Painkillers
The
way some people pop painkillers seem to suggest that the drugs are
candies with another name! It is such that many people don’t even
consider the fact that they need to see a doctor or, at least, a
pharmacist, to complain about whatever pain they may be feeling.
Consequently, by the time many people finally think of seeking medical help, they are almost ready for the morgue.
Perhaps after sleeping pills, the next
commonest drug of abuse is pain relief medication. People take pain
medications for the relief of pain in various parts of the body and also
for various health challenges. Many people are even unaware that
certain pain medications are better suited for certain ailments and are
therefore better prescribed by a competent professional, who will also
monitor the effects, especially when such drugs are to be used for
extended period, as in the treatment of chronic pain conditions like
arthritis, cancer, etc.
It
has been revealed that chronic pain relief drugs — also called
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs — can wreak havoc on the body,
sometimes with debilitating effects. Scientists argue that, just like
other drugs, chronic pain medications are not to be trifled with, even
when they appear harmless and ‘gentle’ to the stomach.
Risk of erectile dysfunction
According to a new study published in the journal
Spine, men who are taking prescription pain pills in high doses and
over long periods of time are more likely to experience erectile
dysfunction — characterised by the inability to develop or maintain an
erection of the penis during sexual performance.
That was the bombshell delivered by
scientists at Oregon Health & Science University, Portland Oregon,
USA. The lead researcher, Dr. Richard Deyo, notes that opioids —
medications that relieve pain – are known to cause changes in
testosterone levels, leading to erectile dysfunction. The researchers
had examined 11,000 men who were taking prescription opioids for chronic
back pain.
They conclude that men who took
high-doses of certain prescription painkillers for longer than four
months were 50 per cent more likely to require medication to treat
erectile dysfunction than men who were not taking painkillers.
Hormone imbalance and baldness
Another study published in the Pain Physician
Journal and led by Professor/Academic Director of Pain Management,
Albany Medical College, Department of Anesthesiology, Albany, New York
City, Dr. Howard Smith, enthuses that in the past few decades, the use
of opioids as a long-term treatment for chronic pain has increased
dramatically. However, he says, this comes at a price, especially for
men, in terms of hormone imbalance, with symptoms like reduced libido,
erectile dysfunction, fatigue, hot flashes, and depression.
The scientists also note that the
symptoms may include reduced facial and body hair, anaemia, decreased
muscle mass, weight gain, infertility, osteopenia (unusually low bone
mineral density) or osteoporosis (weak bones).
Another study by Finnish scientists who
examined more than 1,100 men between 50 and 70 years of age found that
erectile dysfunction was much higher among painkiller users than among
non-users. The study is published in the May issue of the Journal of Urology.
Deyo and his team say their findings add
to a wealth of evidence indicating that long-term opioid treatment for
chronic pain should be avoided when possible. “Patients who take opioids
for extended periods often develop a tolerance to the medicine and can
even experience greater sensitivity to pain over time,” Deyo says.
Ageing and pain
Yet, humans may not be in charge of their
pain, it turns out, as researchers at Harvard Medical School say as we
age, pain and pain control become an important issue, because many of
the conditions that cause pain disproportionately affect people starting
at about age 65.
They note that several of the conditions
that can prolong or amplify pain, such as insomnia, become more common
with age. “As age makes our mental and physical health more tenuous, our
ability to weather the slings and arrows of pain diminishes too.
“All of this puts a premium on effective
pain treatment in older people. But there’s a catch, because the most
effective painkillers available have side effects that occur more often
and more severely in older people.”
General practitioner, Dr. Tomi Abegunde,
says in addition to these revelations, the categories of people that may
be affected are those taking pain relief drugs for long-term chronic
conditions such as high blood pressure, depression, anxiety, epilepsy,
Parkinson’s disease, cancers, arthritis, etc.
Others are those who take drugs that aid
the production of urine, anti-allergies, muscle relaxants, drugs that
suppress abnormal rhythms of the heart, drugs used to treat duodenal
ulcers and prevent their return, etc.
Abegunde notes that the pain relief drugs
usually prescribed for these conditions not only affect and oftentimes
suppress the central nervous system, they can also cause serious damage
to the blood vessels, resulting in permanent erectile dysfunction.
However, he warns that if you notice this symptom, don’t just discontinue the drug; see your doctor immediately.
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