If you’re a parent or grandparent, you’ve hopefully heard of the massive recall of children and infant medications from pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson earlier this month. As a father of 8, it certainly caught my attention.
According to the related FDA news release, medicines involved may have too much of the active ingredient, inadequately tested inactive ingredients, or even foreign particles which don’t belong in there at all.
All this on the heels of another major recall of 21 types of infant’s and children’s liquid Tylenol last September due to bacterial contamination and another recall of Tylenol Arthritis Pain in November due to a chemical contaminant. Clearly children and adults alike have been put at risk in the past several months.
So what’s a health conscious citizen to do? According to the big pharma influenced FDA, buy generic. Um, were they manufactured in the same plant? No word on that.
I have a better proposal. Stop using all forms acetaminophen and ibuprofen altogether regardless of manufacturer. And yes, I’m serious.
The real dangers of acetaminophen and ibuprofen
Regular acetaminophen use has been directly attributable to 8% to 10% of the estimated 50,000 annual cases of end stage renal disease in the United States. The more of it you use, even as prescribed, the greater the odds you’re going to die of kidney failure.
According to an article on acetaminophen toxicity by Dr. Susan Farrell, Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, acetaminophen is one of the most common pharmaceuticals involved in both intentional and accidental poisonings. In the United States, toxic effects of acetaminophen overdose is now the most common cause of acute hepatic failure and the second leading cause of liver failure requiring transplantation.
While only about 1 in 50 overdose patients die or require a liver transplant, an overdose can occur by taking less than double the daily recommended maximum dose. Is this really a substance you want to keep around the house, much less feed yourself and your kids?
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) including ibuprofen are no bastion of safety, either. In fact, they’re probably worse. Including both prescription NSAIDs and over-the-counter varieties like Motrin and Advil, over 30 billion doses are taken each year just in the United States. This number on the rise. So are related hospitalizations and deaths.
Every year in the U.S. over 100,000 people are hospitalized and over 16,000 will die from NSAID use and misuse. According to one study, 1 in every 1,200 people who take an NSAID for at least two months will die from related gastrointestinal complications. That doesn’t count those with adverse effects who survive.
Fortunately, there are safer alternatives for Tylenol, Motrin, and their generic equivalents.
Natural remedies for fever reduction, pain relief and inflammation
The most common reasons over-the-counter medicines like acetaminophen and ibuprofen are taken include fevers, general aches and pains, and to reduce inflammation. Each of these have much healthier alternatives in the world of natural medicine.
Fever
Remember, first of all, that a fever is your body’s defense mechanism. Infants under 3 months with a fever should always see a doctor right away. Otherwise, here are some simple techniques helping you or your child remain comfortable and reduce fevers:
Wear loose-fitting cotton clothing to allow your body to breathe. Keep the upper body covered to help prevent chills.
Take a lukewarm bath (sponge bath for infants). Hot water will be clearly counterproductive, but so will cold water as it causes your body to work harder to stay warm, therefore raising your internal temperature.
Drink lots of cool fluids. This helps prevent dehydration and cools the body down. Some herbal teas with licorice root or echinacea can help reduce fevers too.
Pain Relief
Ask any parent the most common cause of infant pain and they’ll
likely respond either tummy aches or teething pain. Here are some
great natural ways to ease infant teething and gas pains:
Teething pain can often be helped by massaging your baby’s gums with your finger or allowing them to chew on a cooled pacifier or teething ring.
Apply clove oil very lightly directly onto baby’s gums to reduce pain (older children and adults can get a similar effect for a sore tooth by holding a whole clove against it with their tongue).
Let baby chew on a natural herbal (not candy) licorice stick. Besides numbing baby’s gums, licorice also has natural anti-inflammatory properties and can ease stomach irritations.
Another great combined teething pain reliever and stomach soother is pure vanilla extract (real vanilla, not the artificial stuff). Similar to clove oil, apply by rubbing a tiny bit on baby’s sore gums.
