Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) are among the most commonly used over-the-counter medications. Examples include Advil (ibuprofen), Aleve (naproxen), and Orudis (ketoprofen).
They are so ubiquitous in their use that often people don0t think about them nor do they even consider them to be medicines.
A recent U.S. study suggested people underreport their use of these common but potentially dangerous over-the-counter pain medications even to their doctors.
Unfortunately, this practice is risky. NSAIDS have known serious side effects. They can damage the liver, can cause bone marrow problems, and can also lead to abnormal kidney function and kidney failure.
Fluid retention, aggravation of hypertension, and congestive heart failure are other potential problems. In addition, NSAID use has been linked to cardiovascular events such as stroke and heart attack. This latter issue is what caused the removal of Vioxx from the market by the FDA. Most people aren0t aware of the fact, though, that all NSAIDS- as a class- carry the same type of risk.
Because of drug interaction, NSAIDS have the ability to alter blood levels of other drugs leading to side-effects. A particularly severe problem can occur in patients who are taking blood thinners like Coumadin (warfarin) and then start NSAIDS. There are two major […]
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Joint tissue breaks down and arthritis sets in for a number of reasons, and there are several natural alternatives for joint health that can be use to prevent this and to treat affected joints.
Thyroid problems can slow down the production of adrenal hormones that are responsible for the production of cortisone and cosrtisol. These are anti-inflammatories, that when unavailable or in low supply can result in joint inflammation. If you suffer joint pain in the mornings that tends to improve as the day goes on, then it is likely that is the cause since adrenal activity can improve as the day progresses.
One of the main reasons for joint tissue breakdown is osteoarthritis whereby the cartilage wears down until it fails to provide the necessary protection against impact between the bones in a joint, or against the friction generated when two bones rub together. Injuries to joints can have the same effect, whereby an injury to a hip or knee can appear to clear up and then later the cartilage wears out sooner than expected. This can take several months or many years, depending on the severity and nature of the injury concerned.
Continual wear and tear can also cause joint tissue […]
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Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis and affects approximately 30 million Americans. OA develops as a result of breakdown of joint cartilage, the gristle that caps the ends of long bones. This cartilage loss then causes the bones to rub against each other, leading to stiffness, pain and loss of movement in the joint. The symptoms develop due to a combination of mechanical factors as well as local inflammation.
OA is a disease of weight-bearing joints and as a result causes a patient to have more trouble walking and climbing stairs. In fact, it0s been estimated that more than 100,000 people with OA of the hip or knee can0t move independently from their bed to the bathroom and need some form of assistance. This is a tragedy!
The treatment of osteoarthritis usually includes a combination of medication, weight control, physical therapy, injections, and exercise.
A special type of exercise therapy known as 0pool therapy0 or 0hydrotherapy,0 has patients doing aerobic activities or stretching and strengthening and range of motion exercises, in water heated to about 90 to 97 degrees Fahrenheit.
A recent review of the efficacy of hydrotherapy was published in The Cochrane Library, a publication of The Cochrane Collaboration, an […]
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