Tips for Simple Pain Management

Tips for Simple Pain Management

It is estimated that roughly 20% of the American population has chronic pain. Chronic pain is only one of the many types of pain that people can experience, but in all cases, pain can be at best disruptive and at worst debilitating.

Doctors and researchers are increasingly skeptical about prescribing painkillers to help treat the pain that their patients suffer from. This is because the over-prescription of opioids as painkillers has played a major role in the opioid epidemic that is still ongoing.

Whether you suffer from chronic pain, acute pain, or another type of pain altogether, there are some things you can do at home and with natural products to reduce the pain you experience.

Let’s take a look at some options for pain management that might help you find some relief.

Lifestyle Changes For Pain Management

Managing your pain doesn’t necessarily have to mean taking a pill or applying an ointment. It can also mean making changes in your habits and lifestyles that help to relieve your feelings of pain.

Get Regular Gentle Exercise

A variety of clinical settings and studies have documented the benefits of exercise for pain management. It has been found that high-intensity aerobic activity is a very effective pain management technique due to the phenomena of the “runner’s high.”

These high-intensity workouts might not be realistic for older Americans, though. For people who have complicating health factors, disabilities, or who are elderly, lighter physical activity is a better bet.

Get Enough Sleep

It has been found that people’s sensitivity to pain is heightened by fragmented sleep, poor sleep quality, or short sleep times. It has also been found in a number of studies that receiving long-term, quality sleep might help to improve chronic pain.

If you are experiencing pain, it is important to make sure that you are getting enough quality sleep. Practice good bedtime habits like sleeping in a dark environment, keeping your bedroom on the cooler side, and reducing disturbing noises. It’s also a good idea to avoid using devices for a few hours before sleep and having set sleep and wakeup times every day.

Lose Weight

More than 71% of American adults are either overweight or obese. Being overweight is linked to a number of health problems, including putting extra stress on your joints.

If you are looking for tips for pain management and you are overweight or obese, it might be time to consider paths to losing weight. You can talk to your doctor about the most appropriate plan for you.

Reduce Stress

Believe it or not, stress can cause pain. This means that an effective pain management technique is to reduce your stress level. Stress can produce pain in your muscles and joints in addition to a long list of other health problems.

Natural Remedies For Pain

There are a number of more natural alternatives to taking addictive pain medication. It’s always a good idea if you do decide to try an herbal supplement for your pain, though, to do research and make sure it won’t interact with any medications you’re currently taking.

Turmeric

This yellow spice is best known for adding flavor and color to Indian dishes. However, it also contains curcumin, which is a compound that can help to reduce pain and inflammation among other things. If you choose to take turmeric for pain management, make sure that you take it with black pepper as it helps to improve the bioavailability of the curcumin.

Willow Bark

The bark of the white willow tree contains a chemical known as salicin. This chemical is similar to the primary ingredient in the medicine aspirin. Used in the traditional medicine of Native Americans, they would chew the bark in order to relieve fevers and pain as well as other purposes.

CBD

CBD is one of the active compounds in the cannabis plant. Many Americans use CBD as one of their pain management techniques because of its ability to reduce chronic pain, arthritis pain, migraine pain, and more.

You can learn more here about using CBD for pain.

Cloves

Whole cloves and clove oil can also be used to help reduce pain. This herbal remedy is often used to reduce the pain associated with arthritic inflammation, headaches, and toothaches. It can also be used in the form of a topical pain reliever.

Eugenol is the active ingredient in cloves. This is a natural pain reliever that you can actually find listed on the ingredients list of OTC pain rubs.

You will want to be careful consuming clove products if you are taking blood-thinning medication or if you have a bleeding disorder. This is because clove oil can increase the risk of experiencing abnormal bleeding.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese medical practice. The goal of acupuncture is to balance the natural energy pathways of the body. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the flow of energy in the body is known as qi.

During this therapy, an acupuncturist places tiny, thin needles in specific places on your skin. The source of the pain will determine their placement of the needles. They won’t necessarily place the needles where you are experiencing the pain.

Pain Management Techniques: Which Ones Will You Try?

When you are considering trying any of these tips for pain management, it can be a good idea to confer with your doctor or healthcare professional. This is because even herbal supplements can be quite potent and can have dangerous drug interactions if you are already taking other medications.

If you’re experiencing pain, it is your body signaling that there is a problem. Sometimes pain is only temporary, for example, when you strain a muscle. However, pain can also indicate the existence of a serious health problem that requires the attention of a medical professional.

Did you find this article about pain management interesting? If so, be sure to check out the rest of our blog for more fascinating and informative content!

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