More Aspirin, Anyone?

Headache and neck pain image.

They can be found in just about every medicine cabinet. Millions take them without a second thought. One a day is being recommended to prevent heart attacks! What are they? They are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

You may know these drugs, available without a prescription, by many different names. As a practice interested in natural health care solutions, we see two concerns that some of our patients overlook.

The first danger is from the adverse reactions to these drugs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that about 75,000 people each year in the U.S. visit hospitals due to adverse reactions to these convenient, over-the-counter drugs. About 10% of those die. That may seem like a small danger for the convenient relief NSAIDs offer, unless you or a family member become a statistic!

We think an even greater danger is the philosophical implication of taking these drugs. Aches or pains that prompt their use are warning signs. Like flashing lights that we see when driving, warning signs are to be taken seriously. They protect us. They serve a purpose. Popping a couple of pills to silence our body's cry for change shows a profound disrespect for this miraculous, self-healing body we live in!

Worse, using NSAIDs often reflects the belief that being healthy is about how you feel. But numbing the "alarm bells" your body is sending doesn't make you healthy. You may fool your body but you're not fooling your children. What do you teach them when you take drugs to "feel better" or to make the pain of everyday living go away? How will you explain the difference between a "good" drug and a "bad" drug?

NSAIDs may be convenient. They may save time. They may even allow you to ignore your body for awhile. But there is a price to be paid. Maybe not with stomach bleeding, liver damage or some other side effect. But a price, nonetheless.

Instead of reaching into the medicine cabinet, reach for the phone and call us: (08) 9527-6168. Let us find the underlying cause and reduce it with a program of safe and natural chiropractic adjustments that honour the wisdom of your body.

Dr Ross Asks some important questions of interest to Rockingham residents - Chiropractor Rockingham Dr Ross Asks...

Why are frequent visits advised when starting chiropractic care?
Consistent visits at the beginning of your chiropractic care help create the momentum necessary to correct and retrain unhealthy spinal patterns. Later, Rockingham patients find that continued care on a less frequent visit schedule can help preserve their progress and avoid a relapse.
Why are chiropractors wary of the germ theory?
Louis Pasteur originated the idea that germs caused disease. Yet, on his deathbed he recanted, declaring, "It's not the seed, but the soil." Meaning, it's not the germ that causes disease, but the condition of the body that allows the germ to thrive. Chiropractic care in our Rockingham office is designed to bolster your resistance so germs don't see you as a good host.