Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Diclofenac, Indomethacin, Naproxen, Piroxicam and Celebrex are Pharmaceuticals that fall into the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDS category (1). This class of drugs is very common. The average age of a person being given a prescription of NSAIDS is 48-49 with 51% being female (2). There is a strong possibility that at some point in your life you have taken NSAID type drugs. Yet, even though, they are common drugs they carry the potential to aggravate hypertension, congestive heart failure and oedema (1).

NSAIDS have been implicated in GI tract damage affecting 10-20% of those persons taking them. All NSAIDS except aspirin can worsen cardiovascular conditions. Diclofenac can aggravate the liver and other NSAIDS can cause renal failure. Those on anti-coagulants should avoid NSAIDS and those with asthma should look out for aggravated respiratory disease (1).

NSAIDS are commonly used to treat pain (2), but do not come free of side effects. If you are looking for pain relief still a month later then the risk of NSAID ‘side effect’ damage increases (2).

Chiropractic Care usually improves people’s muscle and joint pain enough in the first 4 weeks (4) so that NSAIDS may no longer be required and a return to exercises is facilitated (5).

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By making use of Chiropractic Care you can stay within the window of pain relief of NSAIDS but before the window of increasing risk of NSAID side effects. If you are worried about side effects of any of your medication then speak with your prescribing clinician.

References:

1. Risser A et al (2009) NSAID Prescribing Precautions, American Family Physician 80 (12) 1371
2. Chen Y at al (2018) Trends in prescribing of NSAIDS in Patients with Cardiovascular Disease. Family Practice 35 (4) 426
3. Tanaka et al (2002) Flow Chart of NSAIDS Physiology. Inflammo-pharmacology Journal 10 (4-6) 313
4. Koes BW et al (1996) Spinal Manipulation for Low Back Pain. Spine 21 2860
5. Harvey E et al (2003) Spinal Manipulation for Low Back Pain: A treatment package agreed by the UK Chiropractic, Osteopathic and Physiotherapy professional associations. Manual Therapy 8 46