Pain relief, naturally

Try these natural ways to help ease chronic pain and regain your life
Sep. 6, 2010 | By: Alison Dunn

For people suffering from chronic pain, grabbing an over-the-counter pain reliever might seem like the quickest way to mask that suffering. But by simply masking the pain, you could be making the situation even worse.

“Painkillers are the first thing people tend to go to, but there are bigger consequences to taking these types of things,” says Dr. Kandis Lock, a naturopathic doctor based in Ottawa, Ont. “Most pain relievers are just for symptomatic relief. They don’t find and treat the root cause.”

Overuse of over-the-counter pain relievers can do damage to the stomach lining and cause ulcers, she adds. Those relievers can mask the pain in the short-term, but aren’t really effective at eliminating the source of the pain.

If you’re concerned about the amount of pain relievers you’re taking, Lock advises taking the following action:

Find the root cause: The best place to start with relieving pain is to find the source of that pain, Lock says. While you might have to take some medication to relieve the severity of the pain in the meantime, once you find the source of the pain, you may be able to eliminate it. Take chronic migraines, for example. If you discover yours are caused by a food trigger such as chocolate, caffeine, refined sugars or red wine, you can cut back on the trigger and eliminate the source of the pain.

Try acupuncture. Lock says there have been many studies done on the benefits of acupuncture for relieving chronic pain. “It’s something that’s quite easy to do for many types of pain,” she says. Acupuncture is a method of inserting thin, sterile needles into certain points on the body, and it can promote an analgesic effect to reduce pain.

Reduce inflammatory foods: A healthy diet high in fresh vegetables, fruits, lean proteins and whole grains will do you nothing but good. And taking natural anti-inflammatories like fish oil, turmeric and magnesium can also help. But you might also want to reduce your intake of inflammatory foods, Lock adds. Typical inflammatory foods are things like refined sugars, red meat, dairy and glutenous grains, and can also be vegetables in the nightshade family like potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and eggplant.

Get some exercise: Yes, it’s tough to exercise when you’re suffering from chronic pain, but Lock says mild exercise can be good for things like arthritis and fibromyalgia. Exercise also releases endorphins, which are natural feel-good chemicals in your brain. She recommends trying something light that keeps your body moving. Try yoga, tai-chi, walking or swimming to boost your exercise levels.