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These bike racers in the Tour of the Battenkill have a challenging 62-mile circuit. If they sustain any injuries, hopefully they will avoid NSAIDs. (Louise McCoy/The Epoch Times) Spring is here! With the change to warmer weather, many of us will be drawn outdoors into the fresh air and warm sun to exercise. With this newfound passion comes the added risk of injury. With injury comes the responsibility to care for the body without causing further harm.
“First, do no harm.”
There is a disturbing trend taking place in the field of sports and exercise medicine today. That trend includes the use of a class of drugs that not only complicate recovery but also increase the risk of developing sports-related injuries.
Athletes are using these so-called harmless drugs with greater frequency than ever before. These drugs are even recommended by physicians and physical therapists as an aid in the recovery process, even though they have been shown to have the opposite effect.
Many athletes choose to use a group of medicines called NSAIDs, or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, to enhance performance, premedicate to avoid pain, and to treat existing injuries. This group of medications includes ibuprofen (Motrin, Aleve), acetaminophen (Tylenol), and salicylic acid (aspirin). They are far from benign.
On the surface, these medicines appear harmless, since they help fight inflammation and numb the pain, but they
· Are the leading causes of kidney failure in the United States today.
· Cause gastrointestinal bleeding in ALL users.
· Cause gastritis and peptic ulcer disease in many long-term users.
· Suppress the immune system.
· Slow down the healing process.
· Promote chronic injury.
· Dull the perception of important pain signals.
· Increase the risk of new injuries.
· Increase the risk of worsening existing injuries.
· Directly contradict the maxim: “Listen to your body.”
Athletes using NSAIDs before, during, and after exercise increase their risk of all these complications. Even in the absence of vigorous physical exercise, these agents are known to damage the body, but during vigorous exercise, the body is at even greater risk of injury from these agents.
During exercise the body typically experiences mild to moderate dehydration and hemo-concentration. This volume reduction increases the concentration of all medicines in the body. As a result, the kidneys, stomach, liver, intestines, and muscles all experience higher than normal concentrations of these drugs.
As concentrations increase, so does the risk of injury. The toxic effects of these substances are magnified during exercise, resulting in an increased risk of developing one or more side effects.
Not only are the toxic effects of drugs increased during exercise, but also the analgesic and immune-suppressing effects are magnified. As a result, small injuries and microscopic tissue traumas are more likely to go unnoticed. The cumulative effect of these injuries can lead to a spiral of diminished body awareness and aggravation of existing injuries.
Pain is not only an important message from the body indicating physiologic limits to activity, but also it is a key component in the healing mechanism. These medicines directly interfere with the inflammatory response, which is part of the body’s healing mechanism.
NSAIDs should never be used routinely by athletes either to prevent injury, enhance performance, or to treat an existing injury. A far safer and more effective tool for management of sports injuries is homeopathy.
Next week: Part 2: Homeopathic Treatment
Dr. Whitmont is a classical homeopathic physician practicing in Rhinebeck, N.Y., and New York City. His Web site is Homeopathicmd.com
