5 Natural Remedies For Alleviating Pain

Jemi Fischbach

• February 28, 2021

Figuring out how to get rid of pain is not going to be an easy task. whether it is a chronic issue you have been dealing with a long time or something you are just starting to notice. You may speak to your doctor and receive a prescription for a mild painkiller, or perhaps you might require something more substantial. In many cases, a healthcare practitioner will prescribe opioids like morphine or oxycodone to treat pain. The only problem is that these can become very addictive, and many people who take them end up abusing them and ending up with a dependency.

For some people, the pain is often so bad that the risks associated with opioids are worth it because pain can significantly decrease life quality. Many people often will suffer emotional trauma from the pain, and daily life can become almost unbearable. While opioids can help eliminate the pain and make you seem like you are doing better, it can have intense consequences. According to NIDA, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, opioids kill around 128 people each day in the USA. The opioid crisis is a situation that Americans continue to grapple with, along with several other countries.

Luckily there are some ways to help treat pain that are holistic, using natural ingredients. Taking a natural approach to pain relief often involves finding the root cause and putting efforts in place to prevent the issues from coming up again. Many practitioners will speak about the inefficiency of these treatments and the low chances they will work. Often with a bit of time and effort put into experimenting, you will find something that can effectively curb the pain and make you feel even slightly better.

Outlined below are five natural remedies that you can try to help with pain, whether it’s chronic, from a recent injury, or another cause. While one might not work, another could be successful.

Hot & Cold Therapy

Using heat for pain is effective at dilating blood vessels and letting blood flow to the inflammation. Heat tends to work best for chronic pain or something you have been dealing with for a long time. Cold therapy, on the other hand, using an ice pack, works incredibly for recent injuries. After you get an injury, the body has an inflammatory response, and the cold can help restrict the blood vessels so that the response is less intense. Doing this right away after an injury is an effective way to reduce swelling and prevent long-term pain.

Anti-Inflammatories

Over-the-counter medications can be great for tackling inflammation. Products like ibuprofen and aspirin are excellent for temporary relief, especially if the pain is unbearable. While they can effectively take the edge off, you don’t want to use these too often, or there can be other effects. Some other natural pain relievers are CBD and turmeric, both of which have scientific evidence backing their efficacy.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is an essential vitamin that many people do not get enough of. A vitamin D deficiency, in some cases, can be linked to chronic pain. As vitamin D is needed for an array of bodily processes, getting enough is a critical element of your pain management regime. Exposure to sunlight is a great way to get vitamin D, or you can take tablets or drops.

Exercise

Exercise is useful for releasing endorphins, chemicals that can help your body cope with pain. Endorphins have even been known to provide an analgesic effect. The only thing is that many people suffering from chronic pain do not have full mobility, and thus, physical exercise is a challenge. If you are suffering from debilitating pain, start with small exercises like stretching and then work your way up to more intense cardiovascular exercises.

A Healthy Diet

Eating the right food is a critical element of your pain management regime. Food can be powerful in eliminating inflammation throughout the body and making you feel better today. Junk foods that are highly processed and contain a lot of sugar and salt can significantly contribute to inflammation. In contrast, whole foods like fruits and vegetables, along with whole grains, can help your body function properly. Some spicy foods and dark chocolate can also release endorphins.

A Future Without Pain

If you want to have a future without pain, you may need to think outside of the box. While some painkillers can temporarily help, they can be risky when abused. If you need help with your pain, contact your healthcare practitioner or the American Chronic Pain Association for more support.

Some of the remedies above take time to work, especially eating and exercising. While you may not notice results right away, you may find that your body handles pain better if you continue to work away at it.