Pain Killers Are Actually Killing Patients.

More people die in America every year from prescription drug abuse than die from heroin and cocaine combined. That stunning finding comes in a new report Tuesday from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC found a fourfold increase in deaths from prescription narcotics over the past decade. Not surprisingly, it coincides with a fourfold increase in the number of prescriptions written for the powerful painkillers.

More and more kids are showing up in the emergency room after accidental poisoning from prescription drugs. One reason could be that children have a hard time telling the difference between medicine and candy. See how a 12-year-old proved this theory

In 2008, the most recent year for which there are statistics, there were 20,044 overdose deaths from prescription drugs. Of those, 14,800 were from narcotic painkillers.

“Prescription overdoses are epidemic in the U.S.”, says Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the CDC. Most people who die from prescription drug overdose are taking someone else’s medicines, he says. “Medicines that were left in the medicine cabinet. Medicines that were given to a friend or a relative. Maybe innocently, maybe maliciously.”

Prescription narcotics are being handed out almost like candy by doctors – some of whom are genuinely interested in patient care – others who run so-called “pill mills”, where narcotic prescriptions are traded for cash to feed addictions. The CDC study found that enough narcotics are prescribed every year to medicate each and every adult in America every day for a month.

“It’s astonishing”, says Frieden. He adds that many addictions begin innocently, when patients are given narcotics for a minor injury that could be treated with less addictive medication. “When I went to medical school, we were incorrectly assured – don’t worry – if patients have short-term pain, they won’t get hooked. That was completely wrong, and a generation of doctors, patients and families have learned that’s a tragic mistake.”

Death and abuse rates vary widely across the country and don’t necessarily correlate. New Mexico has the highest death rate, followed by West Virginia, Nevada, Utah and Alaska. The highest abuse rate is in Oklahoma, followed by Oregon, Washington state, Rhode Island and Kentucky. The CDC report also found the highest death rates tend to be in either rural or impoverished counties.

The prescription drug epidemic has created a monumental law enforcement problem. The incoming Sheriff in Florida’s Pinellas County calls it “The most serious public safety issue we face.” Bob Gualtieri admits that despite intensive efforts at enforcement – targeting pill mills and users, they haven’t made a dent in the problem. And he says – unlike the crack cocaine epidemic of the 1990s, which was mostly an inner-city problem, prescription drug abuse is far more widespread. “This problem crosses all walks of life, crosses all socio-economic classes. Crosses all races and gender, national origin, age.”

In fact, the CDC report found the death rate among non-Hispanic whites and American Indians/Alaska Natives was three times higher than among Blacks and Hispanic whites.

Many states have passed new laws to monitor the prescribing of narcotic painkillers. Dr. Frieden says some laws have made a difference. Washington state, for example, has lowered its death rate, though it remains high.

Despite modest inroads, CDC researchers say the epidemic of prescription narcotic overdoses has continued to worsen. In today’s report, they caution doctors to only use narcotic painkillers in patients who are carefully screened and monitored, and for whom non-narcotic medications are insufficient.

That recommendation may help to reduce the number of new patients who inadvertently get hooked. The intentional abuse of prescription drugs among people who may prefer them to illicit substances like cocaine and heroin is another problem altogether, and one experts say can only be attacked through education and law enforcement.

For more information, or for the complete article, go to http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/11/01/prescription-drug-deaths-skyrocket/

Questions Answered

Below are three questions that patients and others have recently asked. I felt that you may benefit from this information. Enjoy!

Question: Are probiotics different than digestive enzymes? – submitted by Jane Carlson.

Answer: Yes, probiotics and digestive enzymes are different, but they both aid and support healthy digestion. Probiotics are ‘live’ supplemental microorganisms (healthy bacteria) that support the native ‘flora’ in the digestive tract. Digestive enzymes, on the other hand, help to catalyze and breakdown sugars, fats, and proteins to make them more readily absorbable into the bloodstream. – Dr. Gordon

Question: My husband has been suffering with a herniated disc in his lower back for 3 years since he had a lifting injury at work. After speaking with multiple specialists, they tell him that the only thing that they can do is surgery. Are there any other options for him? – submitted by M. Ferring

Answer: Mrs. Ferring, I’m sorry to hear about the suffering that your husband has endured over the past 3 years due to his back injury. Your question is a very common question that I am asked at least 2-3x per week. Without seeing your husband’s MRI and examining him, I can only speak in generalities regarding herniated discs in the lumbar spine. From my experience, I have found that most treatments for herniated discs are focused on treating the symptoms (pain relievers, anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxers, epidural injections, etc…). Unfortunately, to treat the underlying cause of most disc injuries, the treatment options are rather limited. Spinal surgery is definitely one option, and there are multiple types of surgeries depending on the specific disc injury. In my practice, I incorporate the DRX 9000 Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression System to treat disc bulges, protrusions, and herniations. This is a non-surgical alternative treatment for disc injuries which helps to reduce the size and severity of disc herniations, as well as rehydrating the disc so that it can withstand the daily stresses and strains that it must endure. An MRI or CT scan is required to determine if a patient is a good candidate for the DRX 9000, and to rule out contraindications to treatment. – Dr. Gordon

Question: I was recently diagnosed with osteoporosis after having a bone density scan performed on my lower back and hip. My doctor has prescribed Fosamax to improve my bone density. Do I need to keep taking calcium, and if so what kind is best? – submitted by Ruth Parsons

