A lot of us suffer from different kinds of pain, whether it’s a headache or a back pain. The first thing we usually do to address this issue is to take painkillers. Paracetamols are usually the go-to medicine for many people.
However, some are looking for other alternative solutions to relieve their pain the natural way. There are a number of ways to alleviate your pain and ease your discomfort using natural painkillers. This includes natural supplements, traditional medicines and therapy.
Using alternative therapy is as effective as taking pharmaceutical medications. The best part is, they have fewer side effects. Most medicines tend to mask the symptoms instead of curing the real problem. Thus, we came up with this natural pain relief guide for people who are looking for alternative ways to address and treat pain without the consumption of pharmaceutical drugs.
This natural relief guide provides simple steps on how to treat pain naturally. This includes traditional Chinese medicine which has been used by many centuries to relieve and cure pain.
First, You Need to Understand the Root of the Problem
What exactly is a chronic pain? The most common types of chronic pain include a headache, back pain, arthritis, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis and cancer pain. Chronic pain takes a huge toll not only on our physical body but on our mind and emotions too. In fact, patients who are constantly burdened with chronic pain are more susceptible to feelings of depression and even suicide in more extreme cases.
Most of these types of chronic pain are usually treated with over-the-counter painkillers such as paracetamol, ibuprofen and aspirin to name a few. People tend to heavily rely on these drugs to help manage their pain. These OTC drugs help alleviate the pain by suppressing the feeling of pain from a damaged tissue. Therefore, these medicines are called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
These type of medications are effective but they are also harmful if used regularly over time. It can cause a number of health conditions such as stomach ulcers, liver damage and risk of stroke.
This is mainly the reason why many are switching to natural pain relief which is safer. At the same time, this approach provides a holistic solution for everyday aches and pains.
What Contributes to Chronic Pain?
There are several factors that can contribute to the recurring pain. It can be attributed to an increase in inflammation due to habitual or repeated injuries. Another possibility is due to poor posture.
If you are always slouching at the computer the entire day, it can become painful in the long run. Using your smartphone for long periods can also cause neck strain, shoulder and back pain. In fact, according to a study published in The Spine Journal, spine surgeons have observed an increase in the number of patients contracting neck and upper back pain. They say that it is likely due to prolonged use of smartphones.
For neck pains, we recommend you use the ChiSoft Classic Cervical Traction Device which you can conveniently utilize whether you’re at home or in the office. This device is ideal for correcting the cause of neck pain.
Meanwhile, a lot of younger patients are acquiring disk hernias and other alignment problems which they normally should not have. It is necessary to have your condition diagnosed by a doctor so that you can identify the cause of your pain.
It’s important to know there are many different causes and types of pain. Getting evaluated by a doctor can help identify the cause of your symptoms so that you are able to address it properly.
When our body experiences pain, it does not necessarily mean that it is fatal. The sensation your body gets from pain is technically caused by the nervous system rather than the body part where the pain is present.
The Healthier Alternatives
Here are some of the healthier and safer alternatives to using OTC medications.
Regular Movement
For most people, regular movement, as opposed to strenuous physical activity, is more effective when dealing with chronic pain. Over-exercise can actually be counter-productive.
Food
Food also plays a huge role and impacts the amount of pain we feel. The food we eat can minimize or increase the discomfort and inflammation. The most recommended type of food to help reduce the pain includes leafy green vegetables, fatty fish, fruits like blueberries or strawberries and olive oil.
Technically, your diet will affect the level of pain you are having. If you consume too many ingredients that are high in sugar and fat, you can become overweight. Thus, your body will have an additional mass that can add physical stress on some of the affected parts of your body.
For example, if you are experiencing pain in your ankle, the more fatty food you eat, the more you will weigh. Therefore, the heavier the stress will be on your ankle. Plus, exercising while you are feeling pain will be quite difficult for you. Nonetheless, following a proper diet and nutritional plan can prevent you from gaining weight.
Diet and Exercise
The combination of a well-balanced diet and exercise can benefit your body in many ways. It provides better circulation, stimulates endorphins, boosts the growth hormones and facilitates the pain detachment. All these can help restructure the muscle and nervous system of your body and thus, relieving the pain.
Alternative Methods or Pain Relief Tools That Are Available in the Traditional Chinese Medicine Field
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a technique that uses needles and inserts them into the skin, tissue and muscles. This practice should be done specifically at certain acupuncture points in order for it to work properly.
