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Pain. The great leveler. The
rich feel it. So do the poor, the happy, the sad, tall,
and short. And, of course, article writers, too. It’s
therefore not surprising to note that since the dawn of
time, humans have attempted to discover ways to reduce
pain. In some respect, our ability to experience pain, and
seek ways to solve it, connects us more than anything
else. But what exactly is pain and how do we deal with it?
Pain is a message sent by
the body to the brain, signaling the presence of disease,
injury or strain. Without pain, you would be unaware of
many problems - from torn ligaments to appendicitis. Pain
is simply, Mother Nature's way of telling you something is
wrong.
Many of us kill the
messenger with narcotics, anti-depressants and
tranquilizers that take care of the symptoms, but not the
cause of the pain. This kind of treatment cannot only mask
symptoms of serious disease, but can also create a cycle
of chronic pain.
Not all pain though, serves
a useful function. While acute pain, as described above
can alert us to a serious problem, chronic pain can linger
long after an ailment or injury has healed in the body.
Examples of chronic pain include backache, migraines and
arthritis. In these cases, pain management, as opposed to
a cure, may become the goal of treatment.
The psychological effects
that accompany recovery from a disease or injury heighten
chronic pain. A loss of confidence is often triggered by
prolonged periods of rest and inactivity that cause a loss
of physical strength, endurance and flexibility. If the
injury has prevented you from performing your usual
duties, you may succumb to frustration and depression.
Impatience is chronic pain's best friend as many
individuals overexert themselves before they have
completely healed, thus triggering more pain.
Various treatments can help
alleviate chronic pain. Some treatments do so on a purely
physical level by interfering with signals from the nerves
to the brain or desensitizing the nerves. The following
sections are meant to introduce you to some of the ways of
dealing with pain without relying on non-steroidal
anti-inflammatories, narcotics, tranquilizers or
anti-depressants.
For many people,
particularly those in the western world, pain relief
solutions such as acupuncture, and herbal medicine are
novel concepts. However, the rest of the world is probably
wondering what the fuss is about, because these
traditional approaches to pain relief have been around for
thousands of years; Traditional Chinese Medicine, which
relies on various techniques and herbs in order to balance
the body’s internal energy, is over 5,000 years old.
Acupuncture: the ancient
Chinese Practice of acupuncture is based on the belief
that health is determined by the level of chi (vital life
energy) that is in t he body. This energy is thought to
move through the body through pathways called meridians,
which connect to specific organs in the body.
Acupuncturists insert needles into points on the body that
connect to these channels to release blocked
"chi" that might be the cause of pain. During
acupuncture treatment, the acupuncturist inserts thin
needles for anywhere from a few minutes to a half an hour
into specific points on the body. This practice is thought
to stimulate endorphins, the body's natural painkillers
and is useful for the treatment of a variety of disorders
including backache, sinus pain, jaw pain, spinal
disorders, withdrawal and mental disorders.
Herbs: another important
part of traditional Chinese medicine is herbal medicine.
Herbs have been used for centuries for their pain
relieving qualities. Here are some herbs that are
recommended for common disorders:
Cramps & Spasms:
angelica, cramp bar, kava, rosemary, valerian root.
Nerve Pain: capsaicin,
chamomile, gotu kola, licorice, white willow.
Back Pain: hops, wood
betony, passionflower.
Migraine: feverfew, linden,
skullcap.
Headaches: peppermint,
spearmint.
Joint pain: ginger, sea
cucumber.
Meditation: meditation,
which has also been practiced for thousands of years, is a
conscious attempt to calm the mind so that it is not
cluttered with thoughts and anxieties that might be
contributing to an unnecessary belief in the existence of
pain. There are hundreds of different meditation
techniques, but mostly they all into three categories:
concentrative, mindful and transcendental meditation.
During concentrative meditation, focusing on a single
sound, object or one's breath, produces tranquil mind that
facilitates the production of pain-relieving endorphins.
During mindful meditations, the mind is encouraged to
become aware of, but not reactive to thoughts, feelings
and sensations in order to achieve a tranquil state of
mind.
Nutrition: eating a well
balanced diet that includes fresh fruits and vegetables is
thought to be the best way raise your pain threshold or
resistance to pain. A deficiency in any of the main
vitamins (A, B, C, D or E) can cause chronic pain. Vitamin
E is used to treat joint pain. A deficiency in calcium,
iron, magnesium and other minerals may also lower your
pain threshold. A calcium magnesium supplement taken in a
2:1 ratio of calcium to magnesium is thought to relieve
joint pain and headaches. Manganese is a vitamin that is
sometimes used for chronic headaches and neuralgia. A
deficiency of the B vitamins is also thought to cause
nervousness, headaches and chronic pain.
Aromatherapy: sniffing or
applying essential oils is thought to change an
individual's brain chemistry so that pleasurable
neuro-transmitters called endorphins are released to
relieve pain. Geranium, jasmine, juniper, lavender,
peppermint, rose, rosemary and thyme are oils commonly
used for this purpose.
Guided Imagery: research
has indicated that bodily functions that were previously
thought to be beyond conscious control, such as chronic
pain, can be controlled thorough the use of visualization.
Guided imagery encourages the sufferer to think in
pictures that eliminate negative thoughts thus raising
levels of pleasurable brain chemicals, such as serotonin,
decreasing anxiety and increasing the effectiveness of the
immune system. Through guided imagery, the mind conjures
up mental scenes in order to better direct the body's
energy. For instance, if an individual is suffering from a
stabbing pain, he or she might want to imagine a knife
being removed from the spot and a subsequent glowing
feeling of relief. Guided imagery has been used
successfully to manage the pain of headaches, sinus
problems, arthritis and cancer.
Biofeedback combines a
variety of relaxation methods, such as guided imagery and
meditation with the use of instruments that monitor the
individual's responses to the therapy. After many
treatments, biofeedback is thought to train the individual
to consciously regulate autonomic functions such as heart
rate, blood pressure and other processes that are commonly
believed to be out of our control. During a session,
electrodes connected to a monitoring unit are taped to the
skin. The monitor measures skin temperature, pulse, blood
pressure, muscle tension and brain activity to determine
the success of the relaxation technique. Eventually, over
time, biofeedback can train an individual to control the
pain of such disorders as TMJ, headaches and migraines.
It is difficult to imagine
a world without pain; where would our poetry come from?
What would divas sing about? Given that pain is probably
always going to be a part of our world, it is of critical
importance that we understand the various methods that
exist to manage that pain. For some of us, that remedy may
lie in the traditional realm, while for others it will be
through prescription drugs or some other alternative.
Regardless of what remedy you choose, make sure you inform
yourself of the various pain treatment options open to
you, and by doing so, you may just reduce the amount of
suffering in your life. And isn’t that, in some respect,
the goal that we all strive towards?
It is important to note
that the above suggestions do not represent cures for
conditions, but more represent strategies and
opportunities to manage your chronic pain. It is also
recommended that you consult with your health practitioner
before embarking on any new pain management program.
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About
The Author
This
article may be free published provided the
link below is included with the article: www.rx-site.com/tramadol-fioricet-alternatives.html.
Peter
Donald is a writer and Webmaster at
www.rx-site.com, a site that offers
medical information, resources and
articles on various health topics
including pain relief and weight loss. |
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