A couple of weeks ago, I read that popular painkillers can cause irregular heart rhythms. I stopped taking Aleve for pain because I do experience A-fib and atrial flutters. Since going off Aleve, this heart problem has dropped to almost nothing.
The trouble is that I switched to aspirin instead. Now I am having big-time bruising with the slightest bump. That convinced me to stop the aspirin.
I am going to try Tylenol, but I hope my liver enzymes don’t act up. They have been elevated in the past. Is there anything else I can do except stop everything and endure joint pain?
You have reason to be cautious with pain relievers. A recent online article in the British journal BMJ (July 4, 2011) suggests that anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen, naproxen and diclofenac are “associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation or flutter.” Such heart-rhythm abnormalities can trigger blood clots that may lead to strokes.
Although aspirin does not appear to trigger arrhythmias, it can thin the blood enough to cause easy bruising. If acetaminophen (Tylenol) raised your liver enzymes in the past, there is a potential risk if you start taking it daily.
You may wish to try a home remedy to ease your joint pain. You will find details about dozens of options in our new book from National Geographic (“The People’s Pharmacy Quick and Handy Home Remedies”), online at PeoplesPharmacy.com. Fish oil, turmeric, tart cherries, pineapple or pomegranate juice, gin-soaked golden raisins, plant pectin and purple grape juice as well as herbs like ginger and boswellia may ease your discomfort.
I read a question in your column about smelly gas, and I have a suggestion: Take a Pepto-Bismol tablet. It helps control that odorous gas.
Pepto-Bismol will turn your stool black, but there’s no harm in occasional use. I take the tablets with me on trips to prevent traveler’s diarrhea.
Pepto-Bismol (bismuth subsalicylate) has been shown to control the odor in flatus. It reduces hydrogen sulfide (the smelly stuff) from the colon quite dramatically (Gastroenterology, May 1998).
Regular use of Pepto-Bismol could be problematic, though. Excessive bismuth can be toxic, leading to symptoms such as nausea, rash, diarrhea, stomach pain, mouth ulcers and kidney damage. Too much salicylate can interact with other medications such as warfarin (Coumadin).
I have suffered from excessive perspiration since I was a child. I have used countless deodorants, antiperspirants, crystals, baking soda ­— you name it. Nothing worked for very long, not even the prescription formulas.
I’ve been using MoM (milk of magnesia) for roughly four months, and I will never switch to anything else. I use it on my underarms as well as my groin area, and I swear by it. I use a regular generic formula and have never experienced any issues. On days that I shave my armpits, I skip it just in case I might absorb too much magnesium.
Milk of magnesia is usually thought of as a laxative to be taken orally, but many people report that it is an effective deodorant when used topically.
Although MoM seems to be gentle, some people develop a skin reaction and should avoid it. We doubt there is much absorption, but loose stools would be a sign of too much magnesium.
I am surprised and disappointed by your answer to the lady asking for help with her hot flashes. Her doctor took her off hormones because of serious side effects, and she was suffering.
Although the Women’s Health Initiative demonstrated the dangers of PremPro, no comparable studies exist for bioidentical hormones.
Researchers have long known that the estrogen a woman makes herself has a significant impact on her risk of breast cancer (International Journal of Cancer, Oct. 15, 2010). The longer a woman has active menstrual periods, the higher the risk (International Journal of Epidemiology online, Aug. 13).
Since bioidentical hormones mimic a woman’s own hormonal production, we cannot assume that this therapy would be entirely safe. Women who would like to learn more about other ways to manage hot flashes, such as yams, Pycnogenol or vitamin E, may find our Guide to Menopause helpful. Anyone who would like a copy, please send $3 in check or money order with a long (No. 10), stamped (64 cents), self-addressed envelope to Graedons’ People’s Pharmacy, No. W-50, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027. It also can be downloaded for $2 from our website, www.peoplespharmacy.com.
I recently burned two of my fingers on a hot oven. They had already started to blister when I remembered reading about the soy sauce remedy. It was like magic: both the pain and the blisters went away quickly. The next day, I just had two small red marks.
I’ve been fascinated with this. When my son got his fourth huge mosquito bite of the week, I wondered if soy sauce might help reduce the swelling. His eye had swollen shut from a bite on his forehead, so when he was bitten on the cheek, I applied some soy sauce to it.
Within minutes, the swelling had receded, and it was completely invisible before he went to bed. Everyone should have soy sauce packets in his or her first-aid kit!
Thank you for the hint on mosquito bites. We’ve never heard that soy sauce might help.
My 92-year-old mom began having excruciating ankle pain about four months ago. She has seen five doctors, including three podiatrists, and a chiropractor, and had an emergency-room visit. They all said her pain was due to osteoarthritis or plantar fasciitis.
While researching ankle pain, I discovered that gout can sometimes affect other joints besides the big toe, and that celery seed extract may be helpful. I bought some for my mother, and after a week or two, she says her ankle pain is gone, although she still has occasional shooting pains into her big toe.
I feel better having her on celery seed extract rather than the ibuprofen she was taking. We were both worried about the possible side effects of that drug.
Gout can indeed affect other joints besides the big toe, and the pain can be excruciating. Many medications can raise uric-acid levels and increase the likelihood of developing gout.
Drugs to lower uric-acid levels can help manage gout. Celery seed extract and tart cherries are home remedies for gout, and celery seed has anti-inflammatory effects (Inflammopharmacology, December 2003).