Archive for the ‘Drugs’ Category
Aspirin
Aspirin helps reduce pain, swelling, and fever. It is a medicine in the salicylates family of chemicals. It may be one of the most famous and extensively studied medicines in the world. Aspirin is often recommended, prescribed, and taken to treat the symptoms associated with joint pain, knee pain, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.
Ibuprofen and acetaminophen are often confused for Aspirin. They are close cousins, but not exactly siblings. Ibuprofen is a non steroidal anti inflammatory (NSAID), and acetaminophen is in a class of medications called analgesics or pain relievers.
Some brand names you might recognize are below:
Aspirin: Bufferin, Bayer, Ecotrin
Acetaminophen: Excedrin, Tylenol
NSAID: Naproxen, Aleve, Advil, Motrin
Each class of arthritis treatment has pros, cons, and side effects. it is important for your health that you consult with a physician to devise a treatment plan for your arthritis pain. Self medicating may work at relieving joint pain on a short-term basis, but long term you can destroy your liver, stomach, or mental health with any or all of the above.
Celebrex ad
Celebrex is reported to be the top selling arthritis drug with sales exceeding $2 Billion annually.
One of the most alarming side effects of Celebrex is an increase in blood pressure. Increased blood pressure or hypertension has been reported in 3.9% to 13.4% of patients. Persistent hypertension can lead to heart failure, stroke, myocardial infarction, arterial aneurysm, and chronic kidney failure.
Any reputable doctor will explain that the best way to ease the pain of your arthritic knees is with exercise and weight loss. Think about what happens when an overweight person who does not exercise takes a drug that will increase their blood pressure. Their knees might feel better but for how long?
Celebrex
Celebrex may provide temporary pain relief for the symptoms associated with knee osteoarthritis but it is not a cure. Once you stop taking the drugs, the pain will return. And during your brief reprieve from knee pain there is a good chance your digestive tract will suffer.
It has been reported in patients taking Celebrex that:
- 3.5% to 9.09% experienced nausea
- 7.32% to 10.4% experienced upper abdominal pain
- 2.8% to 8.8% experienced dyspepsia (indigestion)
- 4.9% – 10.5% experienced diarrhea
- 4.7% experienced gastroesophageal reflux
- 2.3% experienced flatulence
“Constipation, diverticulitis, dry mouth, dysphagia, eructation, esophagitis, gastritis, gastroenteritis, hemorrhoids, hiatal hernia, melena, stomatitis, tenesmus, tooth disorder, intestinal obstruction, intestinal perforation, GI bleeding, colitis with bleeding, esophageal perforation, pancreatitis, cholelithiasis, and ileus have been reported in less than 2% of the patients.”
Serious gastrointestinal toxicity has been reported in people using Celebrex and could possibly be linked to some deaths.
Celebrex
Celebrex (Celecoxib) is a treatment option for the symptoms associated with knee osteoarthritis. It is a capsule taken by mouth usually once or twice per day.
The most common side effects of Celebrex are constipation, diarrhea, gas, headaches, heartburn, nausea, sore throat, upset stomach, and stuffy nose.
However severe allergic reactions have also been reported. Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur when using Celebrex:
Rashes, hives, itching, breathing difficulty, tightness in the chest, swelling (mouth, face, lips, or tongue), bloody, black, or tarry stools, change in the amount of urine produced, chest pain, confusion, dark urine, depression, fainting, fast or irregular heartbeat, fever, chills, or persistent sore throat, hearing loss, mental or mood changes, numbness of an arm or leg, one-sided weakness, red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin, ringing in the ears, seizures, severe headache or dizziness, severe or persistent stomach pain, vomiting, ; sudden or unexplained weight gain, swelling of hands, legs, or feet, unusual bruising or bleeding, unusual joint or muscle pain, unusual tiredness or weakness, vision or speech changes, vomit that looks like coffee grounds, and yellowing of the skin or eyes.
Ask yourself if the risk is worth the reward.
Acetaminophen
Acetaminophen is commonly used to relieve fevers, headaches, and minor aches and pains. It is a major ingredient in many cold and flu remedies. It is also used as a short term solution to treat mild knee arthritis. However it has no effect on the underlying inflammation, redness, and joint swelling.
Acetaminophen works by elevating the body’s pain threshold. It relieves pain by requiring the body to produce a greater amount of it before the pain is felt. Current recommendations for treating pain suggest that acetaminophen may be taken for up to 10 days. If symptoms persist, a doctor needs to be consulted to see if acetaminophen use should continue.
