Many herbalists would say that one needs to use NSAIDs with caution because they interfere with the inflammatory process. Think about it…inflammation is one of the many functions of the immune system and has evolved over millions of years as an effective response to injury. Pain and inflammation prevent over-use of the injured body part (thereby reducing chance of further injury), provide immobilisation, and begin the process of healing via the recruitment of immune cells and an increase in circulation. So shouldn’t this process be enhanced rather than suppressed? Can pain be reduced without interfering with the healing process? It would seem that many NSAIDS may interfere with the process of healing, as demonstrated by this study, thereby resulting in an increase in chronic pain. When I broke my clavicle on a martial arts accident a few years ago I read that NSAID interfere with the chondrocytes that are recruited to help repair the bone. So I skipped the offered pain killer (I took one paracetamol in the emergency room and that was it) and instead used a herbal cocktail. In herbal medicine we talk about immunomodulators instead of anti-inflammatories. Curcumin and boswellia are prime examples – they do not interfere with the inflammatory process, yet they reduce inflammation, and pain, while actually promoting circulation and healing. They optimise the inflammatory response while preventing it from entering into the vicious cycle so common in chronic pain conditions. As a result my cocktails of herbs the nurses were surprised at how little inflammation I had and how little pain I was in. So next time you experience an injury consider using herbal medicine to modulate the inflammation, promote healing, improve circulation, and reduce pain. You can optimise your chance of full recovery and minimise your chance of developing a chronic condition. Its worth noting that herbalists take a similar perspective in regards to infections and the accompanying immune response (especially fevers) and that an inadequate immune response (due to deficient immune function or to use of drugs such as paracetamol) may increase the chance of developing post-viral syndrome (or “long COVID”).
Short-term use of ibuprofen may increase chance of chronic pain, study suggests | Health | The Guardian
Short-term use of ibuprofen may increase chance of chronic pain, study suggests | Health | The Guardian
A New Paradigm for Herbal Medicine 