Inflammation and other injuries cause pressure. This pressure in turn affects the surrounding nerve endings, which send signals (like electric currents, if you will, as an analogy) to the brain that are translated into something we all know as pain and discomfort.
No one wants to be in pain, whether it be the dull, throbbing kind that often comes with muscle injuries or the sharp, sudden pain that can come from deeper, more severe damage that has actually affected nerve endings.
Either way, drug companies have definitely capitalized on the fact that we do not relish the idea of living in pain, even moderate, consistent pain, and narcotic and over the counter pain relievers have enjoyed hefty sales since their introduction to market. But are there ways, more natural and healthier ways, to effectively treat and alleviate pain?
Yes, there are, and not only do they usually have other health benefits besides the obvious one of relieving pain, but they also have long term implications in your life as a pain free, healthy and productive person.
The first naturally therapeutic method for relieving pain, which has actually been used in Asian countries for thousands of years, and many people find highly effective, is called acupuncture. Acupuncture, and acupressure, are two different practices which apply the concept of pressure points and nerve manipulation.
Acupuncture actually "punctures" the skin with special tiny needles, which penetrate to a precise level beneath the dermis to cause a manipulation of nerve endings which are supposedly housed in specific locations on the body and whose location is known only by experienced practitioners.
The same concept applies with acupressure, but only no needles are used, and there is no puncturing of the skin and penetration, but instead a pressure is applied to these areas where the nerve endings are housed which are causing the specific pain a person is experiencing.
Two other natural therapies for pain relief are slow moving exercises which focus on smooth, even breathing. Even breathing techniques combined with stretching and slower, graceful movements can really help to increase the circulation, decrease muscle tensions, increase the endorphins (pleasure chemicals) circulating, and mitigate any feelings of pain that are going on in the body.
Examples of this are yoga, tai chi, and pilates. Strengthening the body also can help to relieve pain by increasing the muscle strength, and helping to counteract weak muscles which lead to pain as well as damaged nerves endings.
Whether we realize it or not, we have immediate power over certain aspects of our health. Sure, you're thinking. Tell THAT one to my doctor. Well, your doctor would agree with you. What we eat, how much we sleep, what kinds of stress we're under, how much we exercise, all of these things are under our control. If we're looking for better health, then we have to start the process and be willing to take the initiative and make a commitment to taking better care of our body.
Picture this scenario: if you're suffering from musculoskeletal pain you'll go to your doctor, and he or she will make a diagnosis. There are usually four options you'll get from them: therapy, medication, surgery, or a combination of all three. After the initial diagnosis your doctor will become more of an evaluator, checking up on your progress and deciding whether the treatment should be increased, changed, or stopped.
After you've been in treatment for a while, however, the doctor's assessment of your recovery may not match your own assessment of how you're doing. They may feel you've made improvements, and you may feel that you're still living in pain and haven't progressed that much. This is where you and your doctor may hit a crossroads. Although you may not feel like you have control in what happens, you do. You can decide to continue treatment, or to try something new. Your doctor may provide you with new medications, and you must decide whether or not to take them.
Although many people put medications at the top of their list for treatment, much of the time, especially with musculoskeletal pain, it's not necessary. Medicines are used to control pain, not treat it. If you make the effort with a qualified professional to find the root cause of your pain, many times it can be found and the pain eliminated without you having to jump on the prescription drug bandwagon.
Latching onto the idea that you're the head coach of your team (your body), can create significant, empowering changes. You're in charge, and as long as you have a dedicated support staff, which consists of your doctors, therapists, chiropractors, acupuncturists, and so on, you can really start down a road towards better health.
After all, no one knows your body better than you do, right? So it makes sense that you should be in charge of what happens to it. Listen to your support team's advice, but remember that you're in charge of the final outcome. It's your job to manage all of this information, put forth the effort, and win the game against pain.
Both Danna Schneider & Anthony Carey, M.a., Cscs are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.