One day you will look up and realize that you are older; your skin has changed, your kids have grown up. Life just seems to fly by. If you are in pain, it is harder to realize just how fast it is moving. You may just miss those little things that make life worth living because you were distracted by pain. Treat your pain now and get back to living life the way that you want to live it.
Treating your pain does not need to be about filling your body up with potentially harmful chemicals. You can treat your pain with natural alternatives. But, in order to do so, it is important to understand how pain affects our bodies.
A Closer Look at Pain
Pain has a major role when it comes to how our body’s function. It is letting us know that something is wrong in order to avoid further injuring ourselves. The concept is simple but, pain doesn’t always follow the rules; there are actually two different kinds of pain.
Acute pain occurs when there is a trauma to the body. The pain that you feel after you receive a cut or a burn or you have a surgery are all classified as acute pain. Typically this pain does not last longer than 6 months and diminishes when the injury is healed.
Chronic pain is slightly different then acute pain. Chronic pain lasts longer than 6 months. It does not diminish once the injury has healed or the injury to the body is constant like in cases of arthritis.
Chronic pain carries with it certain other issues besides just making a person feel uncomfortable. Loss of mobility, stress, tense muscles and lower energy can all result from chronic pain. In addition, someone dealing with this kind of issue on a constant basis may become agitated, depressed or anxious.
Why is Natural Pain Relief Better?
It may seem quite simple; if you are in pain, take a pain reliever. Yes, pain relievers can take away pain but, do you really want to be filling your bodies up with those kind of chemicals on a regular basis? The answer should be no and here is why.
Oral medications wreak havoc on certain parts of the body like the digestive system. Pain medications can cause ulcers and stomach bleeding. They can also cause heart, liver and kidney problems. In addition, when pain medications are taken over a long period of time their effectiveness diminishes; you must take higher and higher doses to effectively control pain.
What Should You do When You are Faced with Pain?
First of all, you need to talk to your health care provider. There are many different treatment options and only your health care provider can diagnose what the problem is and the most effective way to treat it. Once your treatment turns to pain management, there are many things that you can do to promote natural pain relief.
Lifestyle Changes can have a Huge Effect on Your Body
Changing certain things about how you live your life can have a direct effect on your pain. You can decrease your level of pain by giving your body the opportunity to function the way that it was meant to.
Weight loss is vital in pain management. Excess weight causes your body to work harder than it is supposed to. Joints can break down under the stress of the weight causing issues like arthritis, torn ligaments, muscle strains, at the very least. Some suggest that there may also be a link between arthritis in non-weight bearing joints and obesity. Even a small amount of weight loss can begin the healing process within your joints.
Exercise is another way vital aspect to pain reduction. Building, stretching and working muscles the way that they were intended to be used can help to heal your ailments. Most people think that being active will further agitate their condition rather than make it better. However, in reality, it is inactivity that leads to the likelihood of being disabled.
When trying to increase your activity level after being inactive for an extended period of time, remember to start off slow. Walking is a great way to increase your metabolism. If you have trouble walking, you can start off using a cane or a walker. Swimming is another really great way to increase your activity level in a safe way. The water supports your weight while offering resistance at the same time.
Pain Relief without Modern Day Medications
Changing your lifestyle can get you on the road to rehabilitation however, when pain is at its worst, you need something that will quickly take it away. Rather than taking oral medications, try one of these natural pain relievers.
Hot or cold packs are a wonderful way to decrease your pain. Appling heat to the affected area can not only relieve pain but it can also increase circulation. A cold compresses wrapped in a towel can bring down swelling and inflammation.
Massage has earned great respect when it comes relieving pain. It can ease sore muscles and joints. You can visit a professional or you can practice doing a little self-massage on your troublesome areas. Self-massage is easy and relaxing as well.
Support for your joints is a wonderful way to allow aching body parts to rest and protect them from further injury. You can provide support for your joints by using a splint or a brace.
When All Else Fails, Try Topical Pain Relief
Especially when you are trying to get back to being active, sometimes you need a little more of a pain reliever then the above can provide. However, you can still stay away from the chemicals in modern medicines by using topical pain relievers. Topical pain relievers typically come in the form of creams and gels. They are rubbed on and absorbed through the skin. Many topical creams and gels utilize the natural healing powers of menthol. Menthol creates a cooling sensation that distracts the brain from concentrating on the pain.
Staying away from popping pills is not that difficult when it comes to pain relief. Natural pain relief is better for your body and your mind. Pills mask the pain but natural relief to pain actually cures the pain.
