HOW TO MANAGE CHRONIC PAIN WITHOUT DRUGS
Are you a chronic pain sufferer experiencing stiffness, achy joints, pins, and needles daily? Hesitant about taking a prescription medication, potential side effects, and looking for non-opioid medication options?
You are not alone. Improvements in mobility and quality of life sooner can be facilitated by layering holistic treatments and natural remedies.
Before agreeing to a prescription medication referral or over-the-counter pain relievers, gives these five pain management techniques a try to treat chronic pain and improve sleep by reducing or eliminating the need for medication over time.
Before making any lifestyle changes, always consult your healthcare provider.
Pain-Free Living
There is no quick fix or magic pill to living pain-free here. Depending on how long you have been living with chronic pain, the body needs time to adjust from its daily fight, flight, and freeze responses to remember how to heal itself.
After being diagnosed with fibromyalgia and chronic pain, a prescription medication cocktail was recommended.
Due to a past surgery experience when a prescribed opioid didn’t go well for me (what goes down, comes back up), I respectfully declined.
Instead, I asked about holistic approaches. Soon I found myself researching and customizing a treatment plan alone.
Chronic Inflammation
I learned a lot about chronic inflammation and ways to heal from it through holistic treatments, removing foods from my diet, contributing to flare-ups, and changing my workout routine to low impact.
It took me four years to find the right combination of alternative treatments.
Once I found the right combination of pain management techniques, I noticed improved mood, sleep, and decreased pain in less than a month.
The first step in treating chronic pain is to find the source of inflammation contributing to chronic pain.
For me, my chronic pain started after an ACL surgery followed by eating the wrong foods.
As you become self-aware about how your body responds and feels on a particular day, modifying the frequency and number of holistic treatments will become a natural daily routine.
5 Pain Management Techniques
1. Infrared Sauna Blanket
The first time I tried a sauna based infrared treatment, I walked away feeling on cloud nine.
At $20 or more per session, 2-3 times a week, infrared sauna treatments can become costly.
If you haven’t tried an infrared sauna, you are in for a treat. The 30-minute 2-3 times a week treatment can be done at home!
Compared to a standard heating pad which warms the surface of the skin (any type of heat feels good to me who lives with fibromyalgia), far-infrared heat penetrates deep into the muscles to lower tension throughout the body, reduce body aches by increasing blood circulation, and for an added bonus, red light combined with heat will naturally give your immune system a boost.
Environmental exposure to harmful toxins like heavy metals and pesticides can make the body feel sluggish with low energy, contributing to inflammation throughout the body.
An infrared sauna can the body to release and eliminate toxins and waste through sweat by penetrating deeply through the skin.
The infrared heating pad I use is HealthyLine Far Infrared Heating Pad – Natural Jade and Tourmaline Stones.
Perfect after a workout, time spent outside tending the yard to speed up muscle recovery. Upon coming in contact with the stones on the mat, my muscles begin to melt into the mat.
Before I invested in a far-infrared heating pad, I experienced pins and needles throughout my body and cramping in my feet. My toes would curl so much; I would have to pry my toes loose to get them to relax.
Start with 30-minutes and increase the length of time by 30-minute increments. Don’t forget to hydrate before and after.
I noticed a difference in reducing pain levels, increasing range of motions, and less stiffness after a couple of treatments using the infrared pad 2-3 times a week.
In the colder months, sometimes I sleep on top of the pad.
When sleeping on the mat at night, hydrate before going to bed, and follow the manufacturers instructions.
Infrared Heating Lamp
If an infrared sauna heating pad is out of your price range, spot treating areas of the body with red light therapy can be just as effective.
When searching for a small device to tackle my knee pain, I discovered the red infrared heating lamp for muscle body pain relief .
The heat feels great on the neck, shoulders, back, low back, and joints.
If you suffer from allergies, sinusitis, congestion, or sinus infections, red light therapy can help alleviate symptoms.
