Are nonsteroidal anti inflammatory drugs recommended as treatment for chronic pain?

Are nonsteroidal anti inflammatory drugs recommended as treatment for chronic pain?

Marc Darrow (Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Joint Rehabilitation Sports Medical Center, Inc. ) gives expert video advice on: Are narcotics safe and effective for managing chronic pain?; Is there a danger of addiction when using narcotic medicine for pain? and more...

The positive side of using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for chronic pain is that if a person has a low level of inflammation, and they take an anti inflammatory every day, they may be more functional, they may be in less pain, and they may be happier; all the obvious things that you would get from medication. However, on the other hand, we've already had studies out regarding using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for chronic pain which show that there is actually more joint destruction from using them. We're also finding now that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory use for chronic pain actually blocks the bio-synthesis of cartilage. I think also that there's another reason for more joint destruction if you're using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: if you have less pain and you have a damaged joint, you may have osteoarthritis for example, you're going to use that joint more when the pain is really there as a signal to help you slow down; to look at it and see whether you really should be doing that with yourself.