It's unfortunate that it is still common practice in the United States for a doctor to tell their patients "just take these pills" when they are seen for neck or back pain. At the same time, many patients are beginning to realize that the detrimental side effects from these pain pills completely outweigh their short-term benefits. And what's even worse is that often, the pills don't even help mask the pain.

Here are just a few of them most commonly prescribed pharmaceuticals and their side effects.

• NSAlDs:
  Drugs like Ibuprophen (Motrin Advil), Naproxen (Aleve), and Aspirin may cause an increased risk of heart attacks, blood clots, and strokes, which can be fatal. NSAIDs also increase the risk of serious gastrointestinal (GI) adverse events including inflammation, bleeding, ulceration, perforation of the stomach or intestines, which can be fatal and most often occur without warning symptoms.2
• Acetaminophen:
  (Tylenol™ and others) do not have anti-inflammatory effects like NSAIDs but are commonly taken for chronic pain. Used in over 600 medications. 3 Annually, acetaminophen toxicity kills nearly 500 people and causes 56,000 ER visits, 2,600 hospitalizations, and 100,000+ calls to Poison Control Centers.4 Overdose of acetaminophen is the leading cause of Acute Liver Failure which may feel like flu symptoms over several days. Coma and death can rapidly occur in one-third of Acute Liver failures.5 Acute Liver failure can occur using the maximum 4 grams (gm) per day dose for five or more consecutive days (4) 10% of Acute Liver Failure victims used 2-4 daily gm. 4 Acetaminophen causes half of all Acute Liver Failures. Of these cases, 38% had combined two or more Acetaminophen containing preparations.5 Alcohol used with more than 2 gm of Acetaminophen can cause Acute Liver Failure.5
• Opioids:
  These powerful prescription narcotics are extremely addictive and may cause permanent physical changes in the brain. Commonly prescribed opioids are oxycodone (OxyContin), hydrocodone (well-known brands Vicodin and Lortab contain acetaminophen), and methadone. The #1 selling U.S. drug is hydrocodone. With 135 million prescriptions, the U.S. uses 99% of the world's hydrocodone.6 Hydrocodone caused 62% of accidental Acetominophen-induced Acute Liver Failures.5 7

So what would you do? Do you want to risk any of the above conditions (maybe the word DEATH caught your attention)? What if I told you that there was a better and more effective way to treat your pain with no side effects?

Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression is the #1 choice for patients who are suffering from neck and/or back pain due to degenerative disc disease, bulges and herniations and even spinal stenosis. Unlike irreversible spinal surgery, there is no down time, no hospitalization and no scar tissue development or limited post-surgical range of motion.

86% of patients who undergo Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression report "good" to "excellent" long-lasting results and are extremely satisfied with the treatment and the outcome.

References: 1. http://www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/pain_relievers.pdf. 2. http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/SAFETY/2OO6/Jan_PI/AdultNSAIDRxTemplate.pdf. 3. http://www.fda.gov/cder/consumerinfo/acetaminophen.pdf. 4. W. Lee. Acetaminophen Toxicity: Changing Perceptions on a Social/Medical Issue. Hepatology. 2007; 46(4). 5. A. Larsen et al. Unintentional Acetaminophen Induced Acute Liver Failure in U.S. Gastroenterol. 2006; 131:963-971. 6. Drug Enforcement Administration: Diversion Control Program. 2008. http://www.thci.org/Opioid/marO8docs/Gallagher.pdf 7. L. Paulozzi. CDC,Trends in Unintentional Drug Overdose Deaths. Testimony before U.S. Senate. March 12. 2008.

Pills vs. Spinal Decompression

PHARMACEUTICALS/PILLS:

• Temporarily mask the pain
• Doesn't address the underlying problem(s)
• Serious side effects, such as kidney and liver damage
• Risk of further injury
• Risk of addiction with opioids

SPINAL DECOMPRESSION:

• Successful long term pain relief
• Addresses the actual underlying problem