When you experience pain of any type, it can be enough to drive you to reach for some acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
Here we explore different natural ways to alleviate pain without having to resort to over-the-counter medications.
1. Massage
Massage involves rubbing, manipulating and pressing on a person’s skin, ligaments and tendons. Generally, massage therapy is considered as part of alternative and complementary medicine.
According to the Mayo Clinic, massage can benefit the body in many ways and might be helpful for pain due to; fibromyalgia, headaches, myofascial pain syndrome, paresthesia and nerve pain, temporomandibular joint pain, soft tissue and sports injuries. [1]
Many people can experience pain relief from massage, but if you have a bleeding disorder, take blood thinners or have fractures, severe osteoporosis, deep vein thrombosis, severe thrombocytopenia, you should discuss massage with your doctor to make sure it is safe.
2. Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a technique which involves using needles on certain points of the body and it is one of the practices used in traditional Chinese medicine.
Research studies have suggested acupuncture may help alleviate types of pain that are often chronic in nature such as osteoarthritis, knee pain, lower back pain and neck pain. [2]
If you are considering the use of acupuncture for relieving pain, it is important to find a skilled and credited practitioner.
You should not use acupuncture in place of regular medical treatment and you should discuss your acupuncture treatments with your regular physician to see if it would benefit you.
3. Yoga
If you have chronic back pain, you may be able to find pain relief through practicing yoga. The human back performs different movements like stretching upwards, moving forward and backward and twisting.
People can experience back pain from obesity, standing or sitting for long periods of time, sitting or standing with incorrect posture, weak back muscles, lack of exercise or due to some type of injury.
Through exploring different yoga poses, you can find a routine which will allow you to alleviate chronic back pain and strengthen your core.
You should not restrict yourself to only doing certain poses, you should pay attention to all parts of your body and consulting with a yoga teacher may be quite helpful.
Other benefits of adding yoga poses to your daily routine include; toning and massaging the pancreas, stomach, small intestines, kidneys, gall bladder and liver. [3]