Natural Remedies to Manage Your Pain
Pain that lasts more than 3 months can make it difficult for you to go on with your daily life. Unfortunately, more than 50 million Americans suffer from chronic pain. Chronic pain can leave you with:
- Fatigue
- Trouble sleeping
- Loss of mobility
- Lack of motivation to get up in the morning
- Negative mental health outcomes, such as mood swings, depression, anxiety, and more
You might be surprised to learn that there are ways to treat your chronic pain other than popping over the counter medication. In this article, you will learn how to manage your pain in a natural way. We will share information on pain relief practices such as acupuncture, holistic herbal remedies, and a variety of oils that can help manage your pain.
What is chronic pain?
Chronic pain is a pain that lasts longer than 12 weeks. It can be a sharp, shooting pain or a dull achy pain that just will not go away. The pain can come from a muscle, joint, or a specific nerve, like your sciatic nerve.
When you have an injury, pain signals travel from that injured area up to your spinal cord and to your brain. Your brain then interprets the pain and sends the signals back down to the area to let you know that the area is hurt.
Over time, the injury will heal and sometimes the pain does ease or disappear completely. Unfortunately, sometimes the pain does not go away and you are left with chronic pain that can be difficult for you to deal with on a daily basis. This is when a lot of people turn to medication.
Using medication for a long period of time can have negative side effects on your body.
Negative side effects may include:
- Stomach irritations
- Ulcers
- Increased potential for bruising
- Constipation and more
Why use natural remedies to help combat chronic pain?
It is normal for you to want your pain to stop. Using natural remedies to help with your pain is an overall healthier option for you and for your body.
Before you can treat your pain naturally, you need to figure out why the pain is happening. The best way for you to do this is to consult with your doctor and find out the main source and cause of your pain.
Once you have figured out what is causing the pain, you can then find pain relief remedies that will work for you.
Holistic pain relief remedies
There are a few pain relief remedies that you can use to help you deal with your chronic pain.
Heat and Ice
One of the most common pain relief remedies is alternating heat and ice. An ice pack will help to reduce swelling and inflammation in the area. A cold pack can also help help relieve pain that is causing a headache.
If your pain is caused by arthritis or joint pain, then heat will help you more than ice. Keep the ice or heat pack on the painful area for no more than 15 minutes at a time. If you keep it on for longer, you risk burning your skin.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese medical practice that seeks to relieve pain by balancing the body’s natural qi (CHEE). This is the natural energy pathway.
A 2012 study found that acupuncture can help relieve migraines, as well as chronic pain in other locations.
Stretching
Daily exercise and stretching can help reduce the pain that you feel in your muscles and body as a whole. When stretching, make sure that you do not go past the point of pain.
Pain relief herbs & spices
In your garden, fridge, or even spice rack, there are natural pain relief herbs and spices that are sitting in your house.
Cloves
People have traditionally used cloves to help with toothache. A 2006 study found that clove gel was as effective in relieving pain as benzocaine gel. Benzocaine gel is a topical gel that dentists often use to reduce needle pain.
Ginger
Ginger is a root that not only tastes great on sushim but can also be used as a natural pain reliever.
A systematic review performed in 2015 found that if you ingest 2 grams of ginger a day, it can help reduce muscle pain caused by resistance exercise and running.
Pain relief oils
As an Aromatherapist, I cannot stress enough how effective essential oils can be if you use them correctly. Many natural oils, when applied topically, can help relieve your pain.
Please keep in mind that essential oils are safe to use topically and should not be ingested.
Before use, you should dilute your essential oils in a carrier oil such as olive oil, avocado oil, or even warm coconut oil. Add 3-5 drops of essential oil for each ounce of carrier oil.
Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender can relieve pain, help you sleep, and help ease anxiety.
In a small study done in 2012, it was found that by inhaling lavender oil, pain associated with migraine headaches was reduced.
Rosemary Essential Oil
Researchers have stated that rosemary might reduce inflammation, treat headaches, help muscle and bone pain. Researchers have also said that rosemary can help treat Opium Withdrawal Syndrome.
Conclusion
The most important things to remember about pain relief without medication are:
- Natural remedies do take a bit longer to kick in than synthetic medication
- There are hundreds of natural pain relief remedies. We have just introduced you to some of the more common remedies.
- If your pain gets worse, you need to seek medical assistance.
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