Oxycontin and Hydrocodone linked to Heart Diseases and Fractures

More pain medications are coming under closer scrutiny. Opioids (that include Oxycontin, Hydrocodone, Tramadol and Propoxyphene) have recently been shown, according to a recent study, to be linked with heart diseases and increased bone fractures.

The study was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. It looked at 13,000 Medicare patients with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis who received a prescription for either NSAIDs (such as ibuprofen), COX-2 inhibitors (such as Vioxx and Celebrex), or opioids (such as oxycodone and hydrocodone). The study was performed over a six-year period.

The study indicates that those that took opioids were at a 4.5 times greater risk of suffering a hip, pelvis, wrist, or arm fracture!

On top of that, the study suggests that opioid consumers were more likely to suffer from a heart attack than those that take COX-2 inhibitors (Vioxx was puled from the market because of its link to heart attacks and other cardiovascular issues).  According to an article on CNN: 

"In addition to the increased risk of fracture, people who took opioids were more than twice as likely to have a heart attack than their counterparts who took NSAIDs. Surprisingly, the risk of heart attack associated with opioids was even higher than that seen with Vioxx and other COX-2 inhibitors, a class of drugs that has been plagued by concerns about heart problems, including heart attack. (Vioxx and Bextra were withdrawn from the market for this reason, and Celebrex is now the only COX-2 inhibitor sold in the U.S.)"

Wow! I have told patients for years that taking any pain medication is a trade off, and this recent study confirms it.  Man-made chemicals are a risk to you and your health and should only be taken when all else fails.

Dr. Daniel H. Solomon, MD and lead author of the study said that "Opioids are not as safe as people had hoped," ( Dr. Solomon is a rheumatologist and epidemiologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital, in Boston, Massachusetts.) "We need to recognize that opioids are not without risk."

Dr. Solomon further recommends that physicians should take a closer look at the non-opioid pain reduction methods, such as NSAIDS (advil, motrin), and other NON DRUG METHODS for the treatment of pain...

Thank you Dr. Solomon.

Here are some suggestions for the treatment of pain without drugs:

1) A healthy, anti-inflammatory diet
2) Chiropractic manipulation or adjustments
3) Acupuncture therapy
4) Increased exercises and stretching
5) Massage therapy

Do you know what the side affects of the above 5 treatments is?  Good health...
The risks of non-medicine approaches for pain control are SOOOO minimal. Patients have nothing to loose to try them and possibly much to gain.

Keith E. Biggs, DC
http://www.eastmesachiropractor.com

Arthritis Pain Alternatives

Recently I came across this article that was posted on MSN. I thought that it was well done, and provided some valuable information, so here is the link:   http://health.msn.com/health-topics/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100267432

Pain medication for the treatment of arthritis pain only masks the symptoms.  There are also several negative side affects related to taking pain medication. For example, Ibuprofen is linked to gastrointestinal bleeding, and is responsible for an estimated 100,000 deaths every year. Tylenol, on the other hand, is severely toxic to the liver.

The good news about the alternatives listed in the article is that the side affects are improved health generally. In other words, if they don't have any affect on your arthritis pain, they are likely to help your body be more healthy generally.

Say No to Drugs... something that we try and teach our children, but something that many of us, as adults, should take to heart.

Keith Biggs, DC
http://www.eastmesachiropractor.com

20% Suffer with Arthritis

Arthritis limits mobility, causes pain, affects more than 20 percent of the population and costs the U.S., and costs $128 billion annually.  Data from a recent government survey found that from 2007 through 2009, close to 50 million people had been diagnosed with arthritis by their doctor. Those most at risk were individuals who are obese, those who exercised less, those who smoke, and those who have lower levels of education. Arthritis is injury and inflammation of the joints. Arthritis is typically associated with pain, swelling, stiffness and limited motion. 

The medical approach to treating arthritis is primarily limited to pain medication. Severe cases are treated surgically through joint replacement procedures.  The medical treatment of arthritis with medications such as Tylenol, Motrin, Advil, Aleve, Celebrex, and Viox comes at a significant cost to the patient, and I am not talking simply financial. Liver disease, heart attacks, ulcers, gastrointestinal bleeding, and strokes are just some of the conditions that are linked to taking these pain medications. Some speculate that these drugs actually accelerate degenerative changes (arthritis) within joints. Surgical joint replacement offers not guarantee, and like any surgical procedure, puts the patient at risk of infection, stroke, and even death.


