A new study shows that anti-inflammatory treatments might have more negative consequences than once thought. Newly emerging research indicates that blocking inflammation might actually be one of the causes of chronic pain in some cases.
Inflammation is often associated with pain in general. For example, when you hit your leg on something, it might bruise and swell up. The swelling is caused by inflammation, which can be reduced with medication, ice, elevation, and rest. Reducing the inflammation can often help reduce the amount of pain that someone is experiencing.
Research from McGill University indicates that using medications such as anti-inflammatory drugs and steroids, might cause more long term harm than good, though. Their research found that these medications were associated with an increased risk of chronic pain later on in life.
This research comes in opposing years of standard medical advice. Medications have long been used to help people recover from pain and injury more quickly. However, as we learn more, this might be something that doctors look to change. A lot more research is still needed here.
The team published their findings in the journal, Science Translational Medicine. Hopefully, this is just the start of research in this area and leads to more valuable information in the near future.
Doctors may still find situations where prescribing medications that focus on reducing inflammation. This research is still developing and there is a lot more that needs to be learned before we can make definitive decisions about the use of these medications. In the meantime, it’s important to follow all directions given by your medical team. If you have questions, please be sure to follow up with a physician that you trust.
Treating chronic pain might not seem like a high priority, but when it comes to the quality of life that someone is experiencing, dealing with pain is incredibly important. However, past methods of treating chronic pain have sometimes created more issues than they resolved. Take the opioid pandemic as an example of this. Although opioids can be quite effective when it comes to treating pain, they can be addictive and misuse or abuse can lead to additional health problems or even death. New methods of helping will be invaluable.
Quality of life is an important component of senior care regardless of what complications someone might have going on in their life. Reducing or eliminating chronic pain can help anyone to live a better life, but pain isn’t the only issue that people grapple with as they age. Having a care service that can take these things into account is important. Having a care service that can do so in a professional and helpful manner is even more so.
Senior care doesn’t need to be a mystery. If you’re unsure of where to start, you have a lot of resources on your side to help get you moving in the right direction. We could be one of them. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you’d like to learn more about what we do and how it might benefit your family.
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