Chronic Pain Damages Your Brain

To Your Health
June, 2017 (Vol. 11, Issue 06)

Chronic Pain Damages Your Brain

By Editorial Staff

Chronic pain is front and center these days now that the opioid crisis – the wrong way to manage pain – has been exposed and opportunities to prevent and treat pain instead of medication (a key example: chiropractic) jump into the spotlight.
The reason for this increased emphasis isn’t just because opioids have been proven often unnecessary and frequently dangerous, if not deadly, for treating pain – it’s also because pain, particularly chronic pain, can be just as dangerous / deadly if not addressed. In fact, recent research suggests chronic pain may be so damaging as to cause brain changes that lead to cognitive decline and dementia.

In a study involving more than 10,000 elderly adults, researchers reviewed more than a decade of surveys that tracked pain levels and cognitive abilities. While cognitive function (memory, attention, etc.) tends to decline with age, those declines occurred significantly more rapidly in people who reported ongoing moderate to severe pain compared to people with little to no pain. What’s more, the risk of suffering dementia (Alzheimer’s is the most common cause) was also slightly higher in people with chronic pain.

brain - Copyright – Stock Photo / Register Mark
This is a great example of how pain can impact areas of your body and life that aren’t directly tied in to the source of the pain. And that’s where chiropractic care can be so important, because chiropractors look for the cause of the pain and then work to resolve it, rather than just treating the symptom with a dangerous opioid or other medication. If you’re suffering from chronic pain, talk to your chiropractor; your body and mind will thank you for it.

Your Heart Hates These Medications

To Your Health
June, 2017 (Vol. 11, Issue 06)

Your Heart Hates These Medications

By Editorial Staff

If you haven’t figured it out yet, your heart is a big deal – a very big deal, and we’re just talking about the health side of things. So let’s keep figuring out ways to keep it as healthy as possible for as long as possible.

Avoiding use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for even a few days is one way, suggests research.

This finding is big because NSAIDs are so readily available and commonly used for everything from headaches to back pain. Think Advil, Motrin and similar over-the-counter medications. In this large study (nearly 500,000 participants ages 40-79), NSAID use for one to seven days increased the risk of suffering a heart attack by 24-53 percent: 24 percent for celecoxib (Celebrex), 48 percent for ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), 50 percent for diclofenac (Voltaren) and 53 percent for naproxen (Aleve). Heart attack risk increased with higher doses and higher duration of use.

heart health - Copyright – Stock Photo / Register Mark

Does this mean if you take NSAIDs, you’ll suffer a heart attack? It depends on your cardiovascular risk, general health and other factors. But you certainly don’t want to take the chance, particularly if there are safer options available to deal with your pain. That’s where chiropractic and other drug-free therapies can make a big difference.

By the way, this isn’t the first time (and won’t be the last) that over-the-counter medications have been linked to dangerous health outcomes. While the pharmaceutical industry, mainstream advertising and even your medical doctor have made NSAIDs seem like the first choice for managing pain, increasing research suggests they should be one of the last. Fortunately, major health organizations are starting to get it. Click here to learn more.