Do you take Ibuprofen often for pain relief? Have you read what the side effects of Ibuprofen are? Would it surprise you to know that long term use can cause high blood pressure, blood clots, fluid retention (edema), heart attacks, heart failure, over-working of the liver, and kidney damage?
Quite alarming, I should say! I think you will agree with me that most drugs carry a side effects tag, but when it comes to pain killers, we need to be extra careful. Most people associate them with feeling well and so they pass as being safe. I particularly try not to take pain killers, but there are times when you cross the pain barrier and just have to take one, or two.
For any of you who suffer chronic pain daily, such as shoulder, back or joint pain, ibuprofen may be your choice of pain killer because of it`s power to dull serious pain quickly, but it`s a drug to be used with extra caution.
The side effects of ibuprofen that I particularly want you to be concerned about, are high blood pressure caused by poor liver function, fluid retention, and kidney damage.
The risk of high blood pressure seems to be higher for women than men, with 90% more women being at risk than those who don`t take it.
According to Dr John Forman, a hypertension specialist in the field of renal medicine, it is young women who use painkillers most.
Dr. Forman took part in a study of painkillers with 5000 women at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. They separated the women into two groups, one for older women and the other younger. Two drugs stood out as being the worst. Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen.
They discovered that the older women who took 400 mg of Ibuprofen on a daily basis, had a 78% risk of hypertension, that is significantly high, but the younger women beat that by a 60% higher figure.
Kidney Function
Poor Kidney Function is one of the serious side effects of Ibuprofen.
Your kidneys regulate the volume of body fluid and also balance potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium and other minerals by excreting and absorbing water and electrolytes. It all works together to control many functions, one being blood pressure and volume.
Salt needs to be excreted by the kidneys to keep blood pressure normal. The kidneys need to maintain circulation of blood through them to filter out waste too. If for example, you are dehydrated, your body will restrict blood flow to a minimum by narrowing the peripheral tissues, but the kidneys over-ride this mechanism and allow near normal blood flow in them by producing a certain type of prostaglandin that dilates blood vessels. Ibuprofen blocks these prostaglandins, not only those that cause inflammation, so the kidneys cannot work efficiently. The reduced blood flow to your kidneys causes sodium, fluid and water retention. This will push your blood pressure up.
So if you have impaired kidney function to begin with, which is common in the aged, and are taking Ibuprofen or other NSAIDs for arthritis, chances are you may have, or will develop high blood pressure and kidney disease.
The proof of this was discovered by researchers at The Hebrew Rehabilitation Center for the Aged and the Beth Israel Hospital in Boston. They did a study on 114 elderly women and men who were taking NSAIDs. As many as 13% of the group had signs of reduced kidney function, but when the drug was stopped, their kidneys quickly returned to normal function. The majority of them were taking Ibuprofen. [Ref:A]
How many of you are, or have elderly parents who are taking this drug for arthritis and have high blood pressure? Have you considered taking Aloe Vera Barbadensis or another natural anti-inflammatory as an alternative and home monitoring your blood pressure? If you do and you find that it drops, then you most likely have found the culprit.
Liver Function
The side effects of Ibuprofen also include liver problems. Too high a dose of ibuprofen can cause poor function of the liver or cause it to become inflamed. (hepatitis).
One of the functions of your liver is to process the drugs you take and change them into usable forms that your body can use. If you are overdosing it weakens the liver putting a strain on it and all the other functions it performs too.
One of those functions is to control the fat in you blood. When the liver is not working efficiently, the fat increases and makes your blood become more sticky, reducing the flow. This is a sure recipe for high blood pressure. Also something called aldosterone which balances sodium and potassium levels, builds up when the weak liver cannot break it down. Too much of this substance will cause a secretion of potassium and sodium retention. We already noted above, the effects this drug has on the kidneys and why sodium retention is a result of that also. Now if you have come across this site`s pages on these two minerals, you will know that this spells trouble. Blood pressure is bound to go up.
Now that you know poor kidney and liver function which produces salt and water retention are serious side effects of Ibuprofen, maybe it`s time to consider speaking to your doctor and changing to natural ways to reduce inflammation, a major factor causing chronic pain in shoulder, back or joints.
I personally would reach for powerful anti-oxidants that may reduce the inflammation, Aloe Vera Barbadensis also know to reduce inflammation, an ionic mineral solution to get the mineral balance right, and water, water, water!
25 Natural Ways To Lower Blood Pressure By James Scala is a book that explains in simple terms, how the kidneys and liver work in helping to control blood pressure. So if you are determined to go natural, this book is a excellent guide.
Liver Tincture is crucial in that it contains herbs that help the liver to rebuild and regenerate itself. A secondary benefit is that it will significantly reduce the liver’s release of LDL cholesterol. In addition to all of the herbs that support and cleanse the liver, this formula also contains the antiparasitic herbs Wormwood and Black walnut – designed to drive virtually any parasite from your body.
…and Stone Breaker provides herbal support for people suffering from stones or sludge in their kidneys, gallbladders, liver, or pancreas. It also provides support for people suffering from urinary tract infections or inflammation, and kidney problems in general.*
*THESE STATEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN EVALUATED BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION. THESE PRODUCTS ARE NOT INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT, CURE, OR PREVENT ANY DISEASE.