PAIN MEDICATION FACTS:
• 1,000 capsules of Tylenol in a lifetime doubles the risk of end stage renal disease.
(New England Journal of Medicine, 1994)
• Regular use of Tylenol is a top cause of liver disease.
(New England Journal of Medicine, 1997)
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) for the pain of rheumatoid and/or osteoarthritis conservatively causes 16,500 Americans to bleed to death each year, making that the 15th most common cause of death in the US.
(New England Journal of Medicine, 1999)
• The intestinal toxicity induced by NSAID pain medicines is one of the most common serious adverse drug events in the industrialized world.
(Spine, 2003)
(Surgical Neurology, 2006)
• Tylenol doubles the risk of high blood pressure.
(Hypertension, 2005)
• The prescription pain medicine Celebrex increases intestinal bleeding by 398%. The prescription pain medicine Vioxx increases the risk of intestinal bleeding by 328%. Traditional pain medicines increase the risk of intestinal bleeding by 138%.
(Drug Safety, 2009)
• All nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAIDs) pain medicine increases the risk of a heart attack by about 40%, and that pain risk starts with the very first day the drug is taken.
(European Heart Journal, 2006)
• The prescription pain medicine Vioxx was pulled off the market in 2004 because it increased the risk of heart attack by 230%. The prescription pain medicine Celebrex increased the risk of heart attack by 44%, while traditional pain medicines increased the risk of heart attack by 47%, and consequently they were allowed to remain on the market.
(Drug Safety, 2009)
• Those who consumed the highest amounts of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory pain medicines (NSAIDs) increased their risk of dementia, including Alzheimer’s dementia, by 66%.
(Neurology, 2009)
Without pain medication, life would be unbearable for some pain sufferers. However, alternative methods of pain management should be pursued for the long term in order to reduce the risk of additional health complications. Responsible administration of drugs for pain management is critical for reducing the risk of iatrogenic (physician induced) pathology and paramount to achieving optimal health and wellness.
In addition to our advanced physical medicine, pain management technology and techniques, we have found a number of alternative, natural nutriceuticals to be highly effective for pain relief and reducing inflammation. Always check with your health care provider before changing your regimen of medication. Don't be afraid to question you doctor about the long term effects of your prescribed medication, and the possible contraindications and drug interactions caused by more than one medication.
A good website for checking the interactions of multiple medications is: http://www.medscape.com/druginfo/druginterchecker
If you live in San Diego, you can also contact our offices at: 619-472-2225 for more information on the latest drug free and nonsurgical alternatives available for pain management.
Yours in optimal health . . . without drugs, without surgery, . . . without pain,
Dr. Bruce Bell, D.C., Q.M.E., Qualified Medical Evaluator, American Academy of Spine Physicians
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