Do anti-inflammatory medications help with healing? To understand the answer, it is important to review the basics of how healing occurs following regenerative medicine treatments. After delivering healing cells, often via injections guided by ultrasound, the first phase of healing is inflammatory. We do not want to take medications that block inflammation during this phase because inflammation is a crucial part of the body’s healing response. Moxyam belongs to the drug class of NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). There are many types of NSAIDs available, including ibuprofen, Motrin, Aleve, Celebrex, and Toradol. These medications can be effective at reducing pain, and they are commonly used by athletes to get through their seasons.
Risks and Side Effects of NSAIDs
However, using NSAIDs comes with significant drawbacks. If you have an injury and want to promote healing, it is important to allow inflammation after an injury or regenerative treatment. Taking NSAIDs can block inflammation and therefore impede the healing process. It is generally recommended to avoid these medications as much as possible to optimize healing.
In addition to inhibiting healing, NSAIDs carry a range of side effects. Gastrointestinal issues such as nausea, stomach pain, and ulcers in the stomach lining are common. These ulcers can sometimes lead to serious GI bleeds, which I have seen frequently in emergency rooms and intensive care units. Chronic use can also result in tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and kidney problems, including acute kidney injury. NSAIDs can increase blood pressure, cause fluid retention in the feet and ankles, and raise the risk of heart attack and stroke. For individuals with heart issues, NSAIDs are especially risky.
Impact on Healing
The main concern with NSAIDs is that they inhibit the inflammatory process necessary for healing. They block platelet function, which is critical after treatments like PRP. While taking NSAIDs may provide temporary pain relief and enable a return to activity, this can lead to further injury and a negative cycle that ultimately worsens the original condition. Blocking pain can mask the underlying healing process, leading to more damage and, in severe cases, catastrophic outcomes. Anti-inflammatory medications like NSAIDs should generally be avoided following regenerative medicine treatments such as PRP. They may reduce pain in the short term, but they hinder the healing process and carry numerous health risks. It is best to optimize healing by allowing the body’s natural inflammatory response to proceed.