What Safe Pain Relief Options Are Left?
It seems that every time we open a newspaper, we read about yet another danger from a popular pain reliever. Are there any safe options left to relieve our aches and pains? The most widely used pain and anti-inflammatory medications are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which include popular brands like Motrin and Aleve and the various brands of aspirin. There was much excitement when COX-2-selective NSAIDs were introduced about 7 years ago, because they were associated with less gastrointestinal bleeding, the most dangerous side effect of aspirin and some of the other NSAIDs. By 2005, however, two of the most popular COX-2 drugs, Vioxx (rofecoxib) and Bextra (valdecoxib), were removed from the market because they significantly increased the risk of cardiovascular events. A recent study has suggested that the cardiovascular risk of Vioxx may continue for at least a year after the drug has been discontinued, a finding that’s led some heart experts to recommend “vigilant fol
