Anti-Anti-Inflammatory Medications by Dr. Daniel Shaye, Chiropractic Physician
Pain is valuable: It’s the body’s way of warning you
something’s wrong. Like pain, inflammation has its
value. Inflammation is part of the normal healing
process. Inflammation brings white blood cells into an
area, clearing that area of damaged tissue. We take a
risk when we interfere with nature. Is the benefit to
your drug worth the risk to liver, kidney, and
stomach? If you’re a runner, are the pills worth the
risk to ligaments and other tissues? And is there a
drugs would make me a proponent of “anti-anti-
1. Aspirin can damage the GI tract, especially the
Aspirin was once considered a wonder drug… until
we realized it causes ulcers. Then came steroids and
their cousins, the Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory
3. Like NSAIDs, Acetaminophen (Tylenol) may
Drugs (NSAIDs). NSAIDs include Celebrex, Daypro,
Feldene, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, Nuprin), Lodine,
Indocin, Naprosyn, Orudis, Relafen, Toradol,
5. Ice never, ever destroyed a liver, kidney, or
Voltaren, and others. Though NSAID abuse in
stomach; nor has it caused high blood pressure;
arthritis patients causes an estimated 16,500 deaths
every year,* healthy people suffer in other, less
obvious ways. NSAIDs are the most commonly used
NSAIDs don’t have some of the problems associated
anti-inflammatories, and acetaminophen (referred to
with aspirin… but they caused side effects. The
in my article asTylenol) fights pain through a
newer NSAIDS didn’t cause the problems the older
different mechanism. A recent study* links both to
ones did… but they caused still more, different
high blood pressure (“hypertension”). The study of
complications. Beware tomorrow’s wonder-drug,
80,020 women age 31-50 who took NSAIDS 22 or
which won’t have the problems of yesterday’s magic
more days a month revealed an 86% increased risk of
bullet but will bring its own costs. “Let thy food be
high blood pressure compared to those who avoided
thy medicine” said Hippocrates. Add ice, some good
the drugs altogether! Tylenol “only” boosted the risk
sleep, and smart training, and you’ve got something.
50%. It bears noting that the NSAID risk did not
Drugs have their place, but be judicious with them.
Another study took a different angle on NSAID risk.
Cox-2 inhibitors, a class of drug that includes
Celebrex, may weaken soft tissue. We’ve long
known that cortisone injections can do this, but this
year 2001 study* showed that rats who used these
NSAIDS after injury had 32% lower ligament
Fellow, International Academy of Medical Acupuncture
strength! If this study is extrapolated to the human
runner (we are not that unlike rats when running on a
treadmill!), consider that a sprain might take
LONGER to heal if the athlete takes certain NSAIDS.
Do you have a question you’d like answered in this
Stated differently: The drugs may help you feel
column? Mail your questions c/o Performance
better, and may make re-injury more likely.
Chiropractic, 1307 Jamestown Road, Ste. 103, Williamsburg, VA 23185; or e-mail pchiro@performancechiropractic.com
BRIAN S. KAHAN, D.O. CURRICULUM VITAE Business Address: Business Phone: BOARD CERTIFICATION American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation- Pain Subspecialty Fellow Interventional Pain Physicians American Osteopathic Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation American Board of Pain Med
HIGHLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the Board of Education—Open Session April 14, 2010 Call to Order – The regular meeting of the Highland School District Board of Education was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Board President Lori Olson-Pink. Roll Call by Clerk – Members present: Greg Biba, Jim Drury, Tom Johanning, J.J. Linscheid, Lori Olson-Pink, L
Anti-Anti-Inflammatory Medications