Alternate routes to pain relief

I have taken pain relievers for years for arthritis pain in my knees and hips and plantar fasciitis in my foot. My rheumatologist prescribed Celebrex, but my kidney enzymes soared, and I was told no more NSAIDs, ever. My pain has not gone away. What can I take?

Many people get pain relief with over-the-counter NSAIDs such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve). Others do well on prescriptions such as Celebrex, diclofenac, meloxicam or nabumetone.

Chronic use of these medications can result in side effects. Some people find that their kidneys can’t handle NSAIDs. Others develop ulcers, high blood pressure, elevated liver enzymes or drowsiness or mental fogginess.

Some readers find herbs helpful: “I have osteoarthritis and can no longer take NSAIDs due to a spike in liver enzymes and a family history of heart disease. After I read in your column that turmeric is a powerful anti-inflammatory, I started taking it. Now I feel as well as I did on NSAIDs, with no side effects. My rheumatologist is skeptical and wants more information.”

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I have cured plantar warts by soaking them in hot, salted water several times a day.

Your remedy may not be as strange as it sounds. As far back as 1962, there was a report in the Cleveland Clinic Quarterly suggesting that soaking a wart in hot water (110 to 113 degrees F) for 30 to 90 minutes per week could eradicate it. One theory is that wart viruses can’t survive the heat. It could take up to six weeks to work.

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Joe Graedon is a pharmacologist and Teresa Graedon is an expert in medical anthropology and nutrition. www.peoplespharmacy.com