Alternative Approaches to Pain Relief
By Peter Donald
Pain. The great leveler. The rich feel it. So do the poor, the
happy, the sad, tall, and short. And, of course, article writers,
too. It’s therefore not surprising to note that since the dawn of
time, humans have attempted to discover ways to reduce pain.
In some respect, our ability to experience pain, and
seek ways to solve it, connects us more than anything else. But what
exactly is pain and how do we deal with it?
Pain is a message sent by the body to the brain, signaling
the presence of disease, injury or strain. Without pain, you would
be unaware of many problems - from torn ligaments to appendicitis.
Pain is simply, Mother Nature's way of telling you something is wrong.
Many of us kill the messenger with narcotics, anti-depressants
and tranquilizers that take care of the symptoms, but not the cause
of the pain. This kind of treatment cannot only mask symptoms of serious
disease, but can also create a cycle of chronic pain.
Not all pain though, serves a useful function. While
acute pain, as described above can alert us to a serious problem,
chronic pain can linger long after an ailment or injury has healed
in the body. Examples of chronic pain include backache, migraines
and arthritis. In these cases, pain management, as opposed to a cure,
may become the goal of treatment.
The psychological effects that accompany recovery
from a disease or injury heighten chronic pain. A loss of confidence
is often triggered by prolonged periods of rest and inactivity that
cause a loss of physical strength, endurance and flexibility. If the
injury has prevented you from performing your usual duties, you may
succumb to frustration and depression. Impatience is chronic pain's
best friend as many individuals overexert themselves before they have
completely healed, thus triggering more pain.
Various treatments can help alleviate chronic pain.
Some treatments do so on a purely physical level by interfering with
signals from the nerves to the brain or desensitizing the nerves.
The following sections are meant to introduce you to some of the ways
of dealing with pain without relying on non-steroidal anti-inflammatories,
narcotics, tranquilizers or anti-depressants.
For many people, particularly those in the western
world, pain relief solutions such as acupuncture, and herbal medicine
are novel concepts. However, the rest of the world is probably wondering
what the fuss is about, because these traditional approaches to pain
relief have been around for thousands of years; Traditional Chinese
Medicine, which relies on various techniques and herbs in order to
balance the body’s internal energy, is over 5,000 years old.
Acupuncture
The ancient Chinese Practice of acupuncture is based
on the belief that health is determined by the level of chi (vital
life energy) that is in t he body. This energy is thought to move
through the body through pathways called meridians, which connect
to specific organs in the body. Acupuncturists insert needles into
points on the body that connect to these channels to release blocked
"chi" that might be the cause of pain.
During acupuncture treatment, the acupuncturist inserts
thin needles for anywhere from a few minutes to a half an hour into
specific points on the body. This practice is thought to stimulate
endorphins, the body's natural painkillers and is useful for the treatment
of a variety of disorders including backache, sinus pain, jaw pain,
spinal disorders, withdrawal and mental disorders.
Herbs
Another important part of traditional Chinese medicine
is herbal medicine. Herbs have been used for centuries for their pain
relieving qualities. Here are some herbs that are recommended for
common disorders:
Cramps & Spasms: angelica, cramp
bar, kava, rosemary, valerian root.
Nerve Pain: capsaicin, chamomile,
gotu kola, licorice, white willow.
Back Pain: hops, wood betony, passionflower.
Migraine: feverfew, linden, skullcap.
Headaches: peppermint, spearmint.
Joint pain: ginger, sea cucumber.
Meditation
Meditation, which has also been practiced for thousands
of years, is a conscious attempt to calm the mind so that it is not
cluttered with thoughts and anxieties that might be contributing to
an unnecessary belief in the existence of pain. There are hundreds
of different meditation techniques, but mostly they all into three
categories: concentrative, mindful and transcendental meditation.
During concentrative meditation, focusing on a single
sound, object or one's breath, produces tranquil mind that facilitates
the production of pain-relieving endorphins. During mindful meditations,
the mind is encouraged to become aware of, but not reactive to thoughts,
feelings and sensations in order to achieve a tranquil state of mind.
Nutrition
Eating a well balanced diet that includes fresh fruits
and vegetables is thought to be the best way raise your pain threshold
or resistance to pain. A deficiency in any of the main vitamins (A,
B, C, D or E) can cause chronic pain. Vitamin E is used to treat joint
pain. A deficiency in calcium, iron, magnesium and other minerals
may also lower your pain threshold.
A calcium magnesium supplement taken in a 2:1 ratio
of calcium to magnesium is thought to relieve joint pain and headaches.
Manganese is a vitamin that is sometimes used for chronic headaches
and neuralgia. A deficiency of the B vitamins is also thought to cause
nervousness, headaches and chronic pain.
Aromatherapy
Sniffing or applying essential oils is thought to
change an individual's brain chemistry so that pleasurable neuro-transmitters
called endorphins are released to relieve pain. Geranium, jasmine,
juniper, lavender, peppermint, rose, rosemary and thyme are oils commonly
used for this purpose.
Guided Imagery
Research has indicated that bodily functions that
were previously thought to be beyond conscious control, such as chronic
pain, can be controlled thorough the use of visualization. Guided
imagery encourages the sufferer to think in pictures that eliminate
negative thoughts thus raising levels of pleasurable brain chemicals,
such as serotonin, decreasing anxiety and increasing the effectiveness
of the immune system.
Through guided imagery, the mind conjures up mental
scenes in order to better direct the body's energy. For instance,
if an individual is suffering from a stabbing pain, he or she might
want to imagine a knife being removed from the spot and a subsequent
glowing feeling of relief. Guided imagery has been used successfully
to manage the pain of headaches, sinus problems, arthritis and cancer.
Biofeedback
It combines a variety of relaxation methods, such
as guided imagery and meditation with the use of instruments that
monitor the individual's responses to the therapy. After many treatments,
biofeedback is thought to train the individual to consciously regulate
autonomic functions such as heart rate, blood pressure and other processes
that are commonly believed to be out of our control.
During a session, electrodes connected to a monitoring
unit are taped to the skin. The monitor measures skin temperature,
pulse, blood pressure, muscle tension and brain activity to determine
the success of the relaxation technique. Eventually, over time, biofeedback
can train an individual to control the pain of such disorders as TMJ,
headaches and migraines.
It is difficult to imagine a world without pain; where
would our poetry come from? What would divas sing about? Given that
pain is probably always going to be a part of our world, it is of
critical importance that we understand the various methods that exist
to manage that pain.
For some of us, that remedy may lie in the traditional
realm, while for others it will be through prescription drugs or some
other alternative. Regardless of what remedy you choose, make sure
you inform yourself of the various pain treatment options open to
you, and by doing so, you may just reduce the amount of suffering
in your life. And isn’t that, in some respect, the goal that we all
strive towards?
It is important to note that the above suggestions
do not represent cures for conditions, but more represent strategies
and opportunities to manage your chronic pain. It is also recommended
that you consult with your health practitioner before embarking on
any new pain management program.
About The Author
This article may be free published provided the
link below is included with the article: www.rx-site.com/tramadol-fioricet-alternatives.html.
Peter Donald is a writer and Webmaster at http://www.rx-site.com,
a site that offers medical information, resources and articles on
various health topics including pain relief and weight loss.
