People's Pharmacy: Pain relief for people who can't use NSAID drugs

Q: I have taken Advil for years for inflammation or pain. I have stopped because I began to have ringing in the ears, ear pain, dizziness and loss of hearing. This all disappeared when I stopped the Advil.

I assume I can't take NSAIDs anymore. What do you recommend I take for problems with heel spurs, disk problems and torn knee cartilage in the knee?

A: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) include pain relievers such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, etc.) and naproxen (Aleve) or prescription drugs like Celebrex, diclofenac and meloxicam.

Such medications can cause ringing in the ears (tinnitus) and even hearing loss (Drug Safety, March 1996).

Dealing with arthritis, bone spurs and back and knee inflammation can be challenging if you can't take regular pain relievers. You may find topical NSAIDs safer, along with herbal approaches such as turmeric, boswellia, stinging nettle and ginger.

Q: I took cod-liver oil in the late 1930s and early 1940s when I was a kid. In the '40s, a new form of cod-liver oil was introduced that my father called the sunshine pill. I guess that even then there must have been an understanding of the need for sunshine.

A: Cod-liver oil in those days was rich in vitamin D, vitamin A and omega-3 fatty acids. Nowadays, cod-liver oil is much easier to take, but the vitamin D and some of the vitamin A may be removed during the purification process.

Brief sun exposure is an excellent way to maintain good blood levels of vitamin D.

In the winter, however, sun exposure is neither practical nor effective, so vitamin D supplements are advisable.

An intake between 1,000 and 2,000 IU daily usually provides most people with enough of this crucial nutrient.

In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them c/o King Features Syndicate, 300 W. 57th St., 15th floor, New York, NY 10019, or via their Web site: www.peoplespharmacy.org