Nopalea Cactus Juice
Natural Pain and Inflammation Relief
More than 50 million Americans suffer from chronic pain. Many people find they can gain long-term control over their pain through many alternative methods like heat or cold application, music, relaxation, exercise, meditation, acupuncture and a positive attitude.
"Pain is a chronic condition, just like hypertension or diabetes," Dr. Turk explains. "When you have a chronic condition, you need to do more things for yourself. It's going to last a long time. It's best to help yourself and learn to self-manage and control your pain."
The Options
In addition to traditional pain relievers, nondrug methods of pain relief may help you gain that control. Some techniques, such as imagery and the use of hot and cold relax the muscles, help you sleep, and distract you from symptoms. Others, such as music, movies, and recorded comedy routines, take your mind off your physical complaints, as does losing yourself in a good book.
While some remedies require little expertise or help from others, some may require instruction from a professional. Dr. Ronald Glick is the director of the University of Pittsburgh Pain Evaluation and Treatment Center. Dr. Glick recommends that patients seek advice from a chronic pain specialist who can coordinate all aspects of management, including physical therapies and psychological techniques.
While these pain relief techniques help many people with chronic pain, they are not cures for pain.
Heat and Cold
"The most important thing about heat and cold is that it gives a sense of control,"Dr. Turk says. "They are things you can do yourself to help relieve the pain, which can immediately reduce the emotional stress."
Direct Application
"Heat and cold can be quite helpful for people with musculoskeletal conditions," says Dr. Turk. "Something as simple as a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel can be a useful self-management technique that relieves muscle tension in the back, neck and shoulders."Most of us are familiar with holding an ice pack on a twisted ankle or lying on a heating pad for a sore back. But hot and cold treatments can be used in other ways. Moist heat, which is often more effective than dry heat, can be applied with a warm towel or a soak in the tub. An elastic bandage can hold an ice pack in place. A small paper cup filled with water and kept in the freezer becomes an excellent tool for localized cold massage, while iced washcloths can cover a larger area.
Muscle Relaxation Exercises
Progressive muscle relaxation is a technique that may be effective for both muscle spasm pain and stress reduction.
"Relaxation skills are useful in reducing muscle tension, and can help reduce frustration and some of the stress,"says Jennifer Markham, PhD, at the University of Pittsburgh Pain Clinic. Progressive muscle relaxation involves focusing your attention on each muscle group until it feels heavy and relaxed. You usually begin in the feet and gradually progress upward.
Exercise
Although you may not feel like getting off the couch because you hurt so much, exercising within the confines of your physical limitations can decrease pain. Why? The reasons are complex, but one prominent theory is that exercise releases endorphins, which are natural pain relieving chemicals in your brain.
"Exercise is absolutely critical," says Dr. Turk. "The type of exercise will depend on the condition, but as a general rule of thumb, the more active you remain and the more you use your muscles, the better off you're going to be."
A physical therapist can tailor an initial exercise plan based on your capacity to exercise, and then gradually make recommendations for increasing how much you do and for how long. Pain experts recommend pacing activities. Overdoing it on good days can come back to haunt you later. It's fine to cut back on your exercise during a flare-up of your pain, but it's important to resume your exercise routine as soon as you feel better.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a form of Chinese Medicine. It involves insertion of very thin needles into the skin at different and very specific points of the body. It has been shown to be effective for treatment of chronic back pain and some forms of pain resulting from nerve damage. It requires several treatments, usually between 2-5 before a response can be seen. Results of acupuncture also largely depend on the skills of the acupuncturist.
Meditation
The benefits of meditation go beyond relaxation response. Studies show that daily meditation may be an excellent tool in fighting chronic pain. There are a variety of different meditation techniques and one should choose a mediation style that is comfortable for him or her. Meditation can be done easily in the privacy of one's home.
Hypnotherapy
Hypnosis has nothing to do with popular images of stage performance. It was first utilized as a therapeutic modality more than 100 years ago. It is a well documented technique that can be useful in chronic pain management. It is done by a trained and licensed therapist. The exact way by which hypnosis works is not fully understood. It induces the state of focused awareness, which is known to alleviate many forms of pain.
David Ogden
CEO TheInterbiz LLC
1-386-308-1956 (24 hours)
trivita [@] theinterbiz.com
Office Hours-6AM-12AM GMT +8