Eddie Van Halen: at risk of pain killer addition?

I am totally jazzed that they found the problem," he says. "In about four months my hand will feel like I am 18 again." But will he, or will he turn to pain medication to allow himself to push past his pain? The average recovery time for such a surgery is 4-6 months minimum. Occupational therapy or not…it will take time.

The risk of falling into addictive habits is great. He is already a victim of nicotine addiction as he continues to smoke cigarettes despite having oral surgery twice in the late 1990’s for cancer. In an interview with Howard Stern in 2006 he indicated that he felt it was from holding a metal guitar pick in his mouth for hours while being exposed to the electromagnetic radiation of his studio that caused the cancer and not smoking. Perhaps, however it would seem prudent if you have been treated twice for oral cancer and had one third of your tongue removed that you would not take a chance with tempting fate with cigarettes. Only someone truly addicted to nicotine would seem to risk such behavior. Around the same time in 1999, Van Halen underwent a total hip replacement due to degenerative joint disease.

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