Infants with upset stomachs, gas pains and colic can often get relief using all-natural ingredients as well. One product I like, Gentle Naturals Tummy Soother, uses chamomile and ginger – both well known for anxiety reducing and stomach soothing properties.
For general aches and pains, children (over 2 years old) and adults alike find the arnica, MSM, and menthol in Rub On Relief pain cream are work just as well as ibuprofen at relieving pain. Those with arthritis will especially love Rub On Relief for the Celadrin found in it, clinically proven to help reduce pain and increase flexibility and mobility in 100% of those who tested it.
Inflammation
Most children really don’t have a problem with inflammation. It’s when we get older that our bodies stop producing most of the proteolytic enzymes which signal our body to end its inflammatory response to injuries. That’s why it takes so much longer for something as simple as a sprained ankle to heal as an adult compared to when we were children.
Fortunately the solution is simple: supplement with the proteolytic systemic enzymes your body doesn’t make enough of. This allows your body to naturally fight inflammation. Other beneficial side effects of these enzymes are they also clean our blood, fight off viral and bacterial infections, and break down excess fibrin which leads to scar tissue inside our bodies.
In the end, there really are much healthier natural alternatives to drugs like Tylenol and Motrin. We just need to break our collective habit of reflexively taking drugs as our first response to pain.
Related references
Perneger
TV, Whelton PK, Klag MJ. Risk of kidney failure associated with the
use of acetaminophen, aspirin, and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory
drugs. The New England Journal of Medicine. 1994 Dec
22;331(25):1675-9.
Farrell S. Toxicity, Acetaminophen. Medscape. 2009 Sep 23.
Frech E, Go M. Treatment and chemoprevention of NSAID-associated
gastrointestinal complications. Therapeutics and Clinical Risk
Management. 2009; 5: 65–73.
Singh G. Recent considerations in nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug
gastropathy. The American journal of medicine. 1998 Jul
27;105(1B):31S-38S.
Tramèr MR, et al. Quantitative estimation of rare adverse events which
follow a biological progression: a new model applied to chronic NSAID
use. Pain. 2000 Mar;85(1-2):169-82.
Widrig R, Suter A, Saller R, Melzer J. Choosing between NSAID and arnica for
topical treatment of hand osteoarthritis in a randomised,
double-blind study. Rheumatology International. 2007
Apr;27(6):585-91.
Few widespread health maladies have the ability to camouflage their root cause as well as fibromyalgia. It’s known to mimic symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome, osteoarthritis, post-traumatic stress disorder, lupus and a host of other disorders. Somewhere, hidden among all the symptoms, is a root cause and an elusive cure.
First recorded in 1904, fibromyalgia has grown into a modern era scourge affecting as many as 6 million Americans. Women are nearly nine times more likely to become afflicted than men, but no one is immune.
So what is fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is named after the pain commonly reported in sufferers’ muscles, ligaments and tendons (Fibro = fibrous tissue, myo = muscle, and algos = pain). Research shows fibromyalgia is a syndrome which launches an all out attack on the central nervous and musculoskeletal systems.
Intense muscle pain caused by systemic inflammation is a very common description. One patient gave an account of her pain like “having arthritis in your muscles or charlie horses all day”. More than half of all fibromyalgia sufferers complain of chronic or migraine headaches. Extreme fatigue, sleep disorders, sensitivity to medicine, irritable bowel syndrome, memory loss, difficulty exercising, dizziness, non-cardiac chest pains, stiff joints, numbness and tingling sensations in extremities are also frequently reported.
Diagnosing fibromyalgia
Diagnosing fibromyalgia can be a supremely frustrating experience for patient and doctor alike. Since so many symptoms mimic those of other common disorders, making a diagnosis often comes down to a process of elimination.
