The Case Against NSAIDs

This is not really sinus-specific, but it caught my eye: an article in the New York Times about how NSAIDs may impair the body’s natural healing process.  Inflammation is the key; specifically, preventing inflammation can interrupt your body’s recovery process.  Money quote:

[M]assage works quite differently from NSAIDs and other anti-inflammatory drugs, which reduce inflammation and pain but may actually retard healing. Many people, for instance, pop an aspirin or Aleve at the first sign of muscle soreness. “There’s some theoretical concern that there is a maladaptive response in the long run if you’re constantly suppressing inflammation with drugs,” he said.

I am interested in this because it squares with the advice most surgeons give patients prior to surgery: NSAIDs are widely known to promote bleeding during surgery.  Consequently we advise all patients to “go off” popular NSAIDs like Advil and Aleve for at least two weeks before any sinus surgery procedure.

Now we see another possible benefit: these same drugs could actually retard the healing process, further opening the possibility of slowed recovery and increased scarring.

So consider this study just one more reason to consider Tylenol, or a nice long massage, when soreness strikes.

Tags: aleve, ibuprofen, inflammation, los angeles ent, nsaids