Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only. By providing the information contained herein we are not diagnosing, treating, curing, mitigating, or preventing any type of disease or medical condition. Before beginning any type of natural, integrative or conventional treatment regimen, it is advisable to seek the advice of a licensed healthcare professional. May contain affiliate links. Product photos/descriptions provided by company websites. This is not medical advice.
Pain is a signal in your nervous system that something may be wrong.
Pain warns you that something is not quite right in your body and can cause you to take certain actions and avoid others. Pain can significantly impact your quality of life—by adversely affecting your physical and emotional well-being; upsetting relationships with family, coworkers, and friends; and limiting your mobility and participation in daily activities.1
Hundreds of pain syndromes or disorders make up the spectrum of pain. For example, there is the pain of childbirth, the pain of a heart attack, the pain of a headache or backache, and the pain that can follow amputation of a limb. There is also pain that accompanies cancer and the pain that follows severe trauma, such as head and spinal cord injuries.
Pain is often a debilitating symptom of many diseases and is considered a disease itself when it persists beyond recovery from an injury or illness. There are two types of pain.
The most common types of chronic pain include:
How does acute pain transition to chronic pain? It is thought that after three months of persistent pain in a local body region, changes in the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) begin to occur. These changes involve rewiring of the neural pathways to compensate for the ongoing pain, and many studies have shown evidence of brain changes in individuals with chronic pain compared to healthy pain-free individuals. As this occurs, even if the local site of pain has healed or is treated, the rewired central nervous system could enable the experience of pain to continue and become chronic.4
Once pain becomes chronic it is much more difficult to treat, and this may be because reversing the rewiring of the central nervous system is more difficult than improving physiology at the site of pain. Pain that is found to be associated with an ongoing disease in the body is best addressed by specifically treating the effects and associated symptoms of the disease to reduce the impact of pain and prevent rewiring of the central nervous system neural pathways.4
For the biological events that occur when you experience pain, read more here.
According to the National Institutes of Health, pain can be very mild, almost unnoticeable, or explosive. You may experience pain as pricking, tingling, stinging, burning, shooting, aching, or electric sensations.
The best way to prevent acute pain is follow guidelines to avoid injury (such as wearing a bike helmet or proper eye/ear protection while operating machinery). To reduce the chance of developing chronic pain, maintaining a healthful lifestyle is a strong intervention:
There is no way to objectively measure pain. Only the person experiencing pain can describe how much pain they feel. After learning about your pain history and other medical concerns, your healthcare provider may conduct physical exams, clinical assessments, and order diagnostic tests and imaging to assess pain intensity and diagnose or rule out any conditions.1
Healthcare providers have many approaches and technologies to help identify the cause of pain, including:
According to the NIH, the goal of pain management is to improve function.1 Treatment of pain also includes treatment of the condition or disease causing it. Below are some general tips when it comes to pain:
Looking for a specific pain condition? Here is a directory to research.
Opioids are a class of drugs that include the illegal drug heroin, synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, and pain relievers available legally by prescription, such as oxycodone (OxyContin®, Percocet®), hydrocodone (NORCO®), codeine, morphine (Kadian®, Avinza®), and oxymorphone (Opana®). Per the CDC:
Opioids are a class of drugs naturally found in the opium poppy plant. Some prescription opioids are made from the plant directly, and others are made by scientists in labs using the same chemical structure. Opioids are often used as medicines because they contain chemicals that relax the body and can relieve pain. Prescription opioids are used mostly to treat moderate to severe pain, though some opioids can be used to treat coughing and diarrhea. Opioids can also make people feel very relaxed and “high” – which is why they are sometimes used for non-medical reasons. This can be dangerous because opioids can be highly addictive, and overdoses and death are common. Heroin is one of the world’s most dangerous opioids, and is never used as a medicine in the United States.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Opioids bind to and activate opioid receptors on cells located in many areas of the brain, spinal cord, and other organs in the body, especially those involved in feelings of pain and pleasure. When opioids attach to these receptors, they block pain signals sent from the brain to the body and release large amounts of dopamine throughout the body. This release can strongly reinforce the act of taking the drug, making the user want to repeat the experience. Opioid misuse can cause slowed breathing, which can cause hypoxia, a condition that results when too little oxygen reaches the brain. Hypoxia can have short- and long-term psychological and neurological effects, including coma, permanent brain damage, or death. Researchers are also investigating the long-term effects of opioid addiction on the brain, including whether damage can be reversed.6
Injections are sometimes used to deliver pain relief medication locally, including: facet injections, steroid injections, sacroiliac joint injection, and trigger point injections.