Guidelines for Treating Knee Osteoarthritis Ignored by Clinicians
Avoid Surgery
Dr. David Hunter from New England Baptist Hospital in Boston and University of Sydney in Australia recently published a study in Arthritis Care & Research. ”Quality of Osteoarthritis Management and the Need for Reform in the US” is research aimed at drawing attention to the fact that health care professionals in the United States often treat the pain and try to increase function in arthritic knees, but seldom try to improve joint structure or try to work with patients on long-term solutions.
The authors of this study recommend conservative treatment options for knee OA, especially avoiding pharmacological solutions. ”Weight management and exercise programs tend to be overlooked by clinicians,” said Dr. Hunter. ”These conservative approaches are beneficial to patients who adhere to weight-loss and exercise programs.”
The study examined prior research on treating osteoarthritis of the knee and found that up to 30% of surgeries are inappropriate! And as we discussed on this blog arthroscopy should be avoided as a treatment option for knee OA – it doesn’t work yet orthopedic surgeons still perform the operation – every day.
Weight loss and exercise are the best treatment options for knee OA – how many more studies have to be conducted on the subject? Joint health supplements, and knee braces are conservative treatments that will help you get up and moving.
Celebrex
116,00 patients takings non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) were studied by The British Journal of Medicine. This recent publication states that taking certain medications, like celecoxib, will increase the risk of cardiovascular events in patients, especially as the dosage increases. Celecoxib is sold as Celebrex by the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer.
Pfizer is the world’s largest drug maker. In 2004 Pfizer spent $117 Million in advertising Celebrex. In 2005 the FDA forced a moratorium on Pfizer’s advertising efforts of Celebrex because of the cardiovascular risks. Sales of Celebrex plummeted by $1.7 BILLION. Four months later the advertising ban was lifted.
Now Pfizer must print that “Celebrex may increase the chance of a heart attack or stroke that can lead to death” on every box sold. Consumer groups have launched campaigns in magazines that Pfizer should be forced to stop selling Celebrex, not encouraging people to use it.
So why have you never heard of treating knee osteoarthritis with a knee brace? Because the companies that manufacture them are small. They cannot compete with big pharma. Pfizer spent $117 million on advertising one single drug in 2004. The companies that manufacture braces to treat osteoarthritis measure their advertising budgets in the tens of thousands. Billions and billions of dollars are spent annually to treat osteoarthritis. Half of one percent of that money is spent on bracing.
Talk to your doctor, do your homework, and try conservative treatments for your knee OA. There are much safer options than drugs. NSAIDs kill. Knee braces do not.
Ibuprofen
A new study released by the British Journal of Medicine reports that of all the non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs, Ibuprofen carries the highest risk of stroke.
The researchers used a sophisticated system to examine studies and trials that included over 116,000 patients. Research was examined that compared NSAIDs with other NSAIDs and placebos.
This large meta-analysis discovered compelling cardiovascular problems in patients using prescription-strength NSAIDs. Dr. Jeffrey Berger of NYU Medical Center in Manhattan said that a patient can take enough pills purchased over the counter to equal a prescription dose, so the findings “most likely” apply to over-the-counter NSAIDs as well as prescription-strength.
So check with your doctor. Stop looking in your medicine cabinet for pain relief the next time your knee is hurting. A knee brace is a safe, conservative treatment option for your osteoarthritis. Nobody has ever died from a knee brace.
NSAIDs
Non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) relieve the pain associated with knee osteoarthritis on a chemical level.
Enzymes called Cox-1 and Cox-2 are a contributing factor in the creation of prostaglandins. Prostaglandins are responsible for swelling and the sensation of pain. NSAID’s block Cox enzymes, so your body does not produce as many prostaglandins.
So NSAID’s reduce pain and swelling by blocking Cox-1 and Cox-2 enzymes, thus your body doesn’t produce as many prostaglandins, and pain and swelling is reduced.
Attention!
NSAIDs are commonly prescribed and recommended to treat the pain associated with osteoarthritis of the knee. This series of posts is about the side effects associated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Some of the problems that these medications cause are very serious and can adversely effect your health much worse than the pain in your knee caused by OA.
- Liver Failure
- Kidney Failure
- Heart Attack
- Stroke
- Death
NSAID use has been linked to all of the above conditions. It is important you talk to your doctor and know all of the risks associated with any medication you take. With NSAIDs, know all of the precautions you must take to safely treat your knee pain.
Think about a conservative treatment option for your knee OA. Nobody has ever died from wearing a knee brace.