ask our pharmacist

BUILD UP YOUR CUSHY ZONE

One of the reasons you

have so much pain is the

grinding between your

joints. There is little or no

in our bodies, but we ma ke

less with age. Taking glu-

cosamine as a supplement

gives you a boost to build

❚ Take 500 to 1,000 mg of glucosamine twice a day with meals.

cartilage left, so instead of up the cartilage—your

a cushy zone between

your joints, they grind

against one another. Glu-

cosamine can help. This

substance comes from

crushed shells of crabs,

lobster, crawfish and

shrimp. We also make it

cushy zone. The famous

GAIT study found that

glucosamine (with chon-

droitin) relieved joint pain

better than Celebrex. Plus,

glucosamine won’t make

pinholes in your gut the

way NSAID drugs can.

Sometimes What You
Eat Can Hurt You.

Foods such as tomatoes,

eggplants, peppers, cher-

EXPERTS

ries, pimentos, tomatillos

and potatoes may cause

a flare-up in pain. Spices

such as paprika and

cayenne pepper can be

OUR

offenders, too. These all

belong to the nightshade

family. If you’ve noticed

ASK

pain after eating any of

these foods, avoid them.

Hopefully, you’ll soon see

signs of improvement.

(either prescribed or natural) may pose a problem.

If you are in severe pain, your doctor may bring out the big guns and prescribe a narcotic painkiller such as Darvocet (contains propoxy phene/acetaminophen)

or Vicodin/Lortab (contains hydrocodone and acetaminophen). These medications are addictive, so stick to the lowest effective dose and use it only when you really need to. While taking these medications, you should avoid driving or operating machinery.

 

Options in OTC Meds Some of you would rather try an over-the-counter (OTC) pain reliever before going to your doctor. Tylenol or store brand acetaminophen should be your first choice for treating minor joint pain because they do not typically cause stomach discomfort, nor do they produce edema or swelling in the hands and feet. It’s OK to combine this with natural remedies. Because acetaminophen is a common ingredient in cough/cold products and sleep meds, it’s easy to get too

much (more than 4,000 mg in one day). Take 500 to 1,000 mg two or three times a day. Prescription Motrin is sold in a lower dosage OTC under the brand names Advil and Motrin IB, along with a store-brand generic version called Ibuprofen. Prescription Naprosyn is also sold OTC as Aleve and generic naproxen. Store brand generics are great because they save you money.

NSAIDs in general have to be avoided in people with heartburn, GERD or ulcers. They may upset the stomach, causing nausea, diarrhea or constipation. NSAIDs also increase edema, so I cannot recommend these to people with high blood pressure or heart disease. Finally, NSAIDs (including aspirin) can thin the blood, so they should be avoided by people who take blood-thinning medications, such as Coumadin (warfarin), Plavix and the herbs ginkgo and ginger. Stick to lower dosages, such as 500 to 1,000 mg two or three times a day with meals. Avoid these meds if you have liver disease, or a history of alcoholism or pancreatic problems.

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