I was at a seminar recently and struck up a conversation with a gal who suffers from chronic pain following an ankle injury.
She knew I was in the health and nutrition field and asked if I had any suggestions. I said I did, but then I first asked her what she’s done so far. I was hoping to hear something along the lines of physical therapy, maybe acupuncture, or even infrared sauna.
Unfortunately, what I suspected was exactly the case... Nothing but pills.
And not only was she prescribed painkillers, but also antidepressants!
Sadly, I believe this woman is in a very large boat of people suffering from occasional or chronic pain and are on an endless road of medication after medication.
Let’s look at what’s wrong with that approach and explore ways to naturally ease your pain.
I feel your pain
I experienced an injury myself several years ago in karate—I severely strained my right shoulder and was in quite a bit of pain.
The orthopedist I consulted didn’t even bat an eye as he wrote a prescription for Flexeril (a muscle relaxer) and suggested I get physical therapy.
What he didn’t know is that I never took the Flexeril. I researched the medication and saw that the potential side effects included:
clumsiness or unsteadiness
confusion
fainting
mental depression
problems in urinating
unusual thoughts or dreams
blurred vision
dizziness, drowsiness, or lightheadedness
pounding heartbeat
problems in speaking
trembling
Yeah, I think I’ll pass on that, doc.
Instead, I just went for PT and also got ultrasound treatments from my chiropractor and my shoulder healed up just fine. Did I have pain through the healing process? Sure. But I chose to rely on natural measures to ease it, and I’ve never regretted it.
Dangers of other painkillers
Here ae some of the dangers of other types of painkillers:
NSAIDS
NSAIDs—one of the most popular painkillers—can cause gastrointestinal bleeding, cardiovascular problems, heart failure, hearing loss, liver damage, allergic reactions and even miscarriage!
Note that liver damage is especially sneaky since most people don’t incur any symptoms until their liver is severely impacted.
Common NSAIDs include ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), Naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn) and Celecoxib (Celebrex).
Acetaminophen
Acetaminophen (Tylenol) has also been strongly linked to liver and kidney damage, and it has even been shown to blunt your ability to feel emotions!
Other risks include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and reduced lung function, brain damage, increased blood pressure and hearing loss.
And get this—women who take acetaminophen during pregnancy increase their unborn child’s risk of developing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism.
Acetaminophen is also a common ingredient in over 600 other popular medications including:
- DayQuil
- NyQuil
- Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold and Sinus
- Robitussin Cold, Cough and Flu
- Sudafed PE Cold and Cough
- Triaminic Cold and Fever
- Pamprin
- Premesyn PMS
- Midol PMS
- Excedrin PM
- Anacin
Opioids
Opioids (including Oxycontin) are VERY addictive and are a bridge to heroin use (both with their risks of overdose and death).
They can also cause lightheadedness, confusion, seizures, sedation, respiratory depression and death.
Safe, natural answers to ease your pain
The good news is there are many safe, natural ways to get lasting relief from your pain!
Here are 8 of the best natural pain remedies to consider:
Turmeric:
Turmeric is a potent anti-inflammatory spice that has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries. It has been shown to help ease the pain associated with inflammatory conditions like arthritis.
In fact, some studies have shown it to be MORE effective at reducing joint swelling and tenderness than diclofenac sodium—a common arthritis medication!
Although turmeric is a spice used in Indian cooking, the amount you would potentially get from your diet would not be nearly enough to bring about relief—so supplementation is the way to go.
And when it comes to turmeric supplements, nothing beats our very own Optimal Turmeric Blend!
Optimal Turmeric Blend provides a S-O-O-T-H-I-N-G 750 mg of pure turmeric, plus black pepper extract to aid in absorbability.
Water:
Dehydration can cause muscle weakness, and when the muscles surrounding and supporting your bones and joints are involved, that can lead to chronic pain.
Strive to drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of filtered water a day and see what a difference it can make in your level of pain.
Acupuncture:
Results from mountains of studies show that acupuncture can ease chronic pain such as low back pain, neck pain, and osteoarthritis/knee pain. It can also help reduce the frequency of tension headaches and prevent migraine headaches.
Physical therapy:
PT exercises aimed at core stabilization and postural muscle strengthening can help tremendously with back and neck pain, plus heat, ice and TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation),can provide soothing pain relief.
Getting adequate sleep:
According to research from Great Britain, poor or insufficient sleep is a very strong predictor for pain in adults over 50. Your circadian rhythm (your sleep-wake cycle) influences the biological activity of your cells…so if your sleep habits are poor, restless or interrupted, that can affect the health of your cells and lead to chronic pain.
Be sure you’re getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night.
Vitamin B12:
Vitamin B12 supports healthy nerve function and helps to maintain the myelin sheath which surrounds and protects your nerve cells. Since pain (especially back pain) is frequently the result of nerve inflammation, B12 with its "nerve-soothing" properties can actually help reduce pain.
Unfortunately, B12 is an extremely common deficiency… and this is certainly adding to our levels of pain!
The best way to ensure you’ve got enough of this crucial nutrient is by supplementation with Hydroxaden 2.5 Vitamin B oral spray.
An oral spray like Hydroxaden 2.5 can be more efficient than tablet or capsule supplements (which can have varying absorbency rates depending on your level of stomach acid) and is a lot less costly and more convenient than B12 shots!
Yoga:
Yoga can pave the way to help manage pain naturally. Easing certain types of pain, especially back pain, often requires stretching which is naturally a part of yoga.
Yoga also incorporates breathing exercises, self-care, and relaxation methods, so it may also relieve pain related to stress or anxiety.
CBD Cream:
January is National CBD Month, and for good reason. CBD is fast emerging as a highly effective pain reliever in many situations!
Yours truly has used topical CBD cream when I occasionally overdo it in martial arts or running, and it’s magical!
There are many great products out there, but I use Mission Farms out of Colorado. If you’d like to check them out, here is my referring link to their site—you can save 40 percent on your first order!
(Please note, this link is NOT to the Holistic Blends website, it will take you to the Mission Farms website where you may follow the prompts and explore their products. We at Holistic Blends CANNOT assist you in placing orders for any of their products.)
Now you are on the road to safe, effective relief from your pain!
To your health,
Sherry Brescia
