Poor Choice For Pain

Acetaminophen belongs to a class of drugs called analgesics (pain relievers) and fever reducers. Ironically, the exact mechanism of action of acetaminophen is not known. It's stated that it reduces the production of prostaglandins (chemicals that cause inflammation and swelling) in the brain.
Acetaminophen is an ineffective and poor choice for short term pain relief of low back pain, knee pain, hip pain and osteoarthritis pain.

Acetaminophen is in the same class as Ibuprofen, Aspirin, Codeine, Tramadol, and Hydrocodone. Of great concern it the fact that it is the most popular pain reliever in the U.S., accounting for an estimated more than 27 billion annual doses. With more than 100,000 hospital visits a year by users, it's also the most likely to be taken inappropriately. In fact, improper use, coupled with the drug's narrow safety margin, means "a large fraction of users are close to a toxic dose in the ordinary course of use," according to the Food and Drug Administration.

Let's ignore the safety issues and look at the facts. Is acetaminophen an effective pain reliever in the first place? Not for low back pain and pain attributable to knee and/or hip osteoarthritis, conclude the authors of a recent meta-analysis.

The published review of 13 randomized trials has yielded "high quality evidence" that paracetamol (acetaminophen) does not reduce pain intensity or disability, and does not improve the quality of life, in the short term for people experiencing low back pain, and provides only "minimal, short term benefit" for people suffering from hip or knee pain caused by osteoarthritis, stating that "the small effects ... are not likely to be meaningful for clinicians or patients."

Back to the safety issues surrounding acetaminophen, which the meta-analysis did little to dilute. According to the review researchers, "high quality" evidence suggests paracetamol use results in a fourfold risk of an abnormal liver function test. Not surprising, since acetaminophen misuse (overdose) is now the most common cause of acute liver failure (exceeding all other medications combined) and the second most common cause of liver failure requiring transplantation.

In fact, the FDA has mandated that all acetaminophen containing prescription products feature a "black box" warning (the administration's strongest safety statement) noting an overdose can cause liver failure and even death; and have been urged to place similar language on OTC acetaminophen products.

Take care of your wonderful body, and it will take care of you. And, think of it this way;

"You don't need drugs. Get high on life with an overdose of you!"

Chronic Pain

Easing Chronic Pain With Anti-Inflammatory Drugs
Even mild chronic pain, whether from arthritis, migraines, or another condition, can be debilitating. So it makes sense to take a pain reliever to make the hurt go away. But when you walk down the aisle of your local drug store, there are many pain pills to choose from. How do you know which pain pill to choose? And just what is the difference between aspirin, acetaminophen, and ibuprofen?

Aspirin and ibuprofen belong to a large class of drugs known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, commonly called NSAIDs. NSAIDs and acetaminophen can block pain and reduce fever. Together, they make up the most widely used group of drugs for treating pain conditions. Here's information you can use in working with your doctor to find out if these pain pills are right for you.

How Do Anti-inflammatories, or NSAIDs, Differ From Acetaminophen?
The primary difference between NSAIDs and acetaminophen (Actamin, Pandadol, Tylenol) lies in the way each relieves pain. Acetaminophen works primarily in the brain to block pain messages and seems to influence the parts of the brain that help reduce fever. That means it can help relieve headaches and minor pains. But it's not as effective against pain associated with inflammation.

Inflammation is a common feature of many chronic conditions as well as injuries. NSAIDs reduce the level of certain chemicals called prostaglandins that are involved in inflammation. Treatment with NSAIDs can lead to less swelling and less pain.

What Are Some Examples of NSAIDs?
You are probably already familiar with several types of NSAIDs. For instance aspirin is a widely used pain pill and at one time, aspirin was the only NSAID available without a prescription. Other NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen or naproxen sodium, began as prescription drugs. Now they are sold, usually at a lower dose, as over-the-counter pain pills.

Other examples of NSAIDs include:

diclofenac (Cambia, Cataflam, Voltaren)
etodolac (Lodine)
fenoprofen (Nalfon)
flurbiprofen (Ansaid)
naproxen (Anaprox, Naprosyn)
oxaprozin (Daypro)

Some pain pills, such as Excedrin Migraine, combine an NSAID, in this case aspirin, with acetaminophen.

Another kind of NSAID, available only by prescription, is known as a COX-2 inhibitor. These medicines provide pain relief like other NSAIDs, but they are less likely to cause stomach problems. The only COX-2 inhibitor available in the U.S. is celecoxib (Celebrex).

How Do I Know Which NSAID Will Work for My Chronic Pain?
The effectiveness of any particular pain medication varies from person to person. So it may be necessary to try several different medicines at various dosages. Side effects, and their severity, vary from person to person. You may not be able to take a particular NSAID because your body can't tolerate it. At the same time, your neighbor may take it and have no problem at all.

Whether you should take an over-the-counter pain reliever or a prescription-strength NSAID also varies from person to person. Remember, over-the counter painkillers are still medicines. They may be cheaper than prescription medicines and you don't need a doctor's prescription to buy them, but they can still have major effects on you. That's especially true if you are going to take a pain pill long term for chronic-pain. If you need pain medicine for more than 10 days, talk to your doctor to see which one is right for you.

