8 Ways To Alleviate Pain Without Medication
Taking ibuprofen or acetaminophen when you’re experiencing pain has probably become a common habit of yours. Although over-the-counter medicine is usually quite effective, using is long-term subjects you to concerning side-effects. On the other hand, prescription medication can be even more worrying, after analyzing potential adverse effects.
Considering the health worries involved here, how should you be treating your pain? Managing pain in a more natural manner is the approach you should be focusing on here. To manage reaching relief when pain is causing you more and more discomfort is possible even without relying on painkillers or prescription drugs.
What are the most popular ways of alleviating pain naturally? Here are some useful options to look into and try:
Lavender essential oil
Let’s start with something you can easily find in stores and that is lavender essential oil. Many people are using this type of oil to ease anxiety symptoms and improve sleep quality, but it has often been suggested to provide pain alleviation as well.
Certain studies showed that lavender aromatherapy had effective analgesic effects on laboratory animals, as well as anti-inflammatory properties. The results of the research clearly show that lavender essential oil can be useful in treating migraines as well as other mild pain cases.
Remember that essential oils shouldn’t be ingested, so if you decide to try out this technique, use the right dosage with precaution.
CBD oil
Products based on CBD oil have become quite popular in recent years, considering the results provided in terms of pain management. What CBD does is it interacts with neurotransmitters, reduces inflammation as well as impacts endocannabinoid receptor activity, all of these things contributing effectively in lowering pain levels. This is the reason why, nowadays, you will come across an extensive selection of CBD oil products. These have been used repeatedly by people experiencing different types of health issues, starting with arthritis and multiple sclerosis. Considering the effects it has on chronic pain, it can work incredibly fast in treating migraines, back aches and other less severe types of pain.
Exercising
If you’ve been living a sedentary life lately, this might be a factor that contributes to the pain scenarios you’re experiencing. While it might seem difficult to engage in physical activity when you are dealing with discomfort and aches, as long as you start slowly and build your way up, exercise can be moderately effective in bringing you the results you desire.
A good aerobic condition will usually improve a wide variety of pain conditions. The endorphins your body produces when you are working out can often function as painkillers, interacting with your brain’s receptors and altering the way you’re perceiving the pain.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture falls into the alternative medicine category, and is used worldwide by various practitioners to help patients cope with different types of conditions and the unpleasant symptoms these trigger. This alternative therapy has been widely discussed, and although some controversy still exists around the subject, positive results have been reported by many patients using the method.
Acupuncture is mostly effective in combating low back pain, neck pain and osteoporosis pain. It can also reduce tension headaches and prevent migraines entirely. Studies are still being made on the matter, but there is enough evidence to consider giving this technique a try for yourself.
Hot/cold compresses
Sometimes, old, basic remedies can actually be the best way to go. While hot or old compresses might not be that useful when it comes to a chronic pain episode, if we’re talking about mild symptoms, these could be more useful than you’ve anticipated.
Turmeric
The bright yellow spice called turmeric, has been pointed out to have anti-inflammatory properties. The pain-relief qualities found in curcuma, which is the active ingredient in turmeric, could help you overcome pain naturally. You have the possibility of using it as a spice, by adding it to smoothies, juices or curries, or you can consider getting turmeric-based supplements
Patients diagnosed with osteoporosis, participating in research, showed improvements after a specific curcuma longa intake.
Yoga and mindfulness meditation
A physical meditation practice, yoga has often been referred to as a lifestyle habit that promotes wellness and wellbeing. Managing pain using stretching and other physical therapy positions might not provide you with results from the first session, but once you get the hang of this practice, learn the basic poses and include yoga into your daily schedule, it will become easier for you to manage pain.
Yoga stands for self-care, it’s based on effective breathing exercises and uses a variety of relaxation methods that allow you to reach a state of tranquility and self-awareness. Lower back, neck pain and headaches can be alleviated with yoga sessions, but usually this practice is most helpful in treating pain related to anxiety and stress.
Functioning under the same principles as yoga, mindfulness meditation is another way to achieve complete relaxation and detachment, being an effective coping mechanism and natural pain treatment.
Listening to music
The phrase “music therapy” exists for a reason, and this method is quite frequently used by more patients who want to cope with different health problems better. While listening to music will not magically take your symptoms away, it can help you keep under control the stress and anxiety that are linked to pain, allowing you to manage the entire issue more effectively. The surge of endorphins released when listening to soothing sounds simply makes you feel better.
Dealing with chronic pain episodes can truly affect your quality of life, preventing you from enjoying your daily activities or focusing on your responsibilities. Because taking pain killers that often isn’t exactly good for your health in general, finding some natural alternatives can be useful. There are a few great things you have the possibility of trying, as you’ve seen mentioned in this article. Each one of the drug-free “cures” can help you obtain the relief you need, proving to work remarkably well in many situations. Give them a try for yourself, and you might just experience the results desired.