Guest guest Posted July 7, 2004 Report Share Posted July 7, 2004 > " HSI - Jenny Thompson " > <hsiresearch > Rolling with the Breaks > Wed, 07 Jul 2004 17:32:16 -0400 > > Rolling with the Breaks > > Health Sciences Institute e-Alert > > July 7, 2004 > > ************************************************************** > Dear Reader, > > There are plenty of good reasons to avoid extended > or everyday > use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs > (NSAIDs). > > In several e-Alerts and HSI Members Alerts we've > told you how > NSAIDs (such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and COX-2 > inhibitors) have > been shown to contribute to liver and kidney > impairment, > gastrointestinal problems, and even an increased > risk of congestive > heart failure. > > Now a new study demonstrates that if you fracture a > bone, an > NSAID is not the best choice for managing pain. > Fortunately, > there's a natural alternative that's much safer. > > ----------------------------- > Foot bone's connected to the leg bone > ----------------------------- > > In the most recent issue of the Journal of the > American Academy > of Orthopaedic Surgeons, two researchers from the > University of > North Carolina School of Medicine (UNC) review > several studies > that examine the use of NSAIDs as analgesics for > patients > recovering from fractures. > > One of the studies - as reported in the Journal of > Bone Joint > Surgery (2000) - compared the recovery of nearly 100 > patients who > had fractured a femur (the long bone that runs from > the hip to the > knee). The fractures of 32 subjects healed > improperly and were > classified as " nonunion, " while fractures repaired > correctly in a > control group of 67 subjects. > > The researchers found a significant association > between the use of > NSAIDs and the nonunion of fractures. More than 60 > percent of > the nonunion group reported regular NSAID use > compared to only > 13 percent in the control group. Among the subjects > who used > NSAIDs, the average healing time was a full two > months longer > than among those who used no NSAIDs at all. > > Based on this and other similar studies, the UNC > researchers > concluded that during the healing of fractures, > NSAIDs should be > avoided. They also noted that COX-2 inhibitors not > only have an > adverse effect on bone healing, but may also impair > the healing of > ligaments. > > ----------------------------- > Pineapple pain relief > ----------------------------- > > It's one thing for a researcher to crunch some > numbers and > recommend that NSAIDs not be used to manage fracture > pain. But > that same researcher might have a different opinion > if he were to > suddenly find his own femur in two pieces rather > than one. The > problem is, there aren't a lot of pain relief > alternatives out there. > > Acetaminophen isn't an NSAID, and it can be an > effective pain > killer, but as I've mentioned in previous e-Alerts > (most recently, > " Flick of the Wrist " 1/19/04), acetaminophen > products can create > health problems that are arguably worse than those > of NSAIDs. > > A safe alternative to both acetaminophen and NSAIDs > is a natural > agent called bromelain, which we wrote about > extensively in both > the June 1999 and October 1999 Members Alerts. > Bromelain is an > enzyme found in pineapple, and it's been shown to > reduce pain, > inflammation, and swelling, AND help thin the blood > as well. > > Some people are allergic to bromelain, and ulcer > patients should > avoid using it. For most people, however, bromelain > is free of side > effects. A dose of 500 mg, taken three times each > day, is typical for > general pain management. But before starting a > bromelain > regimen, you should consult an M.D. or healthcare > professional > who's knowledgeable about alternative medicine. > > ----------------------------- > Food tip > ----------------------------- > > In most cases, supplements are absorbed most > effectively when > taken with meals. But bromelain is the exception to > that rule. > > In the e-Alert " Water Works " (9/16/03), I told you > about an > important bromelain tip from HSI Panelist Dr. > Richard Cohan, > D.D.S., M.B.A. > > In an e-mail, Dr. Cohan wrote, " I believe that it is > important that > you draw the distinction between bromelain's > activity as a > digestive aid when consumed with a meal, and its > effectiveness as > a pain modulator when consumed before a meal or > three hours > thereafter (depending how much fat was consumed and > therefore > how long digestive juices are present in the > stomach). It apparently > has no effect on pain when consumed with a meal. " > > So if you do use bromelain to control pain after a > fracture, save it > for between mealtimes and you may end up healing > faster and > more effectively than if you use an NSAID. > > ************************************************************** > > To start receiving your own copy of the HSI e-Alert, > visit: > http://www.hsibaltimore.com/ealert/freecopy.html > Or forward this e-mail to a friend so they can > sign-up to > receive their own copy of the HSI e-Alert. > > ************************************************************** > > ...and another thing > > When health topics become controversial, the human > voice > sometimes gets lost in all the ruckus. > > In the e-Alert " Stepford Consumers " (6/21/04), I > told you about a > report from the National Institute of Medicine that > found no link > between autism and childhood vaccines. In > particular, I examined > NPR coverage of this topic that treated the issue as > a closed case, > which it certainly is not. > > In response, I received an e-mail from an HSI member > named > Annette who had this reaction to the e-Alert: > > " Today I was out of my seat, pumping my fist in the > air and > shouting, 'YES!' at the top of my lungs! As the > parent of TWO > children with Autism I am so entirely disgusted with > the effort to > denigrate the link between Thimerosal and Autism. > I'm not about > law suits or what not. At this point all I want is > to figure out how to > stop this raging syndrome and spare future children > from becoming > so afflicted. Autism is a terrible thing for anyone > who has it in their > life. The important thing right now is not to assign > blame so much > as it is to figure out where things went wrong so it > won't happen > again. > > " I thank you SO VERY MUCH for taking this nonsense > to task. " > > Thank you, Annette, for giving us such an eloquent > perspective. If > the National Institute of Medicine would only see > this situation > from your point of view, the safety of children > would be a priority, > rather than the interests of giant drug companies. > > To Your Good Health, > > Jenny Thompson > Health Sciences Institute > > > ************************************************************** > > Sources: > > " Effects of Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs on > Bone > formation and Soft-Tissue Healing " Journal of the > American > Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Vol. 12, No. 3, > May-June > 2004, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov > > > Copyright ©1997-2004 by www.hsibaltimore.com, > L.L.C. > The e-Alert may not be posted on commercial sites > without > written permission. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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