Fortunately the American College of Rheumatology published standards to assist physicians with fibromyalgia diagnosis in 1990. The doctor simply applies pressure to 18 different trigger points found along the base of the patient’s neck, backbone, in front of the hip and elbow, and at the rear of the knee and shoulder. If the patient indicates at least 11 of the 18 sites are tender to the touch in addition to widespread pain a diagnosis of fibromyalgia may be warranted.
What causes fibromyalgia?
Some studies suggest individuals with fibromyalgia were genetically predisposed. Others indicate fibromyalgia is a dormant disorder that is triggered by a viral or bacterial infection or a traumatic injury. For example, one woman said she lived a normal life until she was struck from behind while driving. The severe whiplash sustained in the accident was the beginning of a new period in her life dominated by fibromyalgia pain.
That’s the long answer. The short answer is, we don’t know yet – exactly. However, enough evidence has accumulated to show fibromyalgia is typically preceded by a pattern of imbalances. These imbalances may be excessive stress levels, hormone imbalances, inadequate nutrition, poor sleeping patterns, and the list goes on. Discover what imbalances triggered your bout of fibromyalgia and you have the key to recovery in your hand.
How to treat fibromyalgia
There are no set guidelines for treating fibromyalgia since the underlying imbalances vary from one person to the next. What works for one person may not work for someone else, although heat seems to offer nearly universal short-term pain relief.
Drug treatments for fibromyalgia range from analgesics and anti-depressants to hormone replacements. Cortisone treatments may give some temporary relief at $400 per shot too. But long time readers already know my thoughts on these trouble-laden conventional medicine approaches.
A number of alternative medicine pain treatments have found growing acceptance from fibromyalgia patients seeking pain relief without the expense and dangerous side effect risk found with many conventional medicine treatments. Fibromyalgia patients have found practices as diverse as acupuncture, acupressure, Qigong therapy, chiropractic care, and massage therapy to be helpful. A good diet and sticking to a sleep routine is important too. Magnesium has been proven to help muscles relax and 400mg-600mg taken before bed refreshes muscles as you sleep.
The answer to fibromyalgia I found
I’ve studied pain, particularly back pain, for many years. Yet fibromyalgia is one of those chronic pain ailments that left me scratching my own head for quite awhile – until I was introduced to a guy named Greg Fors.
Actually, it’s Dr. Greg Fors, a board-certified neurologist. But I won’t hold that against him because he’s a truly brilliant old school physician. Why brilliant? Because he’s one of the rare breed of doctors who understands that solving a problem requires finding and fixing the underlying cause. Not just covering up the symptoms with drugs or fleecing your patients with unnecessary surgery.
After I read his book I was so impressed I decided to give it away free on our company’s main website because the information inside is simply too important for fibromyalgia sufferers. If you’re suffering from fibromyalgia or any other kind of chronic pain, this book can help.
I don’t know how many free copies are left, so I suggest requesting your own free copy right away. If we’re out, try calling my office to see when we’ll have more available.
Good Living with Fibromyalgia. Atlanta, Ga.: Arthritis Foundation; 2006.
Wolfe F, Smythe HA, Yunus MB et al. (February 1990). “The American College of Rheumatology 1990 Criteria for the Classification of Fibromyalgia. Report of the Multicenter Criteria Committee”. Arthritis Rheum. 33 (2): 160–72
Schweinhardt P, Sauro KM, Bushnell MC. (October 2008). “Fibromyalgia: a disorder of the brain?”. Neuroscientist. 14 (5): 415–21.
Natural Pain Relievers for Back Pain…
13 Ways You Can Reduce Pain Quickly
If you suffer from any type of back, neck or sciatic pain (any pain for that matter), you should find this video very helpful… in it we share with you thirteen different ways you can reduce pain quickly.
And here are some safe yet effective, all-natural products you can use to reduce pain and promote healing:
Far too many people struggle with back pain for years… even decades. If you’re one of them then you need to know about one of the most common reasons people can’t seem to beat their back pain: mixed pain syndrome.
