought,other than this pill will make the pain go away. But even when the pain does goes away, it's just temporary isn't it? Sooner or later, it returns.
Remember, pain is not the real problem-it's a warning. Pain tells us that our body has exceeded some physical, chemical or emotional limit, and it can no longer adapt. Do you really want to cover up your body's warning signal and fool your body into believingeverything's "OK", when it isn't?
A recent article in The New England Journal of Medicine showed that the adverse side effects for NSAIDS (Motrin, Advil, Aleve, Ibuprofen justto name a few) can include stomach bleeding, ulcers and even death. In many cases, up to 50%, of the ulcers and bleeding occur without symptoms. Of those 50% who develop serious bleeding from taking NSAIDs and require hospitalization, 10-15% will die. And this doesn't even take into account the number of people who developkidney damage. In fact, just one ibuprofen taken every 4 days increases the risk ofkidney disease 8.8 times. And 20% of the individuals on dialysis today, are ondialysis due tothe use of NSAIDs.
Now, I know that pain can be debilitating, irritating or at the very least, just annoying. However,whether you are in constant pain, or the pain seems tocome and go,it's never a good idea to ignore it. "Covering up" the painwithdrugs, and going about your day, as if nothing were wrong, now that the pain is gone, is ignoring your body's warning system.Remember, the pain you feel is not the real problem - it's only a warning, and the real solution is to discover what is causing your pain.
In our clinic,ourgoal is, and has always been, tocorrect thecause ofthe pain or problem. Of course, we always want to make our patients feel comfortable, and get relief from their pain, however,our ultimate goal is to find and correct the cause of their pain.(visit www.roberdschiropractic.com)
Yours should be too.
Marla Roberds
Is There Anything Wrong With Taking NSAIDs for Pain?
