NSAIDs or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents are one of the most common medications for treating pain. They come in prescription and OTC (over the counter) strengths to suite the varying levels of pain felt by sufferers around the world. Unfortunately NSAIDs also come with a host of complications and negative side effects, the extent of which we are just beginning to learn. On July 9, the FDA announced that it was strengthening the existing warning labels for NSAIDs, focusing specifically on their potential to cause heart attacks or strokes.
NSAID use is nearly ubiquitous, we use them for arthritis, cramps, aches and pains, the pounding headache of a hangover, to the symptoms of the flu. Usually we do this without even thinking. Feeling some lower back pain? Take ibuprofen. Twisted an ankle playing basketball? Take ibuprofen. Is your teenager experiencing pain after getting their braces tightened? Give them ibuprofen. Stubbed toe? Probably best to take an ibuprofen. Each of us is only given one body, and we want to take care of it as best we can. Pain is our body’s primary way of telling us something is wrong. Naturally we would want to alleviate that pain as quickly and easily as possible. However, we should be acutely and actively aware of the risks of anything we put into our bodies.
One of the most startling pieces of information provided by the FDA regarding NSAID use is that “The risk of heart attack or stroke can occur as early as the first weeks of using an NSAID.” (http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm451800.htm) The FDA goes on to state that this risk may only increase with extended use. The estimated rise in relative risk of a heart attack or stroke can range from 10 percent to as high as 50 percent. This applies not only to higher risk prescription medication, which is taken under the supervision and approval of a physician, but also OTC medication which can be bought in bulk for 100s of pills at a time. And this is just the new information on side effects, added on top of the already know list of: high blood pressure, kidney problems, stomach ulcers, liver problems, constipation, and diarrhea. Truly a dizzying, (dizziness also a side effect) catalog of side effects. Taking NSAIDs is by no means an immediate death sentence; in fact some patients never experience a single negative side effect. However, the risks do exists and everyone should be aware of them. We should also be aware of alternative modes of pain treatment.
Unlike modern pharmaceuticals, acupuncture has been an established method of pain treatment for almost 3000 years. The side effects are almost totally nonexistent, and in a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine overall pain relief of over 50 percent can be achieved. The application of the needles themselves is also relatively painless. They are thin as a hair, solid, and extremely flexible. Some patients don’t even notice their application! Many have even been known to fall asleep during treatment. Acupuncture can also treat the fatigue and low energy commonly associated with chronic pain. It does this by promoting blood flow and healing through the use of needles. Dr. Lucy Chen, a board certified anesthesiologist at Harvard associated Massachusetts General Hospital states, “I think the benefits of acupuncture are clear, and the complications and potential side effects of acupuncture are low compared with medication.”
If you would like to pursue and alternative method for treating pain, and feel acupuncture may be right for you, please contact (602)955-5444, or make an appointment here on our website attainharmony.com
