There are a lot of strong feelings being posted all over social media right now regarding the the recent events involving Tylenol. This isn’t the first time a popular product that was endorsed by doctors has been found to cause harm (cigarettes, thalidomide, Vioxx, and opioids, just to name a few). Sadly, the concerns over Tylenol (not just with autism) are not new; they just have never been so public. Here are just 5 studies we pulled from PubMed:

The role of oxidative stress, inflammation and acetaminophen exposure from birth to early childhood in the induction of autism

Acetaminophen: old drug, new issues

Paracetamol use during pregnancy – a call for precautionary action

Use of acetaminophen (paracetamol) during pregnancy and the risk of autism spectrum disorder in the offspring

Acetaminophen and pregnancy: short- and long-term consequences for mother and child

We understand that it can be extremely difficult to accept that a product you have been told over the years is totally safe for children, pregnant women and adults, is not actually safe. It brings up feelings of disbelief, pushback, guilt, anger and distrust. It’s natural to not want to believe that what we have been taught is actually wrong.

But, it’s important to be open to change and to new information so that we can continue to learn and make better choices.

There are so many alternatives to Tylenol that can be helpful with pain. In fact, Dr. Sandy & Dr. Jeremy’s kids are living proof you don’t need Tylenol – they’ve never had it, not once! And that doesn’t mean their boys haven’t been sick or injured over the years, of course they have. Their family takes a different approach – get to to the root cause of the problem, support the body and don’t cover up symptoms.

We know as parents, it’s really hard when our kids don’t feel well. We don’t want them to be uncomfortable and to suffer. Heck, it’s miserable when we don’t feel well as an adult too. However, it’s important for us to listen to our bodies. We need to FEEL where our bodies are having issues and investigate it. Grabbing for a pain reliever every time we have an ache or pain isn’t healthy. If we constantly mask or block our symptoms we never get to the cause. And problems usually end up getting worse.

So what can we do to support our bodies during times of injury, illness or crisis? Here are our top choices:

Get evaluated by a chiropractor, acupuncturist or functional medicine doctor – these providers look to the cause of the symptoms
Utilize natural products – things such as turmeric, ginger, magnesium, essential oils, ice, heat, apple cider vinegar and epsom salt can all help with pain management without irritating or damaging other systems in your body
Add therapies – cold laser, sauna, red light, electrical muscle stimulation, and ultrasound can help our bodies at a cellular level to reduce inflammation and promote healing.
Prevention – take time for yoga, mindfulness, exercise, prayer, meditation and rest. We need to create moments where are bodies can heal.

We’re here to help with any questions you may have regarding pain relievers. If you have specific questions about your family’s health and making the switch to safer alternatives to Tylenol, please text, call or message us.