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Nov24

Arthritis Reversed # 3

Do You Know Modern Medicines Can Make Arthritis Worse

 “Drugs don’t fix the problem. Drugs only mask the symptoms.

Pain and inflammation are symptoms, not diseases”

Do you know, today number of arthritis cases are whopping 100 percent increase in just a dozen years. Have you ever though, how is it possible, with our modern scientific mainstream medicine, that people are suffering more, not less? Clearly, despite the arsenal of elaborate and costly high-tech medical procedures, doctors cannot stop this growing ailment without lifestyle medicine into picture.

The mainstream medicine trains the medicos to treat patients suffering from ailments, whereas, Little is done to help people NOT get sick. Don’t you believe? Here are some disturbing statistics:

Arthritis – One in six Americans suffers from arthritis. Twenty-six million of those are women.

Back Pain – It’s the leading cause of disability in Americans under age 45. Over 26 million Americans between the ages of 20 and 64 experience frequent back pain, and two-thirds of American adults will have back pain during their lifetime.

Headache – Over 25 million Americans suffer from migraines. Nine out of 10 Americans have non-migraine headaches each year.

Chronic pain has many causes, but frequently the culprits are conditions that cause long-lasting and severe bone, joint and nerve damage. Other factors include falls and accidents, toxins and dehydration, lack of sleep and poor nutrition. In short, these factors cause inflammation and muscle contraction with harmful consequences.

Generally, when it comes to pain relief, most people turn first to their medicine cabinet for painkillers or they get it over the counter. And while pain-relieving drugs (analgesics) are a mainstay of chronic-pain management, many institutions and journals have cautioned against their side effects: “Long-term use of prescription and over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as Ibuprofen, can adversely affect a person’s digestive tract, liver and kidneys.” Additionally, almost all NSAIDs can cause serious gastrointestinal side effects – including ulceration, bleeding and perforation. Not to mention being put at a greater risk of cardiovascular (heart) problems and possible gastrointestinal (stomach and intestine) issues. Let us look at why.

Acetaminophen

While acetaminophen offers temporary pain relief and fever reduction, it does not reduce swelling (inflammation). It can be harmful to the liver and kidney if you take more than the recommended dose or taken for a long time.

Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)

NSAIDs work fast to relieve acute pain as they reduces inflammation, but long use, may cause gastrointestinal bleeding. They may also be harmful if you have high blood pressure or kidney disease. And they should NEVER be given to children. Aspirin has been associated with onset of a children’s disease called Reye’s syndrome.

COX-2 Inhibitors

These also work like NSAIDs while being less harsh on the stomach, but numerous reports of heart attacks and stroke have prompted the FDA to re-evaluate the risks and benefits of the COX-2s.

Disease Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs (DMARDs)

Second-line drugs are called “Disease Modifying Anti- Rheumatic Drugs” (DMARD). These drugs actually address some of the causes of arthritic pain, such as inflammation and swelling. The belief is that their use may help prevent any further damage to the joints. But the price RA victims pay for this “cure” can be very high. The least harmful side effects of DMARDs are headaches, upset stomach, loss of appetite and mouth sores. More dangerous is the drug’s potential to reduce the patient’s white and red blood cell counts and even to cause kidney damage.

 Dr H S Wilkhoo                        www.wellnessdrwilkhoo.com



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