Real Time Pain Relief

For almost half a century the most common term for a pain medication was a "Pain Killer".  That was until the research proved that the pain medications produced by these Billion Dollar Drug Companies where literally killing their customers' kidneys, livers and even their customers.  Now the drug companies prefer the term "Pain Reliever".

Pain Relief products are basically broken down into three categories:

• OTC (over the counter) drugs which can be purchased without a prescription.
• Prescription Medications
• Topical Treatments

First let's take a look at the most dangerous and most abused OTC:The OTC drugs break down into two categories:

• NSAID = Non-Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drug -- Motrin, Advil, Aleve, Naproxen, Nuprin, Actron, Orudis, Bayer Asprin and Bufferin.
•  Acetaminophen – Anacin, Excedrin and Tylenol

Shocking Research Headlines

• "If you take Tylenol for four days as directed you may be at risk of liver damage." (1)
•  "Liver toxicity from acetaminophen poisoning is by far the most common cause of acute liver failure in the United States." (2)
•  "Tylenol is the #1 cause of liver failure in US" (3)
•  "Even at normal NSAID dosages, people with compromised kidney function can develop NSAID toxicity" (4)
•  "The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns that people using NSAIDs may have a higher risk of having a heart attack or stroke."
•  "Adverse effects of NSAIDs cause 103,000 hospitalizations and 16,500 deaths per year in the United States." (5)
•  "In patients with such a history, however, use of NSAIDs (aside from low-dose aspirin) was associated with more than 10-fold increase in heart failure." (6)
•  "In 2001 NSAIDs accounted for 30 billion over-the-counter doses sold annually in the United States."
•  "You may as well wear a sign, 'Please kill my kidneys'." (7)

THINK ABOUT THIS …

There are more than 30 BILLION NSAID doses purchased over-the-counter (OTC) and over 70 million pain killer prescriptions written (annually) in the United States!  That’s enough pain medications for every American (over the age of 20) to take 149 doses of pain medications per year.  That is a frightening statistic when research shows that the onset of organ damage can begin in just 4 days of recommended use. 

Could it be that America’s health care problem is actually a “pill popping” problem that has been fueled by BILLIONS of dollars (from the big drug companies) on massive Television, Print and Internet advertising that is aggressively directed at consumers?

Standard NSAID Warnings

Long-term use of NSAIDs is a common cause of ulcers. NSAID-related bleeding and stomach problems may be responsible for over 100,000 hospital admissions and over 15,000 deaths each year. Because there are usually no gastrointestinal symptoms from NSAIDs until bleeding begins, health care providers cannot predict which patients taking these drugs will develop bleeding.

Regular use of even over-the-counter NSAIDs can cause certain health problems, such as:

• Ulcers and gastrointestinal bleeding (9)
•  Increased blood pressure -- people with hypertension, severe vascular disease, kidney, or liver problems and those taking diuretics must be closely monitored if they need to take NSAIDs.
•  Delayed emptying of the stomach, which could interfere with the actions of other drugs - The elderly are at special risk.
•  Dizziness
•  Tinnitus (ringing in the ear)
•  Headache
•  Skin rash
•  Depression
•  Confusion or bizarre sensation (in some higher-potency NSAIDs, notably indomethacin)
•  Kidney damage (10)
•  Erectile Dysfunction (11)
•  Stomach Bleeding Resulting in Death

Epidemic Proportions

"Consumers usually have no idea of the toxicity of OTC drugs," said Dr. Walter Peterson, professor emeritus of medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. "They believe that because they are OTC, they are safe."  -- In 2001 NSAIDs accounted for 30 billion over-the-counter doses sold annually in the United States.

How NSAIDs work

"Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) block the COX enzymes and reduce prostaglandins throughout the body. As a consequence, ongoing inflammation, pain, and fever are reduced. Since the prostaglandins that protect the stomach and support platelets and blood clotting also are reduced, NSAIDs can cause ulcers in the stomach and promote bleeding.

NSAIDs are associated with several side effects. The frequency of side effects varies among NSAIDs. The most common side effects are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, decreased appetite, rash, dizziness, headache, and drowsiness. NSAIDs may also cause fluid retention, leading to edema. The most serious side effects are kidney failure, liver failure, ulcers and prolonged bleeding after an injury or surgery.

NSAIDs may increase the risk of potentially fatal, stomach and intestinal adverse reactions (for example, bleeding, ulcers and perforation of the stomach or intestines). These events can occur at any time during treatment and without warning symptoms. Elderly patients are at greater risk for these adverse events. NSAIDs (except low dose aspirin) may increase the risk of potentially fatal heart attacks, stroke, and related conditions. This risk may increase with duration of use and in patients who have underlying risk factors for heart and blood vessel disease. NSAIDs should not be used for the treatment of pain resulting from coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery." (8)

Athletes and NSAIDs

"Ibuprofen, like other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), has several potential side effects. The two most frequently affected organ systems are the renal (kidneys) and gastrointestinal (GI) systems. In the case of the former, kidney damage, usually reversible, can result from chronic ingestion of NSAIDs. It may also happen as the result of short term ingestion, (i.e. one or two doses). There are contributing factors which increase the risk of renal toxicity (e.g. diabetes, dehydration). Apart from damage to the kidneys, NSAIDs alter how the kidneys regulate sodium and water balance -- which may have profound consequences in hot training and racing environments.

