Diclofenac warning

Voltar was a Viking comic-book character in an award-winning comic-book series by the same name. It first appeared in 1963. He was the precursor of Conan the Barbarian, who, when brought to the silver screen in 1982, launched Arnold Schwarzenegger’s movie career.

Voltaren, on the other hand, is a U.S. brand name for a strong-armed NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) called diclofenac that’s recently been called out by Danish researchers in a study published in the journal BMJ.

Seems that diclofenac users showed a 20 percent greater rate of “atrial fibrillation, ischemic stroke, heart failure, heart attack or heart-related death in the 30 days following their prescription fill” than those who took acetaminophen or ibuprofen and 30 a percent higher rate of those health threats than naproxen users.

Diclofenac is available over-the-counter and by prescription in America, but as always, your best bet is to minimize your use of any anti-inflammatory drugs. Stomach and intestinal bleeding are potential risks associated with all NSAIDs.

If you have chronic pain, try to reduce or eliminate it without medications.

■ For acute tissue or bone pain, try R.I.C.E. (rest, ice, compression and elevation).

■ Pre- or post-op, to reduce pain-increasing stress, practice mindful meditation for 10 minutes twice daily.

■ Go for physical therapy, which should include stretches and exercises, as well as heat for loosening up and ice for cooling down.

If you still need to take pain-relieving meds, ask your doc about seeing a pain management specialist to help you get through this safely and effectively.