He said, NSAID

I am absolutely NOT "anti pharmaceutical". I firmly believe that all drugs have their place. In fact, my own view as both a doctor and an occasional patient is that people are and should be free to do to their body whatever they'd like. Our role as healthcare providers is both to treat AND to inform.

So when I see a study like this one it does make me happy. Afterall, I recently wrote about the problems associated with the prophylactic use of NSAIDS.

The point of the Indiana University article is that regular use of NSAIDs potentially--and very regularly--leads to delayed healing, gastro-intestinal disease and cardiovascular disease. They also point out that training with an anti-inflammatory/analgesic masking an injury leads to delayed healing and even increased injury.

I will add what I have stated before---that NSAIDs block the chemical/physiological pathway that both leads to inflammation and to healing/repair. Unfortunately you cannot stop one without stopping the other.

You can, however, limit the former without limiting the latter. RICE: Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. This time tested method limits the accumulation of edema/swelling without inhibiting the healing process.

But there are certainly times when a more aggressive approach is needed. Hopefully your healthcare provider will give you all of the options (as well as the likely outcomes) for your problem.

Gotta go...I have a sore hip to ice.