Do you suffer from chronic pain? As you know too well, the pain can affect your ability to work, socialize, and enjoy life. Chronic pain is a challenging issue to treat. However, scientists have found unusual treatments that can help reduce suffering.
If you’ve already tried traditional methods without success, then you may want to consider these unusual treatments:
1. Bee venom.
What??? Bee Venom?? Yes indeed! Bee venom can be used in an acupuncture treatment to help reduce chronic pain.
You may run from the bees in your garden, but their venom can actually help you. Bee venom acupuncture has to be done in a professional setting and not your yard.
A study titled, “Bee venom acupuncture for the treatment of chronic low back pain: study protocol for a randomized, double-blinded, sham-controlled trial,” found that the venom can help patients. Researchers also found bee venom improves circulation and lessons inflammation.
If you’re allergic to bee stings, then you can’t use this treatment.
2. Sugar therapy.
Unfortunately, this treatment doesn’t involve eating cupcakes, cakes, candy, or other delicious treats.
Sugar therapy, or prolotherapy, involves injecting sugar solutions into painful joints and tendons. Doctors usually use a dextrose solution. The goal is to make the joints and tendons fix themselves.
3. Guided imagery.
You can use your brain to control chronic pain.
Guided imagery involves working with a professional to help you focus on specific pictures. These images are combined with words, so you work on eliminating illness from your body.
For example, you may visualize a scene that involves your cells reducing inflammation to make your pain go away.
These drugs are usually reserved for patients who suffer from seizures. However, they can also help those who have chronic pain.
It’s a medical mystery, but people are already using anticonvulsants to treat chronic pain. Scientists are still studying the treatment to determine why it helps with pain.
4. Pain pacemakers.
You can get a device similar to a heart pacemaker for pain. The pain pacemaker is used to stimulate the spinal cord with electrical signals. This helps to reduce the discomfort. The pain pacemaker requires surgery to be installed.
5. Spinal medication pumps.
Instead of sending electrical signals, these medication pumps send drugs to fight chronic pain.
The medication is sent to the spinal cord after you push a button. You can control how much and how often the pumps work. The medications used for the pumps tend to be in high doses.
These drugs are being used beyond treating depression. They can reduce chronic pain in some cases.
Researchers believe the antidepressants affect brain chemicals that control the pain. They state that patients don’t need to have depression to see benefits because the drugs can help decrease pain signals.
This treatment helps people who suffer from chronic pain by teaching them to manage the pain.
6. Hypnosis.
The Arthritis Foundation recommends hypnosis as an alternative treatment plan because it doesn’t have side effects. Hypnosis can help you relax and manage the pain. You want to work with a qualified hypnotherapist for the best results.
Drinking tart cherry juice may be one of the easiest alternative treatments for pain. Researchers found that it has anti-inflammatory properties and can reduce oxidative stress.
You can fight chronic pain with several alternative and unusual treatments. If you suffer from chronic pain, ask your doctor about these treatments. One of them may give you some much-needed relief!
Just being able to share this information might make a difference by guiding someone into researching more about this indeed, unusual treatment alternatives. When conventional treatment doesn’t work, why not?
Pain is a signal in your nervous system indicating that something may be wrong. It can be an unpleasant feeling of a burning, throbbing, aching pain such as a pinch, sharp, cramping pain. It can also be a tingling, stinging, or burning sensation that is unpleasant. It can be a very emotional experience as well. It can be just an annoying pain, and at its worst, can be debilitating.
Pain can be caused by intense or damaging stimuli. It can be acute, where duration is limited, and chronic pain where lasts longer and is associated with other health problems and medical conditions such as fibromyalgia or arthritic pain.
Simple Back Pain Relief Exercises using an Exercise Ball
Back pain is the most common condition. facts indicate that over 25 million Americans ages 20 to 65 years suffer from back pain and that billions (more than 50 billion each year) are spent for treatment each year.
No matter where your pain is coming from, if you’re a chronic pain sufferer it can be truly difficult to maintain a healthy day-to-day life. The simplest tasks as sitting, standing, walking, can be an arduous task for the pain sufferer. However, there are many things you can try that may make it easier to cope with the pain.
You might even find that your pain will be lesser with certain strategies that have nothing to do with prescription medications. The mind is a powerful self healer. Once you realize how powerful your mind is, you can teach yourself to cope with pain. Pain doesn’t have to be the focus of your life.
Try the following techniques for dealing with chronic pain:
1.Engage in activities that you find relaxing. Find something that will help you ease and loosen your muscles. No matter what kind of pain you’re experiencing, if you tense up your body, it only makes the pain worse.
