How to Deal With Pain Naturally

When it comes to pain, it can often feel like you have to take painkillers or just grit your teeth and wait it out. Chronic pain can be very debilitating and can flare up without warning.

If you’d rather not take pain relief all the time, there are some totally natural options that can help to reduce your pain levels. Even better, studies back them up as effective ways to manage pain. Here are some natural and proven ways to tackle pain.

Naprapathic Care

First, what is Naprapathic care? Let me explain. Naprapathic medicine focuses on gentle but deep tissue manipulation, exercise therapy, as well as nutritional counseling. Naprapathy is the practice of locating strained and constricted connective tissues, and manipulating them to return them to their natural state. Rigid muscles and connective tissues can impair the normal function of nerve pathways, and limit blood and lymph circulation; all of which may cause pain, restriction of movement, inflammation, and impair healing. Here is a study on long-term effects of naprapathy.

Some common issues that naprapathic medicine addresses:

• Musculoskeletal conditions
• Headaches + migraines
• Decreased range of motion
• Sciatica
• Neck + back pain
• Shoulder pain
• Post-surgical recovery
• Carpal tunnel
• Tennis/golfers elbow
• TMJ
• Muscle + joint pain
• Sprains, strains, spasms + sports injuries
• Scoliosis
• And more!

massage

Massage therapy has some serious feel good and pain relieving benefits. Endorphins and serotonin are released, both of which can act as natural painkillers.

According to a study published in Science Translational Medicine, massage therapy could also help to switch genes linked to inflammation on or off, especially for exercise related muscle damage.

Some studies have also looked at whether massage can provide several benefits to the body such as increased blood flow, reduced muscle tension and neurological excitability, and an increased sense of well-being.

Some top benefits to getting regular massages:

• Lowers stress
• Increases immune function
• Boost mental health + wellness
• Manage pain issues
• Improve physical fitness

Acupuncture

Inserting fine needles into acupuncture points on the body is aimed at balancing out energy. Research has suggested that acupuncture can be good for chronic pain and could reduce it by as much as 50%.

Acupuncture is also linked to better functioning of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems, both of which can be involved in chronic pain.

Yoga

Struggling with pain in your lower back? Yoga can be a good option for dealing with it and may even work as well as physical therapy in helping to get away from pain medications. Patients who did yoga twice a week for two months reported a 42% reduction in their lower back pain. Yoga is now recommended by the American Pain Foundation as a way to tackle lower back pain.

Combining yoga with meditation can be even more effective for tackling chronic pain. Researchers have put forward the idea that this is because it’s a combination that works on both the mind and the body.

Exercise

Physical activity reduces chronic pain by building muscle strength + flexibility, reducing fatigue, reducing pain sensitivity, and reducing inflammation. A study stated that managing pain and disability in chronic LBP (low back pain), the most beneficial programs were those that included at least 1 to 2 sessions per week of Pilates or strength exercises and sessions of less than 60 minutes of core-based, strength, or mind-body exercises. Another study illustrates the many benefits of exercise for pain relief.

Engaging in regular exercise offers many benefits for individuals experiencing chronic pain. These benefits include:

• Improved Pain Tolerance: By stimulating the production of endorphins, which act as natural painkillers.
• Increased Strength + Flexibility: Exercise strengthens the muscles and improves flexibility, which can help to reduce pain and improve function.
• Reduced Inflammation: Exercise can decrease inflammation by utilizing our endogenous inhibitory systems to reduce pain.
• Positive Psychological Effects: Exercise can help to improve mood by triggering the release of “feel-good” chemicals like endorphins and serotonin in the brain.
• Increased Energy Levels: Exercise can help increase energy levels by sending oxygen and nutrients to your tissues. This helps your cardiovascular system work more efficiently and makes it easier to cope with chronic pain.
• Improved Sleep: Exercise can help improve sleep by regulating your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle (circadian rhythm), reducing stress hormones, increasing the production of melatonin, elevating mood, and causing a temporary rise in body temperature followed by a drop which signals the body to sleep.
  
  

Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy is recommended by the American Psychological Association for natural pain management. By accessing the unconscious mind, it’s possible for hypnotherapy to encourage healing and pain relief.

