Alternatives to Vioxx for pain relief
Several Vioxx victims have written to us asking about their options after the recall of Vioxx. Many are reporting that their doctors have already prescribed other drugs like Celebrex or Bextra. An important point to remember is that these pain-killers are not curing the underlying disease (for instance, arthritis) but are essentially allowing you not to experience pain. That task can be accomplished in many other ways (not all of them as effective as a drug like Vioxx or Celebrex or Bextra). Here are a few alternatives to look at:
Temporary pain relief
- How about trying some home-remedies? When heat or ice is applied to the area of the pain, you can experience a lot of relief when you have mild pain.
- Over-the-counter medications, particularly topical creams like Bengay, do a good job of relieving pain.
- If you understand well the factors that reduce pain, you may want to consider making that change in lifestyle. For instance, many people experience lower levels of pain in a warm place. If you can relocate to a warmer place, even temporarily during the winter months, please try to consider it.
- Dietary supplements like glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate also help some people.
- It is human nature to believe that expensive products provide better performance. But for pain relief, over-the-counter drugs like Advil, Aspirin, Aleve, etc. do a great job. And they are dirt cheap, particularly if you buy a large bottle at a discount store like Costco or BJ's.
Alternate therapies
- Many patients report relief from pain by starting yoga, acupuncture, exercising, mineral water spa treatments or some combination of these treatments.
Vioxx alternatives
- Of course, as doctors are already doing, you can choose to take Celebrex or Bextra, both of which somewhat comparable results.
Recommended link: Complete coverage of Vioxx recall
