Author: Alex Thompson
How Can You Relieve Chronic Pain Without Drugs?
Health Today does notprovide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Several studies suggest that people with migraine headaches have improved symptoms after chiropractic sessions (11). Chiropractic care is an approach to health care that focuses on diagnosing, treating, and preventing musculoskeletal disorders, especially those related to the spine.
Massage can help reduce stress and pain and improve sleep and overall well-being. Psychological treatments aim to reduce the negative impact that chronic pain can have on a person’s mental health. Physical therapy involves physical techniques to strengthen and stretch the muscles and joints. It can relieve pain throughout the body, while the specific methods will vary by body part. People may benefit from this technique when used with other pain management treatments, such as physical therapy and pain medication.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which involves improved self-talk and a practical approach to problem solving, is best known for helping people with anxiety and insomnia. Techniques such as acupuncture, chiropractic care, and moderate aerobic exercise can be used to relieve pain. These therapies can improve pain tolerance and promote physical and social well-being.
Breathing techniques
Pain typically continues during this process and disappears once the tissues have fully healed. If the pain lasts longer than three to six months, it is considered chronic.
Exercise & Fitness
As a pain management physician, I encourage patients struggling with pain to consider all of their alternatives before resigning themselves to long-term medication use. There is a lack of evidence that this treatment works for chronic pain, as people typically use opioids for short periods. A person can help reduce stress through relaxation, which can ease some of the burden of chronic pain while promoting better sleep. The review also found that there was no evidence that CBT can reduce long-term pain.
Many alternative therapies to relieve pain are free or low-cost.
Doing too little or doing too much can cause pain flare-ups. Your care team may help you find ways to manage pain without using medicine. You may want to use more than one way to help manage your pain. In addition, cannabis for medicinal purposes may not be legal everywhere. High doses can trigger side effects, so it is best to check with a health professional before using cannabis CBD for pain relief. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a group of medications that reduce inflammation and pain.
They are available in capsules, tablets, or as creams or gels for the skin. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, evidence suggests this technique could help people manage certain pain conditions. There are many ways to manage pain, and not all of them include taking medication. This article explores what pain management is, along with methods to ease pain and their effectiveness. Chronic pain may develop after an injury or due to a medical issue. Healthcare professionals define pain as chronic if it lasts longer than 3 months, or beyond the normal healing time for the underlying condition or injury.
Harvard Health Publishing
Using alternative methods for relief is critical to improving the quality of life for those who experience pain. To evaluate treatments, it is important to understand the difference between acute and chronic pain. While acute pain is the body’s natural response to an injury, chronic pain persists beyond the expected recovery time. This therapy involves integrating the body and mind to address chronic pain.
- Examples include bone pain from a fracture, joint pain from injury, or arthritis.
- These techniques can help complement medical treatment and can improve pain tolerance.
- You may want to use more than one way to help manage your pain.
- Massage uses gentle pressure to increase the flow of body fluids, stretch muscles, and relax the body.
How You Can Manage Your Pain Without Medications With OMT, Acupuncture and an Anti-Inflammatory Diet
Various strategies for pain relief exist, ranging from pharmacological treatment to mental and physical techniques. Choosing the most effective strategy may vary from person to person, depending on their individual preferences and the nature and severity of their pain. Pain not only impacts people’s daily lives but also carries many health consequences, such as depression and anxiety, sleep disorders, and social repercussions, such as isolation. These complications can deepen the negative impact of chronic pain on the physical, emotional, and social health. Psychological treatments for chronic pain include talking therapies, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). On the other hand, mental techniques often complement the physical ones.
This information is general education and does not replace medical advice. Medical information changes quickly based on scientific developments. CBT strategies teach you how to pay attention to how your thoughts, feelings, and actions are connected.
First, it can limit mobility and daily activities such as walking, lifting, or maintaining proper posture, decreasing strength and flexibility. The causes of neuropathic pain are diverse and are often related to nerve injuries or diseases affecting the nervous system. This signal activates avoidance or protective mechanisms, preparing us to respond appropriately to the injury or aggression. Pain can be classified in multiple ways to find and treat its cause. Therefore, doctors obtain a detailed medical history to determine the cause of your discomfort.