15-minutes a couple of times a day is all you need to feel better. Be sure to follow the manufacture’s instructions.
2. Toe Separators
Did you know the ankle joint is one of the strongest joints in the body? All the weight our ankles take on to keep us upright is pretty amazing.
Let’s not forget about the feet. If your feet could talk, what amazing stories they could tell about the places you have visited and mileage out of your feet.
Foot pain can stop you in your tracks. Walking, running, standing for prolonged periods, wearing tight or pointed-toe shoes can contribute to nerve pain and swelling.
Gel toe spaces help straighten, correct overlapping toes, and reduce tightness by stretching your feet.
They can be worn with shoes or under socks while walking around the house.
Toe separators are not only washable and reusable but can be repurposed for at-home pedicures.
Magnesium Oil
Foot muscle spasms and twitches can be symptoms of a mineral deficiency.
If you have a bag of Epsom salts sitting in the bathroom, daily 20-minute foot soaks can do wonders for your precious feet.
If you are short on time, magnesium oil is very effective as a spot treatment in alleviating foot pain, swelling, and cramping.
A second way to increase magnesium levels is by putting magnesium oil on your feet. In the cold months, I mix magnesium with a heavy body cream and put socks on before improving sleep.
Instead of buying an expensive bottle of magnesium oil, check out my post on how to make and use magnesium oil from Epsom salts.
Combine this treatment with a shiatsu deep kneading foot massager (great for plantar fasciitis and neuropathy) to relive tired feet.
3. Moringa Leaf Powder
Your body is built to heal itself. Maintaining optimal health can’t be sustained through synthetic supplements.
When the body is out of sync, slight changes due to chronic stress can lead to a hormone imbalance.
Symptoms of a hormonal imbalance are fatigue, mineral and vitamin deficiency, irregular or painful periods, increased bleeding, high cortisol levels, weight gain, mood changes, poor digestion, and hair loss.
Moringa lead powder, a superfood, has been used for thousands of years for medicinal purposes to treat various diseases and medical conditions.
The “miracle tree” is an anti-inflammatory food packed with vitamins and minerals like vitamin A, C, E, magnesium, and potassium. One teaspoon of moringa powder contains the daily value of:
- Vitamin A: 65%
- Vitamin C: 10%
- Vitamin E: 15%
- Calcium: 5%
- Iron: 5%
- Magnesium: 5%
For a boost of energy, mix one teaspoon into smoothies, yogurt bowls, or make a hot tea.
I like to mix it into my cashew yogurt sprinkled with blueberries and shredded coconut to help reduce inflammation and improve digestion.
Check out these additional benefits of drinking moringa leaf powder every day.
4. Tens Unit
If you’re searching for a non-narcotic solution to help with pain management or looking to stop taking opioids, a TENS (Transcutaneous Electronic Nerve Stimulation) unit is worth a try.
The FDA approved device is a useful option for individuals that can’t tolerate prescription medication or are looking for a drug-free holistic treatment for pain relief from neck pain and tension headaches.
The low current electrical stimulation encourages endorphins’ production, the body’s natural pain-killing chemicals to suppress pain signals in the brain.
5. Acupuncture
Traditional Chinese medicine has been used to treat and manage pain. Acupuncture treatments are good for treating conditions like back and neck pain, hormone imbalances, plantar fasciitis and may reduce the number of days, frequency, and intensity of migraines.
Treatment sessions involve small needles inserted into the skin. It’s normal to fall asleep during acupuncture. Enjoy the healing power of enhanced relaxation and restorative healing.
Length of treatment sessions range from 30 to 60 minutes. Depending on the number of sessions required to treat your chronic pain and other conditions, the average cost for one treatment can set you back $60.
Community acupuncture has a sliding scale ranging from $20 to $40 based on what you can afford.
To learn about additional health benefits and uses, check out my blog post about Why Acupuncture Works.
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