Natural Alternatives to Prescription Drugs for Pain Relief

Americans take millions of dollars worth of pain medications each year. All painkillers have the potential to be abused and can have serious side effects. In fact, prescription drug abuse is a fast growing epidemic in the United States.

Over the counter painkillers like aspirin, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen are also very popular choices for pain relief. Because they are so readily available it's tempting to believe that they are harmless. However, over the counter products can have side effects ranging from uncomfortable to life-threatening.

With over 100 million Americans suffering from some type of chronic pain, what are the alternatives for finding relief?

Managing Pain Naturally

Natural Help For Acute Pain
We all experience acute pain from time to time in the form of headaches, muscle sprains, or other types of minor injuries. Before reaching for pain drugs give one of these natural treatments a try.

Digestive Enzymes
Studies show that enzymes can help reduce inflammation that is caused by muscle sprains, injuries to joints and connective tissues, and even arthritis. A good combination of enzymes to help reduce inflammation is quercetin and bromelain.

Hot & Cold Packs
Heat
One of the cheapest, most effective ways to ease the pain of stiff, sore muscles is by soaking in a hot bath, or standing under a steaming shower.

Ice
Cold packs are an easy, effective way to reduce inflammation. For best results, apply cold pack to sprains or strains for 20 minutes at a time every few hours until swelling and pain have subsided.
Combination

For older injuries, or swelling with bruising try alternating 20 minutes of cold pack with 20 minutes of heat. The cold helps reduce inflammation while the heat helps to stimulate blood flow and encourages the removal of damaged tissue.

Vitamins & Minerals
Vitamins that help reduce inflammation can help alleviate pain These include, vitamin C, vitamin E, and the B-complex vitamins.

Minerals such as calcium and magnesium help reduce muscle spasms.

Herbs for Acute Pain

White Willow Bark Salix alba
White willow bark has been used traditionally as an effective pain reliever. In 1828 a German chemist isolated salicin, the active ingredient in white willow bark and in 1899, the Bayer company began manufacturing and selling a modified form of the willow bark chemical as acetylsalicylic acid, or aspirin. Traditionally, the tea is used for pain relief.

Feverfew Chrysanthemum parthenium
Feverfew is one of the most commonly used natural remedies for headaches - especially migraines. It has also been used effectively in the treatment of arthritic pain. It is best used as freeze-dried capsules.

Natural Help For Chronic Pain
Dealing with chronic pain can be challenging for many reasons. Those of us who experience ongoing pain have a tendency to tense certain muscle groups that surround the painful area which can lead to more pain ad eventually may cause skeletal imbalances. Being in chronic pain can also lead to emotional responses such as anger, depression, loneliness, etc. all of which can exacerbate a painful condition over time. It's no wonder then so many people reach for prescription drugs and other pain medications in an effort to find relief. However, in the long run, most people find they do well to address their pain on all levels in the most natural ways possible in order to avoid the toxic build up and harmful side-effects of pain drugs.

In their book, Prescription Alternatives: Hundreds of Safe, Natural, Prescription-Free Remedies to Restore and Maintain Your Health, Earl Mindell and Virginia Hopkins claim that there are dozens of safe, effective alternative techniques for healing pain without surgery or medication. Some of these are listed below.

Alternative Treatments for Chronic Pain:
Acupressure
Acupuncture
Alexander Technique
Biofeedback
Chiropractic
Feldenkrais
Hydrotherapy
Hypnosis
Massage
NLP
Prolotherapy
Rolfing
TENS

Herbs for Chronic Pain

Stress and tension are two of the biggest obstacles people with chronic pain live with. Being in pain all the time tends to make people tense their muscles, which can lead to more pain and eventually the stress of constant pain can lead to depression. In addition to the herbs listed above that are useful in alleviating pain, there are herbal alternatives to prescription drugs that can help alleviate stress and tension naturally.

KavaPiper methysticum
Kava is used as a sedative and a muscle relaxant. It also relieves pain and is often used in place of NSAIDs.
This herb is useful for reducing anxiety and nervous tension. It also has anti-depressant properties.
Like all herbs, kava must be used responsibly. In medicinal dosages, occasional use does not generally cause any side-effects. In very high doses kava may cause sleepiness. As with most prescription drugs and over-the-counter products, prolonged use at high dosages could harm the liver.

St. John's Wort Hypericum perforatum
The cheerful yellow flowers of this plant have been used for centuries to treat anxiety, nervous tension, insomnia, and even depression. The tincture is most often used for these purposes, while an infused oil of St. John's Wort is useful topically for treating burns, sprains, and muscle aches.

GingerZingiber officinalis
Ginger is useful for reducing all types of inflammation, including nasal swelling in those who suffer with chronic sinusitis.

TurmericCurcuma longa
This popular Indian spice contains curcumin, which is a very powerful anti-inflammatory. Turmeric also inhibits the release of histamine in the stomach which can be useful for fighting inflammation caused by food allergies.

Useful Supplements for Chronic Pain
Here are some supplements that can you can find at your local health food store which can help reduce inflammation and deal with stress and nervous tension caused by chronic pain.

Magnesium
Adequate magnesium is crucial for reducing nervous tension and insuring smooth muscle function. This is a wonderful mineral for those who suffer with chronic migraine pain. The suggested dosage is generally 200-400 mgs twice daily.

Fish Oil
The omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil can be very effective in reducing inflammation - especially in those with arthritis. Fish oil is also good for healthy brain function and a sturdy nervous system.

Bromelain
As discussed earlier, this potent enzyme found in pineapples is terrific for reducing inflammation. It also helps speed healing and accelerates waste removal.

Vitamin D
Recent studies show that having adequate vitamin D levels is crucial for avoiding and treating muscular-skeletal pain. It is also essential for healthy joints. People living in Northern climes are at greater risk of vitamin D deficiency. A simple blood test can reveal your vitamin needs. Supplementation is done using vitamin D-3 capsules. Cod liver oil also contains vitamin D. Getting adequate sunlight daily is probably the best source, however, this can be challenging for most of us.

Glucosamine
Glucosamine is a naturally occurring compound in the body that plays a key role in repairing cartilage and connective tissue. Many people suffering with chronic joint pain, bursitis, or osteoarthritis have good results using this supplement. The standard dose for such conditions is one 500 mg capsule three times daily for two months, then 500 mgs daily thereafter for maintenance.

Each of us suffers occasional acute pain and more than 100 million Americans live with chronic pain conditions. With the often dangerous side-effects and risk of dependency that prescription drugs can cause, it's nice to know there are safe, effective ways to manage pain naturally.