2.Meditate and visualize. Grab some alone time so you can engage in meditation. Start by taking deep breaths and clearing your mind. Avoid placing specific focus on your pain even if you’re tempted to do so. Instead, make it a point to visualize pain relief.
3.Use health-related affirmations. Affirmations are a great way to communicate positively with your subconscious. Tell yourself that you’re in good health and that you’ve found pain reduction and you may be pleasantly surprised at what you can achieve with just your mind.
4.Try hypnosis. You can enlist the help of a hypnotist or become skilled in the art of self-hypnosis. You can achieve some seemingly impossible feats just by having the proper focusand thought patterns. Hypnosis may use some good health affirmations while your mind is in a relaxed and accepting state.
With hypnosis, you may even begin to feel better before your conscious mind is aware of it!
5.Exercise to strengthen muscles. Depending on the type of pain you’re having, exercise may be able to relieve it. For instance, there are muscles you can work through an exercise that can lessen back pain
For best results, stay on a routine and remember that exercise is usually toughest at the beginning, but it gets easier the more often you do it. Of course, consult with your doctor before starting an exercise routine.
6.Seek and consult with a Physical Therapist. There are many excellent physical therapy treatments that can relieve your pain. A combination of exercises and pain-lessening equipment can bring you great relief. Your physician can refer you to a good physical therapist.
7.Use EFT therapy. The Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) can show you how to remove mental and emotional roadblocks that could be causing or worsening your pain.
EFT can be applied to many aspects of your life, and chronic pain is no exception. There are many online materials available to help you study EFT Therapy.
No one wants to live life in pain, but these simple pain relief strategies can really help you enhance your quality of life.
By taking a holistic approach to your pain, you’re more likely to find a healthy balance and a life filled with greater joy, wellbeing, and happiness!
Overuse injuries from exercise, running or intense physical activity can cause overuse injuries.
Exercise is one of the best things you can do for your body and mind, but it can cause two kinds of injuries. You’ll notice major trauma like a sprained ankle or dislocated shoulder immediately, but other damage builds up over time.
Stiff legs or sore elbows could be overuse injuries that usually come from working out too often or too intensely. You may not see any visible signs, but your muscles and skeleton still need healing.
Try these tips that will help you stay active and speed up your recovery when you do suffer an injury.
Preventing Overuse Injuries:
Schedule rest time. Your body grows stronger when you give it adequate time to heal in between workouts. Overuse injuries are a strong message that you need to take a break.
Vary your workouts. Repetitive movements put more stress on your body because you keep using the same parts in the same ways. Try alternating exercises. If you’re a parent, keep in mind that children can be especially high risk if they over-specialize in one sport while their bodies are still developing.
Change your equipment. Do your running shoes fit? Properly sized gear appropriate for your sport can help keep you safe.
Consult a trainer. Precise alignment is another consideration. Study videos or work with a specialist who can teach you how to squat or pitch a softball correctly.
Build up gradually. Avoid trying to do too much too soon. Adding 10% a week to your strength exercises, distance, or speed works for most adults.
Warm up. Gentle movements prepare your body and mind for what’s ahead. Roll your shoulders and walk around for a few minutes before doing more challenging activities.
Stretch your muscles. Complete your workouts by training for flexibility. Target your stiff spots and hold each stretch for a few minutes.
Listen to your body. Structural issues or medical conditions can make overuse injuries more likely. Take extra care if you have flat feet or you tore your rotator cuff last winter when you were shoveling snow. Stop doing any activity that causes pain.
Treating Overuse Injuries:
Take a break. Proper rest is essential for both prevention and treatment of injuries. It’s the first step in the standard RICE formula that you may have heard of. RICE stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation.
Apply ice. Ice packs are most helpful when used early and often. During the first couple of days after an injury, they can dramatically reduce swelling and discomfort. To protect your skin, use a covered ice pack or wrap a bag of frozen peas in a towel.
Wrap it up. Elastic bandages also cut down on swelling. Limit their use to no more than 2 days in order to restore the normal blood flow necessary for healing.
Elevate the area. Try to keep your hurt arm or leg at or above the level of your heart. Prop them up on a pillow while you’re watching TV or working.
Relieve pain. Anti-inflammatory medications like aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen may help. They’re available over-the-counter or in stronger prescription form. Follow the directions on the label and talk with your doctor if your symptoms last for more than 10 days.
See your physician. Your doctor can recommend prevention and treatment strategies appropriate for your individual body. Talk with your health care professionals if home remedies aren’t working or you have any concerns.
Most overuse injuries can be prevented if you know the signs and take action promptly. Stay fit and active by giving your body the rest it needs and using proper form when you work out.
