Whether it is headache, sore muscles, back pain, or a simple cold, you are most probably going to resort into the use of pain killers. They often come handy and readily available, apart from the fact that they have lured the public with the promise of being the best in terms of the alleviation of the pain that a person is feeling. Aside from the fact that they are often prescribed by doctors, ease of access to painkillers has also been an issue raised by those advocating for a healthier society. Nonetheless, they continue to be popular and often on the top of the mind of people when confronted with the question of how to get away from pain.
Nonetheless, as you read this article, you will see how pain killers are not actually the solution to your problem. They do not work like magic and will often lead you into suffering from toxicity. This should give you sufficient reason with to think about what you take and be more meticulous when thinking of viable alternatives for pain management.
- The use of painkillers can be very addicting. This is one of the most common problems reported and associated with painkillers. More often than not, people take them for a prolonged period as if it is multivitamins for their body. Pain medications use ingredients that can be potentially addicting, and hence, being dependent on such in the long run. This should be a cause for toxicity, especially in consideration of the fact that medications taken longer than the specified duration will cause adverse reaction to the body, especially when taken with other drugs or when they react negatively with your current state of health. Once addiction has been developed, withdrawal will be hard and the withdrawal symptoms will generally be unpleasant. With such, many people ended up being trapped, having no choice but to just pursue with their pain medications. In the long run, this can damage different organs of the body and can lead into the deterioration of your health.
- They contain acetaminophen. Tylenol is one of the most popular brands of painkillers. In spite of the fact that its effectiveness has been asserted by many, it is also important to know that it contains acetaminophen, which is also a common ingredient that is found in other drugs meant to reduce pain. Even when they are taken following the instructions from your doctor, such as the dosage that has been recommended, acetaminophen will still pose a serious danger to your health, more than the benefit it provides. There were several cases in the past wherein there are accidental overdoses and they led into problems you will never wish to carry on your back.
- They are more fatal than heroin and cocaine. People avoid the use of heroin and cocaine because of the bad effects of such on their health, which are often fatalities. However, some people did not know that prescribed and over-the-counter painkillers can in fact be more fatal than heroin and cocaine, even when the two are combined. This is basically because most of the painkillers are misused and abused, leading into a level of toxicity which becomes too hard for the body to handle, and hence, fuelling a wide array of serious health problems.
- They can cause cancer. People who are being treated for cancer may resort into the use of pain medications in order to reduce the discomfort they are feeling as a result of various procedures or simply because how their cancer cells are affecting the body. However, in reality, rather than being instrumental in the alleviation of pain, these medications can indeed be the cause of cancer. Several studies in the past have noted how the long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can lead into kidney and blood cancer.
- They can lead to Renal Tubular Acidosis. This is another negative side effect often associated because of the toxic ingredients found in painkillers, especially in the case of Ibuprofen. Renal Tubular Acidosis, or RTA, leads into the decrease in the level of potassium in the blood, and hence, making the heart beat abnormally and causing a breakdown of muscles. It is also linked to paralysis and fatigue.