Hypnotic suggestions and imagery can be a big part of this to relax and calm the mind and change perceptions of pain. It can also give you tools to manage pain. This can be continued after hypnosis sessions through self hypnosis so you can use the same techniques whenever pain strikes. Many people find that hypnosis can help to make pain less severe, especially if it’s used alongside other types of pain management.

Anti-inflammatory foods + supplements

Your diet can play a major part in helping with natural pain relief. If anti-inflammatory foods aren’t featured very highly in your diet at the moment, it’s definitely time to start adding them in to help alleviate chronic pain.

These foods + supplements are great to have in your diet:

Turmeric is very anti-inflammatory, largely thanks to curcumin. Curcumin is the active compound strongly linked to pain relief. This can be on par with pain medications in some cases. Studies have shown it can improve pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis and digestive conditions such as Crohn’s Disease, IBS and ulcerative colitis. Get more of it in your diet by adding it to smoothies, juices, soups, curries, omelettes and hot drinks.

Ginger is another spice that can offer natural pain relief. The main reason for this is phytonutrients such as gingerol. You may know ginger as a way to deal with nausea but according to studies, it can also help with menstrual pain. In fact, it can be as effective as anti-inflammatory pain relief (such as ibuprofen) and can also work as well as medications when it comes to migraines. And that’s not all – ginger may also be a useful addition to your diet if you suffer from rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis. To get the benefits, try adding ginger to shakes, smoothies, soups, teas, curries and stir-fries.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids are another diet-related way to reduce pain. They’re anti-inflammatory. As with turmeric and ginger, omega 3 can reduce arthritis pain. A fairly high amount is needed for this and studies have involved supplementing with fish oil. But fish oil should only be taken temporarily to decrease inflammation. You want to always get to the “root cause” of your inflammation and not rely on fish oil long-term. Essential fatty acids need to be in balance. Taking too much or mega doses of fish oil can cause an imbalance and other health related issues. You can determine your fatty acid balance by doing a functional lab test. The correct ratio of omega 3’s + omega 6’s will promote an anti-inflammatory balance; vip!

Chamomile Tea can help with pain relief too. A study by the American Chemical Society found that drinking chamomile tea can help to release glycine, an amino acid that can prevent muscle spasms and cramps. This can be super helpful if you struggle with pain relating to this – including menstrual pain.

Vitamin D interacts with immune cells, suppressing the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and enhancing the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines. A descriptive study illustrating the way vitamin D supports inflammation.

Proteolytic Enzymes reduce inflammation by breaking down damaged tissues and reducing levels of inflammatory substances. They may also promote tissue repair and regeneration. Proteolytic Enzymes: Bromelain, Chymotrypsin, Trypsin + Serratiopeptidase.

Boswellia, or otherwise known as Indian Frankincense, is a potent herbal extract that comes from the Boswellia serrata tree. Research has found that boswellia can reduce inflammation in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. It may be beneficial in lowering inflammation and is particularly beneficial when used in combination with another anti-inflammatory herb; curcumin-they work together to reduce inflammation.

Rosemary is a fragrant, delicious, anti-inflammatory herb and belongs to the same herb-family as oregano, thyme, basil, and lavender. Rosemary is a rich source of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds.

Quercetin is a flavonoid that can be found in vegetables and fruits, such as leafy greens, broccoli, tomatoes, apples and berries. It is rich in antioxidants, full of anti-inflammatory benefits and can fight free-radical damage. Studies show it is a powerful anti-inflammatory compound that can effectively reduce inflammation and improve immunity.

Healthy Anti-Inflammatory Foods: Grass/pasture-fed meat + poultry; sweet potatoes/root veggies; raw nuts; green tea; wild-caught fish; healthy fats-organic extra virgin olive oil, organic coconut oil, organic grass-fed butter, avocados; organic dark chocolate; pasture-raised eggs; garlic; organic fruits + veggies. Add these to your diet for numerous health benefits!

As you can see, there are a lot of options when it comes to alternatives for pain management and relief. You’ll want to continue to eat an anti-inflammatory diet, exercise regularly, get healthy sleep and consider physical body care/naprapathic care for best outcomes. We encounter stressors each and every day, either physical, mental or unhealthy dietary choices. Once you begin to make small lifestyle changes the benefits will leave you feeling physically and mentally strong and balanced!

Grab a complimentary copy of my Immune Boosting Foods guide here.

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