Muscle Pain
Show 1375: The Science Supporting Home Remedies
This week, Joe and Terry Graedon entertain your questions and stories about home remedies. What do you do for leg cramps or heartburn? Call in your favorites at 888-472-3366 between 7 and 8 am EST, or…
How Safe Are Topical NSAIDs Like Voltaren Gel?
When the FDA allowed drug companies to sell NSAIDs over the counter we were concerned. That's because drugs like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, etc) and naproxen (Aleve) came with some pretty serious si…
Can CoQ10 Prevent Statin-Associated Muscle Sympt…
Did you know that doctors have a name for statin-associated muscle symptoms? It’s called SAMS. You would be surprised how much controversy exists around this adverse reaction. Many clinical trials s…
Can Statins Cause Debilitating Muscle Pain?
At our last review, statins remain among the most prescribed drugs in the United States. Atorvastatin (Lipitor) was big # 1. Over 26 million people take this drug daily. More than 114 million prescrip…
Busting Myths and Offering Unique Leg Cramp Reme…
Have you suffered from muscle cramps after exercise or overnight? Many readers have shared unusual leg cramp remedies over the years. Several years ago, we spoke with a neuroscientist who explained wh…
Statin Smackdown Challenged by Angry Cardiologis…
We have been writing about statin-type cholesterol-lowering drugs for 36 years. Even before the FDA approved lovastatin (Mevacor) on September 1, 1987, we wrote that the drug “demonstrated almost un…
Statin Side Effects Are All In Your Head! Really…
Statin enthusiasts are committed to convincing patients that these cholesterol-lowering drugs do not cause side effects. The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) published statin guid…
Show 1298: The Health Benefits of Tart Cherries …
In our nationally syndicated radio show this week, we talk with two scientists who have been studying how eating cherries affects our physiology. Both are experts in sports medicine who have done some…
Unexpected Benefits and Risks of the Moderna Vac…
When most people think of COVID vaccines, all they are interested in is how well they will protect them from being hospitalized with COVID-19. After all, that is why these shots were invented. We now …
Is Magnesium a Miracle Mineral?
The body needs minerals to function. Without adequate levels of sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium we would perish. Doctors often encourage patients to cut back on sodium and increase calcium. P…
Doctors and Patients Confused About Statins and …
Tens of millions of people take statins such as atorvastatin, lovastatin, pravastatin, rosuvastatin and simvastatin. Most physicians acknowledge that they have patients who complain about muscle pain …
Will a Big Dose of Vitamin D Give You Leg Cramps…
What have you heard about vitamin D? Maybe you recognize this compound by its popular nickname, the "sunshine vitamin." It is called that because human skin makes this hormone when it is exposed to su…
Will CBD for Pain Make You Fail the Marijuana Te…
One lesson learned from the terrible opioid crisis of the past few years: a lot of Americans are in a lot of pain. With doctors increasingly reluctant to prescribe narcotics for pain relief, people ar…
Can Tonic Water Banish Your Muscle Cramp Pain?
What do you do for muscle cramp pain? Some people use massage, and others swallow a spoonful of yellow mustard. By far the most popular preventive used to be quinine tablets. At one time, doctors woul…
Can COVID-19 Symptoms Last for Weeks?
After a recovery, how long do COVID-19 symptoms last? Although we are now about ten months into this pandemic, we simply don't have enough information to answer that question definitively. Researchers…
Statins Can Cause Myositis: A Serious Statin Sid…
Here's a question for you. What is the difference between myopathy, myalgia and myositis? We're not surprised that you don't have an easy answer. We bet a lot of health professionals would have troubl…
Could Pomegranate Juice React Badly with Crestor…
Do you know which foods might react badly with your medications? You might not, especially if your pharmacist didn't give you specific information. When you look online, you can find conflicting infor…
How Liquid Soap Gives Quick Relief from Leg Spas…
If you have ever had leg cramps, you know that these muscle spasms can be extremely painful. There is no standard medical treatment for this problem, partly because the cause is not well understood (E…
Simvastatin and Muscle Pain: Beware Rhabdomyolys…
No one argues that statin-type cholesterol-lowering drugs like atorvastatin, simvastatin or rosuvastatin can cause muscle pain (myalgia). What is controversial, though, is how common this complication…
Do Statins Cause Myositis? A Devastating Muscle …
For years we have been receiving tragic stories from readers of our syndicated newspaper column and visitors to our website. They reported a debilitating myositis muscle condition after taking statins…
Do Ibuprofen Side Effects Include Hormone Imbala…
Pain relievers like ibuprofen are “the most commonly used over-the-counter drugs worldwide (Nature Reviews Endocrinology, July, 2016). People assume that if the FDA permits OTC sale, such products m…
Olive Juice Cures Muscle Cramps like Magic
We have written extensively about muscle cramps over the years. Physicians have no FDA-approved drugs for this problem. As a result, people have searched high and low for home remedies. They have rang…
Do Statin Side Effects Make It Harder To Exercis…
Regular exercise is considered essential for good health. The benefits include weight control, diabetes prevention, blood sugar management, blood lipid control, improved mood, better sleep and a reduc…
Do Simvastatin Side Effects Include Diabetes and…
Many physicians tell us that even if statins increase the risk for diabetes, the drug benefits far outweigh any increase in blood glucose. But diabetes is a challenging condition to treat. Then there …
How to Fight Sore Muscles with Powdered Cherries
In previous studies, tart cherries or Montmorency cherry juice improved performance and helped marathon runners recover faster (Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, online May 11…
How Long Do Drug Side Effects Last? For Some, Pe…
When most physicians prescribe medications, they may not realize they could be in danger of violating the Hippocratic principle to first do no harm. That's because virtually every drug has the potenti…
Does Your Turmeric Supplement Fall Short? Many D…
Q. I heard somewhere that turmeric is an anti-inflammatory agent. I cannot find a reference for the dosage. I am wondering which turmeric to try. I am a 52-year-old female runner with a persistently s…
Severe Muscle Weakness Improves After Stopping S…
Q. I am 44 years old and took simvastatin for five years. I was very active and full of energy before taking simvastatin. Gradually, I lost strength in my body, especially in my left leg. I could hard…
Ice Bath No Benefit for Sore Muscles
Athletes have long been advised to ice their sore muscles and joints after a strenuous workout. A new study from the University of New Hampshire suggests that such a regimen may not be all that effect…
Cocoa Boosts Muscle Mitochondria
A clinical trial at the University of California, San Diego, revealed a new benefit of dark chocolate. Five people with type 2 diabetes and advanced heart failure had the mitochondria in their muscles…
Massage Reduces Muscle Inflammation
Athletes appreciate the relaxation provided by a good massage. A study from McMaster University in Canada has demonstrated that people suffering with chronic inflammation can also benefit greatly. A 1…
Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs and Muscle Pain
Q. I have read about how people experience muscle pain with Zetia and statin-type cholesterol drugs. That happened to me as well. My doctor prescribed TriCor instead and it has lowered my cholesterol …