New NSAID Warning
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently ordered all over-the-counter products containing non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (better known as NSAIDs), acetaminophen, or aspirin to revise label warnings by April 29. 2010.
New labels for certain anti-inflammatory drugs will include specific warnings regarding possible long term heart or liver damage as well as the potential of stomach bleeding.
Commonly used over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers such as aspirin (Bayer), ibuprofen (Advil & Motrin), naproxen (Aleve) and acetaminophen (Excedrin) all include NSAIDs.
The risk of severe stomach bleeding associated with NSAIDs increases if an individual is:
- 60 or older
- Dealing with stomach ulcers or bleeding problems
- Taking blood thinners or steroids
- Combining prescription drugs and/or nonprescription NSAIDs
Conventional pain relief treatments such as NSAIDs treat symptoms by suppression and can come with a variety of long-term side effects. Over 30 million people take OTC pain relievers on a daily basis and each year over 100,000 people are hospitalized from the side effects of chronic use.
Homeopathic products, such as Heel’s ZEEL and Traumeel, are safe and healthy alternatives to NSAIDs for joint stiffness, headaches, and arthritic pain. Traumeel, an all natural product containing 12 botanical substances and 2 minerals, regulates inflammation instead of suppressing it. Without any adverse side effects, these products can be used to treat patients of all ages.
