Back pain, knee pain and shoulder pain are part of everyday life for more than half of the population. When every step hurts and getting up in the morning and carrying the shopping bag becomes increasingly difficult, many sufferers seek help from an orthopaedic specialist. The first step is usually the administration of pain-relieving injections or painkillers. However, in most cases this is not a permanent solution and also has many side effects that often only appear later.
As drugs such as diclofenac, ibuprofen, naproxen and many other painkillers are available over the counter in pharmacies, many pain patients often skip the visit to the specialist and start taking them straight away without consulting an expert.
Painkillers are a great help for pain conditions when taken in the short term. Toothache, menstrual cramps or headaches can be significantly better tolerated with the right painkillers and make everyday life easier.
To ensure that the benefits outweigh the risks and the risks remain as low as possible, it is important that you only take it for a short time, i.e. over a few days and not too often during the month. If taken too often and too much, the body can become accustomed to the active ingredient, similar to taking certain antibiotics. Once the body has become accustomed to the painkiller, it can no longer work. As a result, those affected no longer feel any relief and either take more and more tablets or switch between different types of pain medication.
This begins with stomach and intestinal complaints and can lead to a heart attack, stroke or kidney failure. This is because most non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as naproxen and ibuprofen inhibit the enzyme cyclooxygenase (COX), which is responsible for regulating inflammatory processes and pain. At the same time, the enzyme is also responsible for blood clotting and protecting the gastric mucosa and kidneys.
If the effect of the enzyme is inhibited in order to alleviate pain, all the other important functions are also inhibited. If the enzyme is „switched off“ for too long, this can result in kidney failure and cardiovascular problems, which in the worst case can be life-threatening.
The EMA has now responded to the many cases of patients who have become seriously ill or died as a result of taking painkillers incorrectly. In particular, patients with coronary heart disease, arterial occlusive disease, cardiac insufficiency and vascular diseases in the brain should be careful when taking the active ingredient diclofenac. The same applies to people who smoke or suffer from high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels or diabetes. Interactions with other medications, e.g. antihypertensives, are also possible.
According to a Danish study involving six million patients, diclofenac harbours a particularly high risk of heart attack and vascular complications. The interactions with other medications, such as ASA to protect against cardiovascular diseases, are significant. The effect of ASA is greatly reduced or even completely cancelled out when diclofenac is taken. Care should therefore be taken to ensure a large time interval when taking diclofenac at the same time.
Anyone who now prefers to use Diclofenac ointment because it supposedly promises safety must be aware of this: If used over too large an area and/or for too long, the side effects are almost identical to taking tablets.
Naproxen often leads to stomach complaints such as nausea or vomiting. Although this can be alleviated with a combination of stomach-protecting substances, long-term use is only advisable in consultation with a doctor.
Basically, many patients who take NSAIDs long-term complain of increased headaches. This would then have to be treated with another active substance - a dangerous cycle that ultimately does not improve the overall situation.
Compared to other painkillers, paracetamol has a rather minor effect on joint pain.
Aspirin is known to thin the blood and cause stomach and intestinal ulcers. Asthma attacks and kidney damage can also be the result of misuse. Medical experts estimate the number of annual deaths due to improper aspirin intake to be in the four-digit range between 1000 and 5000 people affected.
The blood-thinning effect is often underestimated and can lead to complications during operations, for example, as the effect often lasts for up to five days.
Dr Endrizzi from Düsseldorf specialises in gentle pain therapy using gold implants. Small fine gold pins are placed directly around the painful joint in a minimally invasive and outpatient procedure without a general anaesthetic.
The gold implants work reliably for many years and are a real alternative to surgery and painkillers for those suffering from joint pain. There are no side effects, the procedure is completely pain-free and patients can return home and put full weight on the joint after just a few hours.
Feel free to contact one of the three practice locations in Düsseldorf, Berlin-Mitte or Constance and arrange a non-binding consultation appointment.
You can reach Dr Endrizzi by telephone at 0203 98430022 or by e-mail to info@goldtherapie.com.
You can also find initial information here: Answers to the most frequently asked questions from our patients
