Prescription drugs have many side effects and at Cliffs Chiropractic we know that medication from your GP or consultant can save your life or improve it, but it can also come with unwanted side effects. It’s important to remember that drugs are not necessarily safe and to be aware of the side-effects.
Your medical history is important to us and we need to know all the medication you are taking. Make sure you let your chiropractor know about the drugs you are on – read on to find out how we can help you.
Record numbers of people are suffering or dying as a result of prescription drug side effects. All medications, both over-the-counter and prescription, have some kind of undesirable and sometimes dangerous after effects, from muscle aches to death.
Prescription pills are Britain’s third biggest killer with psychiatric drugs reckoned to be the third biggest killer after heart disease and cancer. For instance, antipsychotics, commonly given to dementia patients to keep them quiet, raise the risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke. Psychiatric drugs also make falls more likely, and breaking a hip can shorten life significantly, while some antidepressants are linked to a potentially deadly irregular heartbeat. More than one million people in the UK are addicted to sleeping pills and anti-anxiety drugs, according to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Involuntary Tranquiliser Addiction, even though for years official advice has been to not prescribe them for longer than four weeks.
At Cliffs Chiropractic we have recently had a big increase in patients suffering from the side effects of their drugs, they had symptoms such as heart arrhythmia, gastric reflux, nausea, headaches and they were all being given further drugs and even a pacemaker to cover up the symptoms.
The answer is not to stop taking your drugs, they may be very necessary. However, if you are experiencing symptoms do look up yourself if they could be a side effect of a drug you are taking. Read the leaflet that comes in the packet or Google it. GP’s are busy people and cannot remember the side effects of all drugs so take control yourself. Go and ask your GP and remind him about the possible effects of what you are taking.
Ask your chiropractor for advice he will be able to guide you and help you with a natural solution to the side effect. There are plenty of natural alternatives that are safe and may help relieve your symptoms.
Possibly the most common side effects of any prescription drug are gastric issues, such as nausea, constipation and diarrhoea, because most drugs go through the digestive system to be absorbed. Other common after effects include drowsiness, pain, dizziness and skin reactions.
There may be a simple solution such as always eating with your medication or sipping chamomile tea afterwards or taking a ginger capsule for nausea. Other solutions could include drinking more water to stay hydrated, eating more often and smaller meals.
Melanie Soomro says, “As a Medical Herbalist I can successfully treat many of these conditions naturally and my aim is always to reduce prescription drugs as much as possible (in conjunction with your GP). As the liver is the centre of detoxification for the body including dealing with the end products of drugs often a simple liver cleanse can do away with the side effects of these drugs. It is our aim to help the body function at its optimum and with the right herbs, supplements and lifestyle advice we can minimise the use of drugs”
If you would like advice please talk to Arif or Paz at your next appointment or book an appointment to see Melanie for an assessment and get your body functioning optimally.
