Over the Counter Drugs and Their Side Affects

By Camille D'Amato, DC

Quality Chiropractic

More Complementary & Integrative Healthcare Articles

Over the Counter Drugs and Their Side Affects

Many Americans take over the counter drugs as if they were candy. We are so used to popping an aspirin to soothe a headache, or an antacid for an upset stomach, that we do not realize that like alcohol, they too can become addictive. When over the counter and prescription drugs are taken on a continual basis they affect our body's chemical balance. Every substance we take into our body changes our body and it's important that we understand the long-term effects — and the alternatives.

For example, Antibiotics are widely overprescribed. Pediatricians and family physicians commonly prescribe antibiotics for children suffering from a cold or viral infection (which they are useless against). The more antibiotics we take, the more resistant germs become to them and eventually make them ineffective against bacterial infections for which they were designed to treat.

Ibuprofen (anti-inflammatory) and other painkillers are also over utilized and lead to the body becoming further injured. Why? These medications can temporarily make someone feel better, then they go ahead and engage in an activity that is likely to damage the muscle or injured area (like lifting, bending etc.), further damaging the area of injury. Remember, just because the “pain has been killed” does not mean that the body is healed and ready to get to work.

Within each of us is our natural ability to heal. This will occur if our nervous system is functioning properly and is free from nerve interference. The brain needs to talk to the body, and the body needs to respond to the environment and give feedback to the body. This does not happen if there are subluxations/misalignments in the spine.

If these subluxations were removed and prevented, the need for people to “pop” as many pills as they do would diminish. Oh, poor drug companies. No wonder they spend so much money on marketing to you with flashy ads and promises. They would lose millions of dollars if people chose an alternative, a healthier way to treat their pain and body.

Chiropractic care enables this communication to happen freely. The chiropractic adjustment allows the body to heal from the inside out by removing the nerve interference, NOT from the outside in by putting in drugs.

So before you reach into your medicine cabinet, think twice. Continual use of these drugs may lead to more harm than just an addiction. I don't believe that Americans are sick and unhealthy because of the lack of drugs in our world, do you? So why are we still so unhealthy? Subluxations. Call your chiropractor today and let health begin.