The Meaning of Aspirin

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

You may know these drugs by other names such as aspirin or ibuprofen. Millions are spent advertising their brand names, including Advil®, Motrin® and Nuprin®.

As a practice interested in natural health care solutions, we see two distinct dangers that some of our patients overlook.

The first danger is from the adverse reactions to these drugs. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention report that about 75,000 people each year in the U.S. are hospitalized from 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 implications 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 quiet our body’s cry for attention 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 for a drug, reach for the phone and call our practice. Let us find the underlying cause and reduce it with a program of safe and natural chiropractic adjustments that honor the wisdom of your body.