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