The Problems with Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)

Every day, more than 30 million people take a non steroidal anti-inflammatory
drug (NSAID) to help relieve pain and inflammation. NSAIDs include over the
counter medications such as ibuprofen, naproxen,  and aspirin, as well as others by prescription only.  

However, just because they are widely accepted and used frequently, doesn’t mean they are as beneficial as it may seem. NSAIDs can have severe side effects to many parts of your body including your stomach, intestines, kidneys, and more.

So, how do they work, and how can they adversely affect your body?

NSAIDs work in quite a simply way actually. When they are introduced into the body, they act to inhibit specific enzymes in a reaction that lead to bodily changes such as inflammation, temperature, and pain. This may help make you feel better temporarily, but only covers up a symptom, and does not address the root of the problem. Don't forget, as well, that only 10% of your nervous system is dedicated to how you feel. The other 90% is dedicated to the function of your body.

As stated previously, these drugs can have consequences to your organs over the course of time. Lets take the kidneys for example. When NSAIDs are taken, they also affect the blood flow in the kidneys. The physiology of the kidneys is altered because the NSAIDs affect some enzymes needed for proper kidney blood flow. In simple terms, the NSAIDs decrease kidney function because they do not allow the vessels to open correctly.²  This can also lead to increased blood pressure over time.

A report from the American Gastroenterological Association showed that 71% of people exposed to NSAIDs over the course of a 90 day period, saw small to severe ulcerations in the small intestine.

Also, each year, 5% of people who take NSAIDs will develop kidney toxicity and need to be hospitalized. Finally, NSAIDs are responsible for 103,000 hospitalizations and 16,500 deaths which is more than cervical cancer. ¹

Rather than exposing your body to the possibility of these adverse side effects from a drug that will only temporarily cover up a symptom, why not get to the source of the problem? That’s where I come in. Chiropractic care helps find the root of the problem in the nervous system. Because your nervous system controls every function in your body, when it isn’t working correctly, your body isn’t functioning at 100%.

Misalignments in the spine called subluxations decrease proper nerve signals, which decrease function. Chiropractors locate, analyze and adjust the spine in order to decrease subluxations and allow for proper nerve flow. Our bodies are designed to heal themselves from the INSIDE OUT, not by using methods coming from the outside.

In closing, save your kidneys, see a Chiropractor!

To your health,

Dr. Kyle Klim

For more information, you can visit
our website at www.swedefamilychiropractic.com,

call us at 610-831-1650
visit our office at 130 West Main
Street PMB 312  Suite 144
Trappe, Pa 19426

1. Mueller BA. Acute renal failure. In: Pharmacotherapy. 6th ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill; 2005;781-90.

2. Simone Rossi, ed. (2006). Australian medicines handbook 2006. Adelaide: Australian Medicines Handbook Pty Ltd. ISBN 0-9757919-2-3