Vicodin is a 40 year old drug that is highly addictive and is also the most prescribed drug in America, according to forbes.com. the generic name for Vicodin is Hydrocodone/acetaminophen. Vicodin, and the generics combine hydrocodone with acetaminophen. Acetominophen by itself is know as Tylenol.
A panel of doctors recently recommended that it be banned; the FDA is still deciding what to do.”
So Vicodin is dangerous and addictive, but it’s still the most prescribed medication in the United States.
Vicodin is a drug that is crying out to be replaced. Vicodin has a supporting role on the television show House, M.D. because the protagonist, a Sherlock Holmes-like doctor, is hooked on it. It is particularly dangerous because when patients develop a tolerance for the narcotic they start taking too much. This can lead to liver failure from overdoses of the acetaminophen component of the combo. Most of the 400 deaths due to acetaminophen poisoning each year result from misuse of the Vicodin or similar drugs. Last June an FDA advisory panel recommended banning Vicodin. The FDA is still deciding whether to take this advice.”
I’m glad we have painkillers that you can take in a pinch. For acute pain, sometimes you have to have something for temporary relief. However, temporary is the important key to this advice. If you find that you are taking anything for too long to deal with pain, then there are some other things to look at.
What of these things can you improve? Because if you can improve in any of these areas, then you will be closer to living life pain-free again.
- Muscle strength
- Joint range of motion (chiropractic care)
- Even muscle tone from left to right, from top to bottom, and from front to back. (chiropractic care)
- Proper nutrition
- Plenty of rest
- Outlook on life, goal setting, relationships
Todd Lloyd, DC
Chiropractor in Sonoma
Have you ever estimated how much money your family spends on pain medication per year? If not, calculate it now. (Take care to include over-the-counter drug costs, which alone can reach monumental sums.) Chances are you’re spending more on covering up your pain with drugs than it would cost to treat your family to a year’s worth of preventative chiropractic care!