Doctors of chiropractic are experts at treating the many joints of the body in order to restore motion and nutrition to the joints, thereby reducing inflammation, stiffness and pain. One of the most common forms of treatment utilized by the chiropractor is the adjustment or manipulation of the joints. If you are suffering from pain, stiffness or swelling of one or more joints, schedule a consultation or examination from your local chiropractor today to see of chiropractic can help. 

Keith Biggs, DC
www.eastmesachiropractor.com
www.therapeuticfoods.com
biggschiropractic@gmail.com

Just Say No...

Just Say No was an advertising campaign prevalent through the 1980's and 1990's that was part of the War on Drugs. The purpose was to try and teach young people the dangers of recreational drugs.

It is now our turn "take our own medicine", as it were.

The abuse of prescription pain medication has been skyrocketing in this country. According to an article at MSN, "Substance abuse treatment admissions for non-medical use of prescription pain relievers have increased more than 400 percent over 10 years, according to a new study."


According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) administrator Pamela S. Hyde, "The non-medical use of prescription pain relievers is now the second most prevalent form of illicit drug use in the nation, and its tragic consequences are seen in substance abuse treatment centers and hospital emergency departments throughout our nation."

A few suggestions:

1) Consider alternative treatments for pain relief BEFORE you develop a dependency on medication. Consider chiropractic, acupuncture, massage, for example.
2) If you think that you might be addicted to pain killers, confront the issue, and talk to your MD about alternatives.
3) If you are taking pain medications for pain, and you are not sure if you are addicted or not, have an open discussion with your doctor.
4) Don't keep pain medications around the house and accessible to your friends, spouse, significant other, or children. Don't share your drugs with others.

SAY NO TO DRUGS.  Stop the insanity. Our society is addicted to the idea that there is a drug for everything, and it is time to stop thinking that health is found in a bottle of pills. Ask questions about every medication that you are prescribed. Here are a few that you might consider:

1) What are the desired affects of the drug you are giving to me?
2) What are the negative affects of the medication? Could you give me a printed list of all side affects?
3) What are the ramifications if I choose not to take the medication?
4) What are the ramifications, positive and negative, if I choose to take the medication?
5) How long do you expect me to have to take the medication? Is it short term or long term?
6) If long term, what are the long term study outcomes of people who take the medication?
7) Are there any natural therapy alternatives to the medication?

Whenever possible, say no to drugs.

Keith Biggs, DC
3617 E. Southern, Suite 8
Mesa, AZ  85206
www.eastmesachiropractor.com

Acupuncture Pain Study

Biggs Chiropractic and Acupuncture
biggschiropractic@gmail.com

Researchers at the University of Munich have found that acupuncture is affective in the treatment of pain. The study used Quantitative sensory testing to evaluate the subjects. The results indicate that pain thresholds are increased by as much as 50%.

Although the study was limited, there is hope that additional studies will show the benefits to be even greater when treating chronic pain conditions.

The wonderful thing about using acupuncture to treat pain is that the patient can be treated with little or no side affects. This is not true when pharmaceuticals are used to treat pain.  The adverse affects of pain medications in the treatment of long term chronic pain makes the promise of pain relief through acupuncture even more appealing.





--
Keith E. Biggs, DC

3617 E. Southern, Suite 8
Mesa, AZ  85206
www.eastmesachiropractor.com
biggschiropractic@gmail.com
Office:  480-985-3334
Cell:     480-375-0068

Study Shows Chiropractic Beneficial

A recent review showed that chiropractic care was beneficial for the treatment of lower back pain, but said that "the review found no evidence that chiropractic works significantly better than care provided by other clinicians."(see the article "Chiropractic Treatment Offers Some Relief for Early Low Back Pain")

This is probably true, since the "care provided by other clinicians" in the study included that of "massage, heat and cold, exercise, physiotherapy, analgesics, lumbar support, spinal manipulation and education." I might have lost my mind, but other than the "analgesics"(pain medications), that sounds a lot like what I do every single day in my office. Could it be that the "other clinicians" are finally coming around to the realization that back pain is best treated non-surgically and through manipulation, massage, and therapy?

The problem with this simple review is that the author never addresses the long negative effects of the therapies involved. Lets say, for argument sake, that the pain medication is just as beneficial as chiropractic adjustments for the treatment of back pain. What about the long term effects of medication vs manipulation?

It makes since to choose what works, and what doesn't harm. Chiropractic is safe. Good chiropractors will combine manipulation with massage, therapy, education, exercise training, and wellness care. All can be safely done without the negative long and short term effects of a medication.