Anti-inflammatories (naproxen) and delayed healing

tribiker520

I'm curious if anyone has noticed that taking anti-inflammatories when recovering from an injury delays or prevents healing from it. I've been taking naproxen since I started having IT band problems over the winter since any doctor I've seen has said to stay on it, that it's good for me and I should take it even when I start training again after an injury.

Since then, those injuries have healed (taking a very long time) but I've kept on getting other random hip knee and ankle aches and pains that I used to get and would be over in a few days, but now they turn into full-blown injuries and takes weeks/months to fully heal.

I'm planning on stopping naproxen completely and seeing how I adjust to it, but I was just curious if anyone else has had similar issues.

Thanks!

Felt_Rider

I shouldn't be surprised that your doctor has recommended this, but I am also amazed by the advice to stay on long term even while training.

Our bodies are incredible and one of the great attributes is the ability to sense pain. Those pain indicators are simply to tell us to back off.

Stick you hand in the flame and it hurts means get your hand out of the fire.

I have been around top athletes that either demanded or unknowingly were convinced to have a cortisol injection during training to block the pain (typically in shoulder injuries). They were able to continue to train, but since the pain sensation is reduced they are placing their body in greater harm and potentially during long term damage. Same abuse with other types of drugs that reduce pain, reduce inflammation or relax muscles.

I am not saying that those medications should be totally avoided, but used with precaution. Pain intensity will let you know how to govern rehab, but it is hard to know how to rehab when the pain is blocked and that is when people either re-injure or injure another area from trying to compensate. Meaning another body part takes greater abuse by to carry the load of the injured area and then you end up with multiple injuries.

my 2 cents

Felt_Rider

Oops!!

Cortisone injection

benkoostra

Powdered turmeric is a better way to reduce inflammation. YOu can buy capsules of it at vitacost.com. In my experience, they have the best product with the highest amount per capsule. You have to take a lot of it though, around 6grams/day for it to really help, but it won't hurt you. It's actually pretty amazing stuff.
If you do this, remember to eat a small amount of black pepper too; it increases the bodies ability to absorb the turmeric dramatically.