You At Your Best

By Karen rIce WITh MeTrO creaTIve Chronic pain can be debilitating and interfere with daily life. A quick trip to your local Northwest Arkansas pharmacy will tell you that over-the-counter, anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs are some of the most widely used medications. When such medications prove ineffective, prescription pain relievers, including opioids which can be addictive, are often prescribed. The National Institute on Drug Abuse estimates more than 2 million people in the United States suffer from substance abuse of opioid pain relievers. Addictions to opioids such as heroin, morphine and prescription pain relievers continues to affect people from all demographics. According to the World Drug Report 2012 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse and United National Office on Drugs and Crime, between 26 and 36 million people abuse opioids worldwide. Opioids can lead to physical dependence and possible addiction, which is why legal versions of opioids are carefully monitored and prescribed. Opioid addiction can cause long-term changes to the biological structures of the brain and affect brain function, according to the Association of American Physicians. Older patients are increasingly and repeatedly prescribed opioids to address chronic pain from arthritis, cancer and other problems that become more apparent as people age. Data from U.S. Medicare recipients found that, in 2011, roughly 15 percent of seniors were prescribed an opioid after being discharged from the hospital. When followed up on three months later, 42 percent were still taking the medication. Fast forward to 2015, and almost one-third of all Medicare patients were prescribed opioid painkillers by their physicians, says AARP. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) nearly 200 people are dying every day from overdoses, a majority of those caused by opioids, which include methadone, morphine, oxycodone, and hydrocodone. Prescriptions for these drugs have climbed 300 percent in the last 10 years. Although opioids can be safe when used properly to treat short-term pain, too often their usage leads to misuse and dependence, especially when they are used to treat chronic pain. For long-term pain, research suggests that nonopioid medications and even nondrug treatments often provide relief with less risk of addiction and overdose than opioids. Chronic pain may be relieved with the use of natural remedies, which help pain sufferers reduce sPecIal TO nWa DeMOcraT-GazeTTe Carrots, spinach, kale, swiss chard and mustard greens all used to play big parts in the American diet, but many of these vegetables, rich in antioxidant vitamins A and E, seem to have fallen out of favor. This trend is not only damaging to health, but also can contribute to hearing loss. The relationship between healthy eating and hearing acuity is not surprising to Marla Richards, Director of Operations at Wolfpack Hearing Clinic in Fayetteville. Before joining the team at Wolfpack, Marla worked as a registered dietician. "I tell our hearing loss patients the same thing that I told my weight loss patients, that you need to treat your body right so your body will do right by you," Marla says. A study conducted by the University of Sydney in Australia showed that people whose diets had the highest levels of vitamins A and E had reduced risk for hearing damage. According to the researchers, diet is one of the few modifiable risk factors for age-related hearing loss. Dr. Dustin Richards, owner and audiologist at Wolfpack, notes that hearing loss is more than just an "ear issue," rather, it is integral to well-being. "Hearing is a key component of mental health and wellness," he says. "Studies link untreated hearing loss to isolation, depression, panic disorders and other psychological and social consequences." One study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society in 2015 found that people with hearing loss had lower levels of cognitive functioning compared to those without hearing loss. If you are experiencing hearing loss, make a commitment to wellness with an appointment for a hearing evaluation at Wolfpack Hearing Clinic. Visit their location at 2630 E. Citizens Dr. #7 in Fayetteville; located at the intersection of Crossover and Mission in Kantz Center. They can also be contacted by phone at (479) 957-9300 or by visiting wolfpackhearing.com. eat your veggies for hearing health! Natural ways to relieve CHRONiC PaiN endorphins released from exercise can help a person feel good. Located in East Fayetteville 2630 E Citizens Dr. #7 479.957.9300 wolfpackhearing.com Our patients succeed. You will, too! 10 | YOU AT YOUR BEST | nwAdg.cOm/YOUATYOURBEST mARch - wEllnESS | SATURdAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2019

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