Have you ever heard of a silo? Technically, it is a structure used to store grain. Metaphorically, however, the fact that it is usually separated from the other buildings on a farm is important.
People sometimes talk of silos in health care, meaning that doctors who treat joint pain don’t necessarily take cardiovascular or neurological conditions into account. This can make it hard for a heart patient to find a pain reliever that won’t cause trouble.
What Can a Heart Patient Take for Pain?
Q. I got a heart stent five years ago and currently take atorvastatin (80 mg), carvedilol, ramipril and aspirin. You could call me a heart patient.
I have now developed joint pain in my knees and a shoulder. I have taken Celebrex, Tylenol and ibuprofen with no success.
I have tried Aleve and it works great. Is it safe to add to my other medications?
A. Naproxen (Aleve) is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) like ibuprofen or celecoxib (Celebrex). All of these drugs pose a risk for a heart patient (Current Cardiology Reports, March, 2016).
Looking Beyond NSAIDs for Joint Pain Relief:
Since you have heart disease, you may want to consider a different approach to alleviating your joint pain. We are sending you our Guide to Alternatives for Arthritis with a discussion of prescription medications like salsalate as well as home remedies such as ginger, boswellia, turmeric, cherry and grape juice. There is even a recipe for gin-soaked raisins.
Physical Medicine:
Speaking of silos, most physicians are not familiar with the methods used in the specialty of physical medicine, even though its practitioners are also fully qualified MDs. We did an hour-long interview regarding the benefits of physical medicine and regenerative injection therapy for relieving joint pain. If they are properly done, these approaches are safer than NSAIDs for a heart patient.
