Anti-inflammatory drugs aka NSAIDsPain medicationIn principle chiropractors are not against the use of anti-inflammatory drugs. But ... they have awesome side effects. Some of these anti-inflammatory drugs such as Ibuprofen are available over-the-counter, others only on prescription (e.g. Celebrex). NSAIDs are effective for pain relief and to reduce swelling (anti-inflammatory). Non Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs. Hot: "The worst pain I've ever experienced."Former first US lady Barbara Bush was discharged from The Methodist Hospital on Tuesday, a little less than a week after undergoing surgery to repair a perforated ulcer that her husband characterized as causing "extraordinary agony."Barbara Bush, 83, was admitted to Methodist a week ago Tuesday evening after experiencing pain she characterized as "worse than childbirth." After determining she had a perforated ulcer, a life-threatening condition if not caught early, doctors performed a three-hour surgery early the next morning to patch a half-inch hole in her small intestine. Mrs Bush was fed intravenously until Monday, when she started a liquid diet. She will continue that diet at home for another week, her doctors said. Doctors do not know definitively what caused Bush's perforated ulcer but believe it was the result of a chronic use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen. Such painkillers hinder mechanisms that protect the gastrointestinal lining from digestive juices that can cause ulcers. Mrs. Bush has had two hip replacement surgeries and back surgery and has battled arthritis. Reardon, who called it an honor to take care of someone in the Bush family, said she is now on antacids and will not resume taking the anti-inflammatory drugs anytime soon! Perforated ulcers occur when the ulcer burns through the stomach or small intestine, allowing bile and acid to spill into the abdominal cavity, causing a level of pain that Barbara Bush said was the worst she had ever experienced. 
How do NSAIDs work?.Medications that work to reduce inflammation come in two major categories:Side effectsCortisone taken for any length of time has a very deleterious effect on bone strength. Taken for life threatening conditions like asthma it is justified, but for inflammation, other options should be considered.The problem with NSAIDs is that these Prostaglandins also have other important functions in the body, one of which is to produce the mucus that lines the stomach. Around 12 000 people DIE every year in the USA alone from bleeding ulcers directly caused by NSAIDs which block the formation of that mucus. Mrs Bush was lucky. A new generation of Anti-inflammatory Drugs such as Celebrex, called COX-2 inhibitors, are believed to have less of an effect on the stomach, however they have had some serious side effects on the heart, and thus are only available on prescription. The do not necessarily give better relief of the pain and stiffness than ordinary NSAIDs. In general, taking either for of these drugs for any length of time may have very serious side effects. Before you start taking NSAID medications of either type you should talk to your doctor. Be sure to let your doctor know about other medical problems you have, especially hypertension, asthma, kidney, or stomach problems. In addition, let your doctor know about other medications you may be taking, and if you have any known allergies to medications. For example, anti-depressants and NSAIDs have a negative additive effect on your stomach lining. In chiropractic we rather look for the cause of your pain. Some NSAIDs have a so-called Anti-cholinergic side effect. They block the transfer of information from one nerve to another causing memory loss, foggy brain, blurred vision ... Anti-inflammatory Drugs should definitely NOT be used if
ALTERNATIVESRather, consider using ice as a topical treatment and eating foodstuffs known for their anti-inflammatory properties. For more about the benefits of olive oil,
click here … It's recommended that we eat fish rich in Omega 3 oils at least twice a week. Mackerel, tuna and salmon are the best recognised but all cold water fish are good. A far better alternative to dangerous Anti-inflammatory drugs. One popular orthopaedic website states: "NSAIDs are not bad or unsafe medications. However, like any other medication, you should use caution when taking the medication." You be the judge.
"I love fish oils. As a clinician, I use fish oil for a lot of different things, mostly due to its anti-inflammatory properties." - Dr Lynne Shinto, assistant professor at Oregon Health and Science University.
Why "chicken bone soup" is a mustResearch proves that the cartilage in chicken bones inhibits the inflammation of arthritis. Don't throw your chicken bones away. They make the most delicious soup, and they help reduce the pain of arthritis. Win-win. Gelatine, the active ingredient in healing your cartilage.Iatrogenic IllnessDoctor-caused disease (including chiropractic) is a major concern in the world today, with so-called Doctor-caused-disease being the third most prevalent disease, after heart disease and cancer.According to Wikipedia: Iatrogenesis is a major phenomenon, and a severe risk to patients. A study carried out in 1981 more than one-third of illnesses of patients in a university hospital were iatrogenic, nearly one in ten were considered major, and in 2% of the patients, the iatrogenic disorder ended in death. Complications were most strongly associated with exposure to drugs and medications. In the United State alone, recorded deaths per year (2000): * 12,000—unnecessary surgery * 7,000—medication errors in hospitals * 20,000—other errors in hospitals * 80,000—infections in hospitals * 106,000—non-error, negative effects of drugs Based on these figures, 225,000 deaths per year constitutes the third leading cause of death in the United States, after deaths from heart disease and cancer.
Read more … from ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DRUGS to IATROGENIC DISEASE. Tennis ElbowAnti-inflammatory drugs have no place in the treatment of conditions like tennis elbow. Why? Because there is no inflammation. It's a misnomer that all these years we called it Lateral Epicondylitis. But research shows it should be Epicondylosis. There is no inflammation. Read more about Tennis Elbow
Low Back PainNew 2009 research conducted at the University of Washington, reported in the most prestigious spinal medical journal, Spine, that patients with low back pain are more than twice as likely to become chronically disabled if they first consult a medical doctor, than if they consulted a chiropractor. Read more about chronic low back and leg pain …Monthly newsletter. Signed up yet?You will then have access to these newsletters, and more as they become available: Chiropractic Help, Issue #08- Spinal Stenosis/ Celery Chiropractic Help, Issue #07- Root-of-all-Healing/ Garbanzo beans /Chickpeas Chiropractic Help, Issue #06 - Safety-on-the-Stairs/ Ginger Chiropractic Help, Issue #05 - Safety-in-the-home/ Red foods Chiropractic Help, Issue #04 - Whiplash-and-the-Joints-of-Luschka/ Parsley Chiropractic Help, Issue #03 - How to stop falling/ Danger of a low fat diet Chiropractic Help, Issue #01 - Tingling the arms and hands/ Apples Sign up here:
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