Your Sunday Review From Dr. Sears

[Click here](1770d7/ct0_0/1/ms?sid=TV2%3ANHtPLvwwN) to view this message in your browser | [Click here](1770d7/l-002e/zout?sid=TV2%3ANHtPLvwwN) to stop receiving our messages [] [] Al Sears, MD 11905 Southern Blvd. Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411 [] July 16, 2023 [] Reader, A lot of people come to me looking for a safe way to relieve their joint pain — whether it’s from arthritis or a sports injury. Many are concerned about the side effects of prescription and over-the-counter painkillers. And they should be. They want to relieve their pain without putting their health at risk. Today, 91 million Americans have some kind of arthritis or joint pain. That’s 25% of adults. And that number is expected to increase dramatically over the next decade.1 Typically, most people manage joint pain by taking prescription or over-the-counter drugs. But because traditional drug treatments can cause dangerous side effects and complications, I recommend you do everything you can to try and avoid them. In fact, I consider treating your pain with any of Big Pharma’s drugs a last resort. Don’t get me wrong. I realize that pain can make you desperate for relief. Unfortunately, the advice from conventional doctors to pop a few over-the-counter pain pills – usually NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) – two or three times a day is a recipe for disaster. Recent research by the Boston University School of Medicine reveals that one out of five NSAID users exceeds the daily limit.2 And studies show that overuse of NSAIDs significantly raises your risk of… - Heart attack3 - Acute kidney failure4 - Acute liver failure5 - Gastrointestinal damage6 And it gets even worse… Not only are common pain meds dangerous with overuse, but a new study also now reveals pain pills can make your pain even worse. A new study by scientists at McGill University in Canada and published in the journal Science Translational Medicine shows that taking too many of these common pain meds can turn a twisted back into a desperate, chronic condition.7 The study reveals that people taking anti-inflammatory NSAID drugs to treat pain are more likely to have pain 2 to 10 years later – long past the point when pain is just a symptom but becomes a “disease” in its own right. The researchers also noticed something else. Study participants who said their pain went away were found to have rapid and intense inflammation when the pain was acute – but the markers of inflammation then diminished over the next three months. But those whose pain remained or got worse – even after taking NSAIDs – did not have the expected acute inflammatory reaction. Overall, the medical industry has failed people who suffer from chronic pain. This is all too clear when you consider that half of all arthritis sufferers don’t believe there is anything they can do to help their condition. I don’t recommend pain pills for my patients. I help them find relief using PRP therapy. A few years ago, I gave a lecture on the subject of PRP to a select group of guests. I’d like to invite you to view this important conversation I had on relieving pain using this regenerative therapy. [Click this link to join in the conversation](1770d7/ct1_0/1/lu?sid=TV2%3ANHtPLvwwN). To Your Good Health, Al Sears, MD, CNS --------------------------------------------------------------- References: - Torgan C. “Updated estimates suggest a higher number of U.S. adults with arthritis.” NIH Newsroom. . Accessed July 9, 2023. - Kaufman DW, et al. “Exceeding the daily dosing limit of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs among ibuprofen users.” Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf. 2018 Mar;27(3):322-331. - Bally M, et al. “Risk of acute myocardial infarction with NSAIDs in real world use: Bayesian meta-analysis of individual patient data.” BMJ. 2017;j1909 - Dixit M et al. “Significant acute kidney injury due to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: Inpatient setting.” Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2010. Apr; 3(4):1279-1285. - Mayo Clinic. “Acute liver failure.” Available at: . - Arroyo M, Lanas A. “NSAIDs-induced gastrointestinal damage.” Minerva Gastroenterol Dietol. 2006 Sep; 52(3):249059. - Parisien M, et al. “Acute inflammatory response via neutrophil activation protects against the development of chronic pain.” Sci Transl Med. May 2022;14(644). - Centers for Disease Control. “Prevalence of self-reported arthritis or chronic joint symptoms among adults.” Morb Mortal. 51(42);948-950. --------------------------------------------------------------- alsearsmd@send.alsearsmd.com [Preferences | Unsubscribe](1770d7/l-002e/zout?sid=TV2%3ANHtPLvwwN) 11905 Southern Blvd., Royal Palm Beach, Florida 33411, United States