The Dangers Of Prescription and Over-The-Counter Medications

Aspirin Alternatives: The Top Natural Pain-Relieving Analgesics, June, 1999

If you are like most in this society, when pain rears its ugly head, you immediately turn to some form of pain reliever. The kind of pain reliever that we take can depend on a variety of factors. These include the types of and causes of the pain, whether it is from acute injury or chronic disease processes, inflammation, swelling, fever, etc.

Pain relievers (also known as "analgesics"), can be broken down into two basic categories: Over-the-counter pain relievers and prescription pain relievers. Within these two categories are sub-groups which we will discuss. The over-the-counter variety are those that are easily accessible and do not require a prescription from a doctor to obtain. They are available from pharmacies, grocery and convenience stores, etc. Included in this group are aspirin, ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), acetaminophen (Tylenol), ketoprofen (Orudis), and naproxen (Aleve). These drugs are typically used as analgesics and/or for there anti-inflammatory capability (inflammation reducers). These types of analgesics have mild to moderate pain relieving properties.

The second type of analgesics are only available by prescription from a physician. Included in this group are such drugs as Vicodin, Neurontin, Codeine, and Darvocet. These tend to be more potent in their pain relieving properties, may have addictive qualities, and are typically prescribed for moderate to severe pain.

There are many synthetic pain relievers available to the public and we are taking them in amounts measured in tons each year. Just how popular are these over-the-counter and prescription analgesics? You may be shocked to learn that we spend billions of dollars on them each year!

When the discussion of pain relief comes up with my patients, I will be the first to admit that I am an advocate for both pain relief and pain control. I do not believe that suffering, whether of a short duration or prolonged, is beneficial to the healing process nor to the person. Typically, regardless of whether it is traditional western medicine or from an alternative care standpoint, the first point of treatment is to begin procedures which will provide pain relief. At times, this may indeed involve the use of "synthetic" analgesics.

These analgesics can and do provide some level of pain relief in many cases. So if they work, why not take them? The problem with this approach is that it does not consider the negative side effects of these medicines nor their general abuse and misuse. Our society has taken to using these pain medications for "every ache and pain" and unfortunately, for a variety of other ills in which these medicines may or may not have any therapeutic value.

Remember, pain relievers seek to "handle" pain, not correct the underlying problem. Take a moment and think about this statement! It is critical to understand that pain relievers are a superficial "band-aid;" one that is designed to provide prophylactic relief, not resolve the cause of the pain itself. While part of the overall treatment program needs to integrate pain management, merely controlling and relieving the pain will not correct the cause of the pain. In the United States, we have become so used to "taking the pain away," we forget that the pain would not be there if not for some type of underlying problem!

An important aspect of modern medicine is the concept of "benefit versus risk" in the application of drug therapy. In simple terms, this treatment approach weighs the possible benefit that a medication may infer to a patient for the treatment of a particular disease or condition against the potential and real, negative side effects that can result from the usage of the medication.

Critical to drug therapy is the understanding of the chemistry, biochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicology of the different medications and their interactions with the human body. The pain medications we are discussing are synthetically derived and produced through chemical manipulation in laboratories. Why is this important? Inherent in this chemical process is that synthetically produced drugs, by their very nature, are intended to create a reaction within the body; in this case, pain relief. It is important to remember that pain medications are designed to impact a single or a few specific chemical receptors that induce a greater response in the brain and nervous system.

Unfortunately, these chemicals have both direct and indirect effects on cells and other areas unrelated to their intended points of interaction. It is from the direct reaction to these chemicals and their interaction within the closed biochemical environment of our bodies, that side effects develop. This is part of the negative aspects of modern drug therapy in which there can be a spectrum of consequences ranging from mild side effects to the extreme; at times leading even to death.

This should be of grave concern to us all. All of the available pain-relieving drugs have side effects associated with them, side effects that have been well established through medical research and study. The terrifying reality is that most of the general public remains largely uneducated concerning these side effects. Even worse, are those people who are unconcerned about the side effects of pain medications. How have we come to this place?