In a nutshell, mixed pain syndrome describes how pain arises from multiple causes at the same time. Just because you have a herniated disc doesn’t mean it is the sole source of your back pain or even a source of pain at all.
There are two primary causes of pain: nerve compression and soft tissue pain. Nerve compression may be caused by conditions like a herniated disc or spinal stenosis causing direct pressure on a nerve. Soft tissue pain can occur from inflammation, scar tissue, trigger points, muscular micro-tears, or even decreased local cellular oxygen levels.
So what happens when you have a herniated disc pressing on a spinal nerve root, multiple trigger points in that area of the back, and local inflammation at the same time? Then you have a mixed pain syndrome condition that will take multiple approaches to eliminate your pain! Treat just one and you will end up frustrated and still in pain. This is why those suffering from back pain are encouraged to experiment with different types of treatments, often simultaneously, to get lasting back pain relief faster.
Need a starting point for treating mixed pain syndrome back pain? Begin by treating your back pain with safe alternatives to anti-inflammatory drugs:
Once painful spasms have been reduced and at least limited mobility has been restored, begin identifying underlying patterns and causes of your pain and eliminate them to prevent future back pain:
Remember, every person is different. There is no “one size fits all” approach to getting back pain relief, so what works for one person may not be as effective for another. Experiment until you find what works best for you.
When people say back pain affects everyone, that really is the truth!
Not only did I struggle with middle back pain (and a bunch of other ailments like shoulder problems, knee pain, tendonitis) years ago before becoming an “expert” …
but my wife has also had several bouts of back pain over the years brought on initially due to a c-section birth. Well, a few days ago she had a flare up… no significant physical incident to bring it on like sneezing or picking up a heavy item, etc…
Instead, I feel that it was a combination of stress/worry about several current life situations that she/we are dealing with right now as well as some physical factors such as changes to her exercise program… she recently added running back into her program.
Anyway, not to bore you with her story, but I thought you might really benefit from the suggestions I gave her and the actions she has taken…
So, the first thing she did was rub in a few squirts of Rub on Relief … she has been applying it 2-3 times per day.
Then she jumped (not really, more like crawled) into our bed with both our large and medium size Far Infrared Heating Pads … and she has been lying on these just about every chance she gets (which isn’t much with 6 kids still at home, though I of course have stepped up to do as much as I can).
She has also been taking hot jacuzzi baths with sea salts (with magnesium) once a day… taking Heal-n-Soothe 1-2 times per day (3 capsules at a time though I’m trying to get her to up the dose – I take 6-8 at a time) to reduce the inflammation and pain.
In addition she is drinking a lot of water… increased her magnesium and vitamin D intakes (liquid supplements)… and also experimenting with various homeopathic and herbal muscle relaxants like kali carb, chamomile, valerian and others.
And last, since it seems that one of the biggest underlying causes is stress, worry, negative energy, etc, she is also spending as much time as possible relaxing… reading… laughing.
As you likely know, there are of course many other things that can be done, but this is where she’s starting and this is likely all she’ll need as she’s getting close to “back to normal”.
Anyway, I hope you found this informative and maybe it has given you a few things that you have not yet tried. I’ll be sure to keep you posted on how she’s feeling
The Healthy Back Institute - 333 Main St. Suite #201 Gaithersburg, MD 20878
Phone: 800-216-4908 Fax: 866-843-4319
The Healthy Back Institute is a Get Healthy and Fit Company
If you’re a parent or grandparent, you’ve hopefully heard of the massive recall of children and infant medications from pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson earlier this month. As a father of 8, it certainly caught my attention.
Few widespread health maladies have the ability to camouflage their root cause as well as fibromyalgia. It’s known to mimic symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome, osteoarthritis, post-traumatic stress disorder, lupus and a host of other disorders. Somewhere, hidden among all the symptoms, is a root cause and an elusive cure.
Far too many people struggle with back pain for years… even decades. If you’re one of them then you need to know about one of the most common reasons people can’t seem to beat their back pain: 
