If you suffer the pain of Achilles tendonitis, a good idea to avoid over-the-counter pain relievers in the NSAID class. NSAIDs such as Advil and Tylenol can actually contribute to the degradation of cartilage.
A number of nutritional supplements and herbs, however, help relieve the pain of Achilles tendonitis. Since not every supplement (or every medication) relieves pain in every case of Achilles tendonitis, you may have to experiment to find which supplement is most effective for you.
Sports medicine researchers have shown that vitamin E spun into fibers and applied directly to the Achilles tendon greatly accelerates the healing process. Vitamin E absorbs free radicals of oxygen that activate inflammatory hormones, and accelerates the process of recovery in the injured tendon.
Strictly speaking, scientists have not studied whether over-the-counter capsules of vitamin E can accelerate the healing process, but trainers report that the vitamin is helpful and the likelihood of side effects in active individuals is minimal. In the unlikely event that you are prescribed clopidrogel (Plavix) or warfarin (Coumadin) after developing Achilles tendonitis or if you take aspirin on a daily basis, reduce your dosage of vitamin E to 200 IU per day. Mixed tocopherols or natural vitamin E is likely to be more helpful than alpha-tocopherol.
If vitamin E does not work for you, consider a heel patch. If you ask your physician for an ointment or patch for Achilles tendonitis and he or she reads the medical journals, you may be offered glyceryl trinitrate. Touted as a potential treatment for tendon injuries, this product acts by releasing nitric oxide (NO), which in turn opens microscopic blood vessels and increases circulation in the heel. It is the same chemical in "nitro" that is used to treat angina-but it offers exactly the wrong kind of treatment to support long-term recovery of Achilles tendonitis.
Increased circulation to the heel will reduce inflammation, but increase infiltration, slowing the regeneration of cartilage. Even in those cases the treatment is helpful, in a subset of heel injuries known as tendinopathies, not tendonitis, benefits are only noticed after 12 weeks.
You may also be interested in:
Understanding Achilles Tendonitis
Preventing Achilles Tendonitis
Natural Products for Achilles Tendonitis
Friday, December 12, 2008
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