Q. I have a sensitive stomach, so drugs like ibuprofen and naproxen cause me problems. I have also heard that these drugs can be hard on the liver and kidneys. What else can I use for my plantar fasciitis and back pain?
A. NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) can cause stomach ulcers and kidney or liver damage when taken in high doses for long periods of time. Some people can’t even tolerate low doses without getting heartburn.
For plantar fasciitis, the best solutions are arch supports and stretching. Muscle pain may respond to tart cherry juice. Two separate research projects in horses and college students show that cherry juice minimizes exercise-induced muscle damage (American Journal of Veterinary Research, June, 2009; British Journal of Sports Medicine, Aug., 2006).
We discuss many non-drug approaches for reducing pain and inflammation (boswellia, turmeric, fish oil, pineapple, pectin and pomegranate) in our book, Favorite Home Remedies From The People’s Pharmacy, available online at www.peoplespharmacy.com.
