SIDE EFFECTS
Did you know prescription and over-the-counter medications can have negative side effects? These musculoskeletal adverse reactions can contribute to, or even mimic, the conditions you are seeing your healthcare practitioner for.
Muscle pain, back pain and adverse effects to the body from common prescription and over-the-counter drugs are becoming more and more prevalent. Medication induced myalgia and arthralgia are among the most commonly reported serious adverse drug reactions. Overall, musculoskeletal side effects range from temporarily disabling, as with muscle cramps, to debilitating long term.
It is important to understand how widespread this problem has become. Some of the most routine medications prescribed-such as those used to treat cholesterol, high blood pressure, acid reflux, diabetes, osteoporosis, inflammation, depression and even pain-can contribute to and/or cause negative musculoskeletal health conditions.
SIDE EFFECTS CAN CAUSE WEIGHT GAIN
It almost seems overly obvious to mention the fact that pain lands on most of the top lists of why people do not exercise. Of course pain in the body caused from medications is real pain, not imagined. It is frustrating to most patients because they do not understand why they have these side effects, and attribute it to failing health instead of their medications. Imagine being able to help pain caused by medications, by re-balancing the body through supplementation. Your patient will no longer dread exercising and will rest better at night, creating a happier, more satisfied life. And of course, as extra pounds are shed, inflammation in the body decreases and pain will further diminish.
SIDE EFFECTS EXAMPLE
One high profile example involves the class drugs known as serotonin reuptake inhibitors, which are all commonly prescribed to treat depression. Some of the musculoskeletal side effects associated with these drugs are:
* Back Pain
* Joint Pain
* Muscle Pain
* Arthritis
Comedians love to lampoon the side effects portion of pharmaceutical commercials, but the risks are no joke. Sadly, a person taking medication to help depression may now have chronic pain. This unexplained pain could easily contribute to the cycle of depression and promote an exclusion from even the simplest joys life.