Answer: To answer your question succinctly, yes you need to continue taking calcium. Studies have shown that bone density is optimized in those patients taking Fosamax when they also take adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D. As far as which form of calcium is best, I personally recommend that my patients use calcium citrate, calcium lactate/malate, or calcium MCHC. I also highly recommend taking calcium in a ‘capsule’ rather than a tablet. Many patients not only have difficulty swallowing the large tablets, but also digesting and assimilating the nutrients from the tablets. Remember, calcium requires sufficient amounts of hydrochloric acid (HCl) in the stomach to be absorbed and assimilated. Those people who take Tums® with calcium are neutralizing their HCl and thus inhibiting proper absorption. Recommended calcium dosage is 1,000mg – 1,500mg per day depending on the individual needs of the patient. Vitamin D is also important for calcium absorption and metabolism, helping to regulate bone mineralization and blood calcium concentration. There is currently a debate as to the proper supplementation dosage for Vitamin D, as prior recommended dosages have now been found to inadequate. I personally recommend 2,500 – 5,000 I.U. per day to my patients depending on their needs and their blood levels. I recommend testing both calcium and Vitamin D blood levels prior to beginning any supplementation, and I recheck blood levels of these nutrients 6-8 weeks later. – Dr. Gordon

Danger of NSAIDS

Many visionary health care providers warned about it. Most laughed it off. Now, the research is really piling up and the evidence is getting too strong to ignore.
Back in July 1998, The American Journal of Medicine reported, "Conservative calculations estimate that approximately 107,000 patients are hospitalized annually for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)-related gastrointestinal (GI) complications and at least 16,500 NSAID-related deaths occur each year among arthritis patients alone. The figures of all NSAID users would be overwhelming, yet the scope of this problem is generally under-appreciated."
From the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine: “If deaths from gastrointestinal toxic effects from NSAIDs were tabulated separately in the National Vital Statistics reports, these effects would constitute the 15th most common cause of death in the United States. Yet these toxic effects remain mainly a 'silent epidemic,' with many physicians and most patients unaware of the magnitude of the problem.
Furthermore, the mortality statistics do not include deaths ascribed to the use of over-the-counter NSAIDS."
A New Study Warns
Heart Patients About NSAIDs
According to the Elsevier Global Medical News, “For patients with a history of myocardial infarction, any length of treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs poses an unacceptably high risk for death or recurrent heart attacks, based on findings from a Danish study using hospital and pharmacy registry data and published online May 9, 2011 in the journal Circulation.
The risk elevation began during the first week of therapy and continued throughout the course of treatment, with some differences in the magnitude of risk between NSAIDs.”
The authors stressed the results of the study are not in line with the American Heart Association recommendations regarding NSAID treatment in patients with established cardiovascular disease “because we demonstrate that even short-term NSAID treatment is associated with increased cardiovascular risk in patients with prior MI,”
The article also stated, “Despite some limitations of the study, namely the observational design and the possible effects of information bias, and the need for randomized clinical studies... The accumulating evidence suggests that we must limit NSAID use to the absolute minimum in patients with established cardiovascular disease.”
You Are Probably Taking NSAIDs
And Do Not Even Know It
Estimates say that over 30 billion over the counter tablets and 70 million prescriptions are sold annually in the United States alone.
NSAIDs include Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Advil, and Motrin as well as prescription products like Celebrex, Daypro and more.
Is There A Better Pain Solution?
One of the principles of medicine is, “first do no harm.” In other words, make sure the treatment is not worse than the original problem.
That’s why, if at all possible, conservative natural options should always be looked into before more invasive and chemical treatments are used.
Chiropractic care has been helping patients relieve pain naturally, without the deadly side effects of NSAIDs since 1895.
As research and proof piles up – and so do the deaths - Chiropractic care becomes the intelligent, obvious alternative choice. In addition, natural anti-inflammatory products such as omega 3 fish oils and turmeric have potent anti-inflammatory effects and are a great alternative to NSAIDS. (see this month’s insert in the newsletter for 15% off special on our anti-inflammatory supplements Orthomega & Inflammablox.)

New Vitamin D Study

Vitamin D deficiency study: the latest research from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey shows that from 2001-2004, an alarming 77% of Americans were found to be deficient in vitamin D. This is leading the Institute of Medicine to reassess the RDA for vitamin D.

More vitamin D: Vitamin D deficiency is now shown to be related to increased risk for nervous system disorders, diabetes, allergies, cancer, and heart disease. If you haven't had your vitamin D levels checked, it's quick and easy. Call our office at 734-9995 and schedule a vitamin D blood test for only $60.00. It's some of the best preventative medicine that you can do for yourself and your family.

Anti-Ulcer Medications Found to Increase Hip and Spine Fractures

U.S. health regulators said that patients taking prescription ulcer drugs at high doses or for longer periods may have increased risk of fractures of the hip, wrist and spine.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it was revising the prescription and over-the-counter labels for the drugs to include new safety information about the possible increased risk of fractures.

The increased fractures are due to the decreased acid in the stomach which inhibits assimilation and absorption of certain minerals, especially calcium and iron. That's why 'Tums with Calcium' is quite ironic. The antacid neutralizes hydrochloric acid, which in turn inhibits calcium absorption. Quite the marketing ploy.

Florida Chiropractic Foundation Fundraiser

The Florida Chiropractic Foundation funds several scholarships per year for chiropractic students at the two chiropractic schools in the State of Florida. The Foundation also contributes money for research in the fields of chiropractic and biomechanics at the University of South Florida. To increase fund-raising, the Foundation has established a raffle with a grand prize of a 2011 Cadillac SRX. Tickets are $100 per raffle ticket, and there are early bird drawing with the winner taking home $1,000.00 per ticket. Contact our office at 734-9995 if you are interested in a raffle ticket(s), or go to www.floridachiropracticfoundation.org/