SHOULD YOU USE PAIN KILLERS FOR MENSTRUAL CRAMP RELIEF

It’s all too easy to reach reach for that large bottle of anti -inflammatories/pain killers when menstrual cramps strike but are you aware that they come with a huge list of unpleasant and debilitating side effects.

REGULAR USE OF NSAID's (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) INCREASES ALZHEIMER’S RISK

Researchers followed 2,736 dementia-free people age 65 and older for up to 12 years, during which time 476 developed dementia.

Those who were "heavy" NSAID users (the equivalent of approximately six Advil per day) were 66% more likely to develop dementia, and 57% more likely to develop Alzheimer's Disease in particular. 

These statistics held true after the researchers controlled for other factors that might make people vulnerable to dementia -- among them education, APOE gene status and diabetes.

So rather than helping slow the onset of Alzheimer's, NSAID's may actually increase your risk of developing it!

* Medical studies have repeatedly shown that taking traditional painkilling drugs like ibuprofen and diclofenac have a 55% and 24% increased risk of heart attack respectively.

These drugs can also INCREASE your risk of peptic ulcers, diabetes and breast cancer.

* NSAIDs – non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs – commonly used as a first line arthritis treatment, result in a staggering 100,000 hospital admissions per year due to gastrointestinal problems linked to long-term use.

Even worse: approximately 15 per cent of those patients die as a result of their adverse reactions.

* Cox-2 inhibitors such as Vioxx and Cerebrex have been found to substantially increase your risk of heart attack, to such an extent that Vioxx was withdrawn from sale when it was found to DOUBLE the risk of heart attack and stroke.

* TNF-Blockers, such as Rituximab, have been shown to cause respiratory failure, as well as nausea, myalgia (muscle pain) and low blood pressure.

* SAARDs and DMARDs, like Methotrexate – an immuno- suppressant used to treat patients whose arthritis is at an advanced stage – can exacerbate side effects such as serious gastrointestinal disorders, cause liver damage and can even cause death.

It’s quite likely that you’re already taking one of these drugs without realizing it…..and without even realizing what the full side-effects and risks may be.

If you’re unsure, then check out below some of the drug names that you need to watch out for, such as:

Acetaminophen,oxycodone, tramadol, diclofenac potassium, diflunisal, etodolac, fenoprofen calcium, flurbiprofen, ibuprofen, indomethacin, ketoprofen, meclofenamate sodium, meloxicam, nabumetone, naproxen, piroxicam, celecoxib, valdecoxib, aspirin, choline salicylate, magnesium salicylate, cortisone, dexamethasone, prednisolone, triamcinolone, auranofin (oral gold), azathioprine, cyclosporine, hydroxychloroquine sulphate, methotrexate, minocycline, penicillamine, sulphasalazine.

Source:

John C.S. Breitner, MD, MPH, of the VA Puget Sound Healthcare System and head of geriatric psychiatry at University of Washington School of Medicine.

If you must use a pain killer or anti inflammatory for the management of pain only use if you really have to and try to avoid any long term dependence on them, better still try to find an alternative pain relief technique that works for you.

Here are some suggestions for alternative pain relief techniques to help with menstrual cramps that don’t require the use of drugs.

Take a warm bath

Taking a warm bath can also help lessen heavy menstrual flow, and the warm water will alleviate lower abdomen pain, and relax the muscles.

Excercise

Probably the last thing you want to do besides curling up in bed with a hot water bottle but regular exercise, including exercise right before and during your menstrual cycle can help lessen the severity of menstrual cramping.

Valerian Tea or Tinctures

Medicinal uses of valerian date back to 400 B.C. with the Greek physician Hippocrates. Valerian is traditionally used to improve sleep and treat insomnia. However, it may also be effective for treating menstrual cramps. Take valerian in liquid tincture, tea, capsule and tablet form.

Valerian contains valepotriates and valerenic acid, which can attach to the same brain receptor sites as Valium. This makes valerian beneficial for treating pain, anxiety and insomnia.

Therapeutic Heat

Take advantage of therapeutic heat to relax your menstrual cramps.  ThermaCare^® Menstrual provide soothing heat that relaxes muscular contractions to relieve menstrual cramps. 

ThermaCare are heat patches and their ultra-thin design conforms to your lower abdomen for discreet comfort.

They can provides soothing heat for 8 hours of menstrual-cramp pain relief and are thin enough to wear under clothing and on the move.

Omega-3 and Magnesium supplements

Read this informative article ‘2 excellent remedies for menstrual cramps’ for further information on supplementing your diet with omega-3 and magnesium citrate.

STATINS AND THEIR NASTY LITTLE SECRET

I was particularly irked the other day to discover that my mother was taking statin drugs to reduce her cholesterol.

It wasn't so much that she was taking them, that annoyed me, but the fact that her doctor had not told her that taking statins could reduce her Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) uptake by as much as 40%

In 1994 drug companies introduced a new class of cholesterol lowering drugs known as statins.  To date statins are the most profitable drugs in history! and studies have found that these drugs not only lowered blood cholesterol levels but also produced a slightly lowered risk of heart attack.

So why all the fuss about CoQ10 - well it is an essential co factor your body uses to derive energy, without it you simply could not exist and it is a powerful anti-oxidant present in every cell of your body.  Because of its ubiquitous presence (it's everywhere) you may see it referred to as ubiquinone.

CoQ10 is especially important to your energy hungry organs such as your heart, liver, brain and kidneys.

Consider this:

• CoQ10 deficiencies are more common in people in their forties and beyond
• Long duration endurance exercisers tend to have lower levels of CoQ10
• Deficiencies in CoQ10 are very common in patients with heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and low HDL levels of cholesterol
• CoQ10 levels are often low in those people who avoid eating meat and extremely low in vegans

If you fit into any of the above categories then you may want to consider supplementing your diet with CoQ10 as it may have a dramatic effect on your energy levels and cardiovascular health.

If you exercise moderately and eat a well balanced diet yet feel you need some additional help in maintaining healthy blood pressure then you'll be interested to know that supplementing with CoQ10 has been demonstrated to lower blood pressure in several human clinical trials. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, was conducted in 2001 by researchers at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Boise, Idaho, who succinctly concluded that ". . . CoQ10 may be safely offered to hypertensive patients as an alternative treatment option."

CoQ10 can either be made in the body or obtained from food.  The best sources of CoQ10 are animal foods which contain fat! and as heart patients are often advised to reduce their fat intake in an effort to reduce cholesterol levels; no CoQ10 being made in the body and a reduced CoQ10 intake from food equals a recipe for disaster!

As studies have found (of which there are many) CoQ10 actually protects and strengthens the heart, I therefore find it ironic that the world's most profitable drug should actively suppress it.

It's a mad world!

To your health

Margaret x

P.S. if you suffer with joint problems and arthritic complaints read this article:  The Hidden (and painful) Cost of Statins