How Do I Know Which NSAID Will Work for My Chronic Pain?
Your doctor should know all the medicines you take. Your doctor can advise you if the NSAID may interact with other medications you take. Also, your doctor can suggest the right dose for you. As you continue to take the medicine, your doctor can also monitor its effect, and raise or lower the dose as needed.

Before recommending a specific pain pill, your doctor will want to consider:

your medical history
past surgeries
your current health concerns
allergies and past reactions to drugs
other medicines you take
the functioning of your liver and kidneys
the drug's expense
your overall treatment plan and goals
When you talk with your doctor, be sure to ask about anything you don't understand.

Are There Side Effects and Special Cautions Associated With NSAIDs?
Specific side effects vary from drug to drug. For instance, some NSAIDs are harsher on the stomach than others. But there are certain side effects that are common to NSAIDs as a class. Serious side effects include:

bleeding problems
damage to the stomach and small intestine lining that can lead to ulcers
kidney disease
elevated blood pressure
muscle cramps
hearing problems

Other less serious side effects include:

dizziness or headache
nausea
excess gas
diarrhea or constipation
extreme tiredness or weakness
dry mouth

Your doctor or your pharmacist can give you specific information about the side effects of the particular drug you are taking.

In addition to side effects, there are serious health risks associated with NSAIDs. It is important to talk with your doctor before taking NSAIDs if any of the following apply to you:

You are allergic to aspirin or any other pain reliever.
You have more than 3 alcoholic drinks a day.
You have stomach ulcers or bleeding in your digestive tract.
You have liver or kidney disease.
You have heart disease.
You take blood-thinning medicine or have a bleeding disorder.

Although aspirin taken in low doses with a doctor's supervision can help protect some people from heart attack, certain NSAIDs can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. They can also interfere with blood pressure medicine, making it less effective.

Children and teenagers under the age of 18 should not take aspirin unless their doctor says to. There is a risk of Reye's syndrome, a potentially fatal disease.

So Should You Take an NSAID to Manage Your Chronic Pain?
Anti-inflammatory drugs have a long history of success. Many people are able to manage their chronic pain quite well using NSAIDs as part of their management plan. For most, side effects, if any, are minor. But all medications have associated risks. All medications also have benefits. Deciding to take an NSAID or any medication involves weighing the risk against the benefit.

Eli Lilly, of Eli Lilly and Company once stated, "A drug is not a drug, unless it has a side effect."

Aspirin For Heart Attacks

Dr. Virend Somers, is a Cardiologist from the Mayo Clinic, was the lead author of a report in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Most heart attacks occur in the day, generally between 6 A.M. and noon. Having one during the night, when the heart should be most at rest, means that something unusual happened. Dr. Somers and his colleagues have been working for a decade to show that sleep apnea is to blame.

1. If you take an aspirin or a baby aspirin once a day, take it at night. The reason: Aspirin has a 24-hour "half-life"; therefore, if most heart attacks happen in the wee hours of the morning, the Aspirin would be strongest in your system.

2. Aspirin lasts a really long time in your medicine chest for years, (when it gets old, it smells like vinegar). Thus, discard the old and purchase new. Something that we can do to help ourselves, and good to know. Also, Bayer is making crystal aspirin to dissolve instantly on the tongue. These would work much faster than the tablets.

Why keep Aspirin by your bedside? It's about Heart Attacks

There are other symptoms of a heart attack, besides the pain on the left arm. One must also be aware of an intense pain on the chin, as well as nausea and lots of sweating; however, these symptoms may also occur less frequently.

Note: There may be NO pain in the chest during a heart attack.

The majority of people (about 60%) who had a heart attack during their sleep did not wake up. However, if it occurs, the chest pain may wake you up from your deep sleep. If that happens, immediately dissolve two aspirins in your mouth and swallow them with a bit of water.

Afterwards:

- Call 911

- Phone a neighbor or a family member who lives very close by

- Say "heart attack!"

- Say that you have taken 2 Aspirins

- Take a seat on a chair or sofa near the front door, and wait for their arrival and ... DO NOT LIE DOWN!

Take Aspirin With Caution

"Take an aspirin a day” is likely the most irresponsible habit we have been led to accept as fact. We're told to believe we should take it for prevention of heart disease and strokes. Aspirin companies are not even able to lay claim to this gibberish, and that, is according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The problem is that aspirin is NOT effective on everyone and it can cause other health problems, including prolonged bleeding ulcers, high blood pressure and allergic reaction. Bottom line? Taking an aspirin a day can actually increase your chance of strokes.

Aspirin interferes with your blood's clotting mechanism. When you bleed, your blood's clotting cells, called platelets, build up at the site of your wound. The platelets help form a plug that seals the opening in your blood vessel to stop the bleeding. However, this clotting can also happen within the vessels that supply your heart and brain with blood. If your blood vessels are already narrowed form atherosclerosis (buildup of fatty deposits in your arteries) a fatty deposit in your vessel can burst. Then, a blood clot can quickly form and block the artery. This prevents flood flow to the heart or brain and causes a heart attack or stroke. The aspirin might then be recommended, but take it with CAUTION!

Studies prove over and over again that diet and exercise, along with overall active healthy lifestyle choices; have proven to reduce your risk of heart disease. This a much better option than taking a quick fix, and increasing your chance of stroke without any proof of benefits.

While aspirin can be a useful treatment for some people, it is NOT a substitute for a healthy lifestyle.