The average Nigerian is a doctor, even
if he never went beyond the elementary school. To get a free and
unsolicited drug prescription, just complain of one ailment and the drug
referrals begin to flow like a deluge.
People don’t just prescribe drugs or
home remedies for others, they also “treat” themselves whenever what
they consider manageable health issues crop up. Consequently, by the
time many people finally think of seeking professional help, they are
almost ready for the morgue.
Perhaps after sleeping pills, the next
commonest drug of abuse is pain relief medication. People take
over-the-counter-drugs 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.
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
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.
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.
Punch News
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