The GI system is also a site for potential damage from NSAIDs. Stomach ulcers can be a potentially serious consequence of NSAID use, particularly if the ulcers bleed. NSAIDs have also been shown to cause gastritis, and irritation elsewhere in the GI tract (e.g. diarrhea). NSAIDs also inhibit platelet function and thus contribute to bleeding. This may make injuries worse (e.g. more bleeding into a torn muscle). Finally, NSAIDs alter the function of neutrophils (one type of white blood cell). This may impair response to infectious agents -- viruses and bacteria.

   I strongly recommend against the routine use of NSAIDs during training and racing. They will not make you faster, nor help you recover quicker. The use of these medications during very challenging conditions, such as an Ironman, is particularly dangerous. You may as well wear a sign, "Please kill my kidneys". NSAIDs are useful for short term treatment of overuse injuries, but it is a mistake for the athlete to rely on this treatment long term. The athlete is much better off examining the conditions that lead to the injury -- both biomechanical and training schedule. If these issues are not addressed, then the injury will keep recurring."  -- Sports Medicine at Rice University

RTPR’s Purpose is To Help Our Customers “Enjoy Living Again” without Harmful Side Effects

We believe: When Americans really understand the negative side effects of synthetic painkillers, they will choose a safe alternative.

We believe: There is no greater calling than to make a real difference in the life of another person.

Real Time Pain Relief - Product Overview (http://rtpr.com/media/rtpr-product-overview.pdf)

References

1. Journal of the American Medical Association, 5 July issue. http://jama.ama-assn.org/gca?submit=Get+All+Checked+Abstracts&gca=jama%3B296%2F1%2F87
2. By Neil Osterweil, Senior Associate Editor, MedPage Today Published: November 30, 2005 Reviewed by Robert Jasmer, MD; Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco http://www.medpagetoday.com/Psychiatry/Depression/2233
3. http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg18825295.000-safe-painkiller-is-leading-cause-of-liver-failure.html
4. http://www.lef.org/protocols/appendix/otc_toxicity_01.htm (Whelton A et al 1991).
5. An estimated 10-20% of NSAID patients experience dyspepsia, and NSAID-associated upper gastrointestinal adverse events are estimated to result in 103,000 hospitalizations and 16,500 deaths per year in the United States, and represent 43% of drug-related emergency visits. Many of these events are avoidable; a review of physician visits and prescriptions estimated that unnecessary prescriptions for NSAIDs were written in 42% of visits. Kearney, Pm; Baigent, C; Godwin, J; Halls, H; Emberson, Jr; Patrono, C (June 2006). "Do selective cyclo-oxygenase-2 inhibitors and traditional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs increase the risk of atherothrombosis? Meta-analysis of randomised trials" (Free full text). BMJ (Clinical research ed.) 332 (7553): 1302–8. doi:10.1136/bmj.332.7553.1302.ISSN 0959-8138. PMC 1473048. PMID 16740558
6. Page, J; Henry, D (March 2000). "Consumption of NSAIDs and the development of congestive heart failure in elderly patients: an under recognized public health problem" (Free full text). Archives of internal medicine 160 (6): 777–84.doi:10.1001/archinte.160.6.777. ISSN 0003-9926. PMID 10737277.
7. http://www.rice.edu/~jenky/sports/nsaid.html
8. Medicinenet.com
9. The main adverse drug reactions (ADRs) associated with use of NSAIDs relate to direct and indirect irritation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. NSAIDs cause a dual assault on the GI tract: the acidic molecules directly irritate the gastricmucosa, and inhibition of COX-1 and COX-2 reduces the levels of protective prostaglandins. Traversa, G; Walker, Am; Ippolito, Fm; Caffari, B; Capurso, L; Dezi, A; Koch, M; Maggini, M; Alegiani, Ss; Raschetti, R (January 1995). "Gastroduodenal toxicity of different nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs". Epidemiology (Cambridge, Mass.) 6 (1): 49–54. doi:10.1097/00001648-199501000-00010. ISSN 1044-3983. PMID 7888445.
10. NSAIDs can cause kidney problems, especially in the elderly and those with kidney disease… Any sudden weight gain or swelling should be reported to a physician. Anyone with kidney disease should avoid these drugs. – NY Times Health http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/acute-gouty-arthritis/treatment:-acute-gout-attack.html
11. A 2005 study linked long term (over 3 months) use of NSAIDs, including ibuprofen, with a 1.4 times increased risk of erectile dysfunction. ^ Shiri et al (Received 2005-05-21). "Effect of Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug Use on the Incidence of Erectile Dysfunction". Journal of Urology 175 (5): 1812–1816. Retrieved 12 June 2011.  And  "Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs linked to increased risk of erectile dysfunction". sciencedaily.com. 2 March 2011. Retrieved 7 June 2011.