10 Home Remedies for Pain
Pain is a very general and subjective term that is used to describe a condition of discomfort. Pain can be mild and annoying all the way to extreme and debilitating. Pain can be temporary, appear and disappear suddenly, be consistent or show up only under certain conditions. Different people respond to pain differently, some people have a high tolerance threshold for pain and some a very low one.
Most pain can be described as soreness, throbbing, stinging or pinching but always unpleasant. Even so, in most cases pain can be a good thing. It is an indicator to let us know that something in our body isn’t right and gives us hints about the potential causes. Some forms of pain can be quite easy to diagnose and treat at home. In some cases pain may be a signal that something serious is happening and medical attention should be sought.
WHEN IS IT A GOOD TIME TO SEE A DOCTOR?
* If your pain is the result of an accident or injury that carries a risk of broken bones, infection and bleeding
* In every case of a head injury, even if it doesn’t seem too serious
* Sharp and intense internal pains could be a sign of something serious, like a burst appendix which may be life threatening
* Chest pain may be a sign of an oncoming heart attack. In the case of chest pain it’s probably a good idea to call an ambulance instead of driving yourself to the hospital
* If your pain is interfering with your day-to-day life and making it difficult or impossible for you to function normally
If your pain is less serious, then it’s a good idea to try to avoid pharmaceuticals and tackle the problem in a natural and healthy way. Here are 10 home remedies for pain:
10 Home Remedies for Pain
#1 – CBD Products
Due to CBDs anti-inflammatory properties, CBD may be an effective pain reliever. The CBD strain sends chemical signals throughout your body that tell the pain receptors to stop hurting. This is one of the biggest reasons why CBD is so popular. It is a natural way to defeat inflammation and pain under the umbrella of alternative medicine. National Institute of Health, NIH studies have found CBD to be useful for chronic pain and reducing inflammation.
Harvard Health describes a study that was published in the European Journal of Pain that reported reduced pain and inflammation from arthritis in animals. They further cite another study that demonstrated just how CBD inhibited both neuropathic and inflammatory pain, both of which are chronic and some of the most difficult to treat and alleviate. Purity and freshness are a concern when ordering online or even purchasing CBD locally which is why we recommend CBD Essence for Medical Quality CBD. For many people they have found the Sport CBD Lotion from Bluebird Botanicals has provided amazing results for instant pain relief, especially with arthritis.
#2 – Physical Therapy – Sports Massage
If your pain is associated with some sort of athletic injury, the good news is that these types of injuries are generally fairly easy to treat by seeing a professional. Whether it’s a physical therapist, sports masseuse or a chiropractor, a specialist can help you get rid of pain by manipulating your muscles, joints, neck, back and other parts of your body allowing you to enjoy a drug free treatment.
The best part about this kind of therapy is that you’re treating the root of the problem, which means getting rid of the cause of the pain.
#3 – Osteopath Doctor
An osteopath is similar to a chiropractor, but with a much more holistic approach to dealing with your particular issue. In short, osteopathy is a medication free, non-invasive physical therapy that helps improve health in all parts of the body, by manipulating and helping strengthen the musculoskeletal framework of the body.
An osteopath focuses on the spine, muscles and joints to affect the nervous system, circulation and lymphatic system of the body. Like a chiropractor, the diagnosis and treatment is done by hand. The osteopath doesn’t only focus on the problem area but uses their techniques to balance all the systems in the body to bring relief.
#4 – Acupuncture
Acupuncture is an ancient medical art originating in Asia centuries ago. Acupuncture can be used to treat a myriad of health conditions, including different types of pain. Traditional acupuncture is the insertion of extremely fine needles in to the skin at special points called ‘acupoints’. One of the way this relieves pain is by stimulating the release of endorphins (which are the body’s natural pain-killer) which also helps improve mood.
Acupuncture also helps stimulate many of your bodily functions to work better, which also promotes healing and helping get rid of the root cause of your pain.
#5 – R.I.C.E.
Rest, ice, compression and elevation probably one of the best ways to treat pain when it comes to sport injuries.
* R: Rest allows your body to recover quicker and avoids injuring the area worse
* I: Ice helps bring down swelling, make sure not to let the ice or icepack touch your skin directly
* C: Compression also helps to bring down swelling by reducing blood flow to the injured area. Make sure not to wrap the injured area too tight as this may have the opposite effect
* E: Elevation: This helps reduce swelling by reducing blood flow to the elevated area. The rule of thumb is to elevate the injured area of the body above the heart
10 Home Remedies for Pain
#6 – Essential Oils
There are some essential oils which are a great natural pain reliever. The top recommended essential oils for pain relief are:
* Lavender oil
* Rosemary oil
* Peppermint oil
* Eucalyptus oil
Essential oils can be pretty strong, and if your skin is sensitive it’s a good idea to dilute these essential oils with a carrier oil like coconut or olive oil. You’ll want to rub the oil into the area where you’re experiencing pain. Inhalation is also an option.
#7 – Cloves
Cloves are often used to spice up drinks and dishes, but they’re also a great natural pain-killer. In medicinal form cloves can be found as capsules, powder or oil. The most effective way of using cloves as a pain reliever is rubbing the oil onto the area where you feel pain. Cloves are especially effective when dealing with a toothache. You can dip an ear swab in clove oil and rub a small amount onto your gums in the area where pain is felt, you should be able to feel pain relief almost immediately.
#8 – Exercise
This might seem a little counter-intuitive if you’re dealing with pain, but aerobic exercise is the most effective way of getting your heart going and releasing endorphins. Endorphins are a natural pain killer as well as a mood enhancer. Endorphins work by combining with opioid receptors inside your brain to block the perception of pain.
One of the reasons people don’t feel pain after an accident when in shock, is because of the sudden release of a large amount of endorphins into the system.
#9 – Soak Yourself in a Warm Bath
Soaking yourself in warm water can help relieve all types of muscle pain, and is also known to help relieve pain associated with arthritis. This is also a good opportunity to use some essential oils listed above in the bath. This can help the oils get absorbed through your skin, while inhaling the vapors at the same time.
#10 – Meditation
Many people use mindfulness meditation as a natural treatment for pain relief. There currently aren’t any scientific studies outlining the way it works, but there is plenty of anecdotal evidence. However, there has been a systematic review which looked at 38 different scientific studies and concluded that there is a strong link between meditation and treating pain.
Trying to treat pain naturally is a great and healthy way to avoid the potential danger of additive pain medication. There is currently an opioid epidemic sweeping North America, and most of the prescriptions for these dangerous substances are as a result of the patient seeking pain relief. Unless your pain is debilitating, it’s a wise choice to avoid pharmaceuticals and the dangers associated with them.