There are 2,000 acupuncture points located all over the body and are generally connected by meridians. The meridians produce energy between the body surface and the internal organs. This Chinese healing technique is said to maintain the balance to allow a normal flow of energy or Qi throughout the body. In effect, acupuncture helps restore the body to its healthy state.
How it Works
Acupuncture is a procedure that involves stimulating anatomical areas using various methods. In the U.S., acupuncture incorporates the medical practices and approach from China as well as other countries. The most commonly administered technique is using thin, solid and metallic needles to penetrate the skin to manipulate and stimulate the nerves.
Based on studies conducted by the National Institute of Health or NIH, acupuncture is an effective technique used for treating chronic pain including neck, back, knee pain and headache. It improves the tightness you feel whenever you have a headache while preventing migraines as well. The NIH states that acupuncture is a reasonable option for patients dealing with chronic pain.
You can also use the ChiSoft Acupressure Neck and Upper Back Support Cradle to gently stretch stiff and sore neck or shoulder muscles near the spine. At the same time, it naturally improves your posture.
Moxibustion
Moxibustion is a type of therapy that involves burning herbs particularly a moxa or a mugwort root and applying the heat to specific areas of the body to facilitate the healing process. When burning the moxa, it produces a huge amount of smoke and strong smell that is often thought of similar to a cannabis plant. This technique is used in traditional Chinese medicine and is often administered with acupuncture.
The burning process or moxibustion uses heat to revitalize the blood by stimulating the flow of energy or Qi through the body. It is also known to strengthen the kidney and diffuse any inactivity. This method is often used to treat menstrual cramps and pain.
How it Works
The method of moxibustion involves a combination of acupressure and herbal practice. The moxa is burned near the skin at certain acupoints or also known as acupuncture meridian points. The moxa is placed inside the base of a cylinder that is positioned on top of an acupoint.
The base of the cylinder is designed with holes that direct the heat and the smoke from the burning moxa towards the acupoint. The end of the moxa stick is held over the skin measuring a gap of one to two inches from the surface and is positioned on top until the area becomes warm and reddish.
Some patients report that they feel a rush of heat along a certain part away from the area being treated. This is actually a good sign because it certifies the energy is freely flowing through the channels.
When is Moxibustion Used?
People who are in pain caused by injuries or arthritis can significantly benefit from this technique. If you have sore areas that feel cold, adding heat to the affected area will help relieve the pain. Other patients who have digestive problems can also use this technique to address this issue. Moxibustion is also applied to help prevent strains from cold and flu.
A lot of people combine the method of moxibustion with acupuncture, especially if both techniques are relevant in treating the diagnosis. Medical practitioners agree that using both therapies can complement each other and ultimately produce better results.
Anyone can perform moxibustion even when you’re at home. Some Chinese physicians even teach their patients to administer this on themselves and instruct them to perform this in between their scheduled appointments. They believe that it will help strengthen and promote faster recovery.
The Downside
There is a minor downside to this type of therapy, particularly the smell and smoke. The authentic type of moxa which is made from mugwort produces huge amounts of smoke during the burning process. The best solution is to make sure you apply this in a well-ventilated room to prevent choking on the smoke.
The other downside is the smell produced from the burnt mugwort. It smells similar to the marijuana plant which is why a lot of people mistaken this for the cannabis plant. Doctors and physicians immediately inform their patients of the effects of moxibustion to avoid any further inconvenience.
Fire Cupping or Suction Cupping
Cupping is known to be a traditional Chinese massage. It uses different types of materials such as plastic or glass cups to treat the body. Cupping is one of the oldest practices used in medicine even dating back as far as the ancient Egyptians.
Instead of applying pressure to the muscles, cupping pulls the muscles upward. Sometimes, therapists use cupping and combine this technique with acupuncture. The suction itself helps loosen up the muscles and boost blood flow. Therefore, this therapy is best applied to patients who suffer from high blood pressure.
When it comes to pain management, cupping helps relieve neck and back pains as well as stiff muscles. It also eases headaches, migraines and fatigue. To avoid contracting neck pains, use the ChiSoft Memory Foam Neck Pillow to avoid any further discomfort.
How it Works
The first thing you need to do is to heat the cups using a flammable material such as paper, herbs or more commonly a cotton ball. The objective of the lit material placed inside the cup is to suck out all the oxygen.
Afterward, remove the flaming substance from the cup and position the cup upside down over the skin. The air inside the cup acts as a vacuum and sucks in the surface to make the glass latch on the skin. This will make the skin elevated and become reddish as the blood vessels begin to expand. Leave it for a maximum of three minutes.
This technique works especially when applied to the back and the stomach area. This treatment is used to reduce pain, inflammation and improve the blood circulation. Others use it to promote relaxation. There are different type of cups you can use including bamboo, glass, earthenware and silicone.
In other versions, a rubber pump is used instead of lighting a substance while some therapists prefer using silicone cups so that they can easily move it up and down the skin similar to massage.
For first-timers, you can expect to use three to five cups. You may have to apply an antibiotic solution and a bandage to prevent the cupped areas from getting infected. Expect patches of red circles on your back. It will probably last on your skin for about 10 days.
TDP Lamp
A TDP or (Te-Ding Dian-ci-bo Pu) or also known as special electromagnetic spectrum is a tool that has been used in China for many decades. This machine is quite effective in healing various type of ailments including wounds, injuries, skin conditions and chronic pains.
How it Works
A TDP lamp uses a heated mineral plate with 33 trace elements that discharge infrared radiation. This increases the circulation while loosening the muscles as well as the ligaments. TDP helps speed up the natural healing process of the body.
The ceramic plate of the lamp releases a unique invisible infrared light ranging from 2 to 25 microns which is compatible with our body’s BIO-spectrum waves. Thus, allowing the body to absorb the heat fully. The energy absorbed by the body promotes the microcirculation and metabolism of the body. At the same time, it strengthens the body’s immune system while numbing the pain we feel.
The TDP lamp is considered a miracle lamp in China. It is used to treat more than 100 types of chronic conditions. After making it big in China, this machine was introduced to other countries like Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Australia, Europe and North America. A lot of clinics and homes are equipped with the TDP lamp.
This miracle lamp has treated over 60 million patients all over the world. Aside from its effectivity, many are inclined to use this technique because of it is easy to use and manage. In 1988, the U.S. FDA approved the use of this machine. Since then many doctors have been using the TDP lamp to treat their patients.
The TDP lamp provides a deep heated therapeutic treatment used to minimize the inflammation, sedate the pain, stabilize the metabolism and improve the micro-circulation. This tool is often used by athletes, especially national athletic teams from various sports such as soccer, martial arts, volleyball and ballet. It also helps provide balance to the nervous system and promote healing.
This device assists in releasing the pain and tightness in the muscles. Since this tool doesn’t provide any discomfort, a lot of patients prefer this method. According to patients, the heat coming from the machine relaxes their muscles.
Far Infrared Lamp
A far infrared lamp is one of the safest and most effective methods of using natural pain relief. While the TDP lamp uses a mineral plate, the infrared lamp utilizes a red light bulb to transmit invisible infrared light waves into the body.
What is an infrared light? An infrared light feels similar to the heat you receive from the sun. This type of heat is strong enough to deeply penetrate into your body’s muscles, nerves, bones and tissues.
How it Works
This device uses light from 600 to 1000nm waves making it appear invisible. The lamp radiates heat into the body and has the ability to penetrate a maximum of 1.5 inches below the skin. A research conducted by the NCBI states that the infrared light therapy has been used for many decades to reduce the pain and inflammation in the body. This tool is often used by doctors, physical therapists and professional athletes.
It produces a gentle heat that improves the blood circulation in the body in a matter of a couple of minutes. As the infrared waves enter the skin, the body’s temperature increases. Thus making the blood circulate faster. At the same time, this tool hydrates and oxygenates the affected area in the body. Therefore, it assists in faster recovery.
A regular heating pad doesn’t work as effectively as an infrared lamp. The heat from a regular heating pad doesn’t have the ability to penetrate your skin deeply. Plus, this type of device has the tendency to burn and damage your skin.
According to studies, when it comes to minimizing the pain and inflammation, infrared light therapy works better than NSAIDs. The National Institute of Health study explains that that infrared radiation treatment produces minimal side effects. Therefore, making a far infrared radiation safe.
A lot of hospitals even use it to heal newborn babies diagnosed with jaundice. However, you must avoid using it while pregnant or breastfeeding. Always seek a doctor’s opinion first.
Using Alternative Therapies
A lot of patients prefer the idea of administering alternative therapies for pain management. It frees them from any toxins and strong chemicals. Plus, the natural pain relief technique makes patients feel safer thanks to its natural healing process.
Alternative therapy is used to replace conventional practice. However, sometimes it is used to complement conventional medicine. The examples of alternative therapies stated above can work for different kinds of patients. Just make sure you discuss your condition with your therapist to be able to determine the most effective natural healing technique for you.
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