Beta-blockers are medications which inhibit one arm of the sympathetic nervous system and adrenal “fight or flight” hormones. For example, propranolol is prescribed to prevent migraine headaches.1
Botox (botulinum toxin) is prescribed for chronic migraines—those that last for or occur for 15 or more days a month. Botox is injected around pain fibers that are involved in headaches. Botox enters the nerve endings and blocks the release of chemicals involved in pain transmission.1
Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) monoclonal antibodies are prescribed to help prevent frequent migraines. Some of the new medications include Aimovig, Ajovy, and Emgality.1
Muscle relaxants are prescribed to relax and reduce tension in the muscles. They act as a central nervous system depressant and have sedative properties for musculoskeletal pain.1
Anxiolytics, such as benzodiazepines, are used to decrease central nervous system activity. These drugs can act as muscle relaxants and are sometimes used to manage anxiety.1
Nerve blocks use drugs, chemical agents, or surgical techniques to interrupt the relay of pain messages between specific areas of the body and the brain. Nerve blocks may involve local anesthesia, regional anesthesia or analgesia, or surgery, and are routinely used for traditional dental procedures. Some examples of nerve blocks include:
Serotonergic agonists—triptans like sumatriptan, naratriptan, and zolmitriptan—are prescribed for acute migraine headaches because they block pain pathways in the brain. Taken as pills, shots, or nasal sprays, they may relieve symptoms of migraine.
Per the CDC, medications for depression and seizures are prescribed off-label to relieve chronic pain. Anticonvulsants are used to treat seizure disorders because they dampen abnormally fast electrical impulses. They also are prescribed by physicians to treat various pain conditions, particularly neuropathic pain. Antidepressants are often used to treat chronic pain and are particularly used to help manage musculoskeletal pain, neuropathic pain, and headache-related pain.1 Be sure to read all manufacturer inserts prior to accepting a medical product, especially if it being prescribed off-label.
Analgesic or “painkillers” (click on trade names for inserts)
Per the NIH, physical therapy uses techniques such as heat, cold, exercise, massage, and manipulation. It can help to control pain, as well as condition muscles and restore strength.
Physical therapy and rehabilitation may help to decrease pain and improve mobility by increasing function, controlling pain, and aiding recovery. Individuals may engage in a number of physical therapy treatments simultaneously. A few of the most common forms in addition to the above are:
Going to a chiropractor, according to the NIH, may ease back pain, neck pain, headaches, and musculoskeletal conditions. It involves “hands-on” therapy designed to adjust the relationship between the body’s structure (mainly the spine) and its functioning. Chiropractic spinal manipulation includes the adjustment and manipulation of the joints and adjacent tissues. Chiropractic care focuses “emphasizes the body’s ability to heal itself.”
Participation in some form of exercise, physical activity, and stretching may help individuals with pain better manage their symptoms, handle daily activities, and maintain flexibility and muscle strength. Exercise, sleep, and relaxation can all help reduce stress, thereby helping to alleviate pain. Supervised exercise has been proven to help many people with low back pain.1
Per the CDC, cognitive behavioral therapy utilizes a psychological, goal-directed approach in which patients learn how to alter physical, behavioral, and emotional responses to pain and stress.
Additionally, the NIH, states, “psychotherapy (talk therapy) uses methods such as discussion, listening, and counseling to treat mental and behavioral disorders. It can also help people who have pain, especially chronic pain, by teaching coping skills, addressing negative thoughts/emotions that can make pain worse, and providing support.”
Acupuncture, per the NIH, involves stimulating acupuncture points. These are specific points on your body. There are different acupuncture methods. The most common one involves inserting thin needles through the skin. Others include using pressure, electrical stimulation, and heat. Acupuncture is based on the belief that qi (vital energy) flows through the body along paths, called meridians. Practitioners believe that stimulating the acupuncture points can rebalance the qi. Research suggests that acupuncture can help manage certain pain conditions.
Similar to acupuncture, without the needles. Acupressure used finger and hand pressure to release neurotransmitters which help inhibit the reception and transmission of pain.8
According to the NIH, meditation is a mind-body practice in which you focus your attention on something, such as an object, word, phrase, or breathing. This helps you to minimize distracting or stressful thoughts or feelings. An individual’s automatic reactions to pain, often unconsciously, can amplify the pain-generating activity of the nervous system.
Relaxation strategies (e.g., imagery, progressive muscle relaxation, autogenic relaxation) and mindfulness techniques (exercises that help the individual observe physical, cognitive, and emotional reactions and make skillful choices to relieve pain) are evidence-based practices that help shift the nervous system back toward a non-pain state.1
In addition to meditation, the NIH recommends relaxation therapy which can help reduce muscle tension and stress, lower blood pressure, and control pain. It may involve tensing and relaxing muscles throughout the body. It may be used with guided imagery (focusing the mind on positive images) and meditation.
According to the NIH, hypnosis is generally used to control physical function or response—that is, the amount of pain an individual can withstand. Some believe that hypnosis enables individuals to improve their ability to concentrate and/or relax.
Per the NIH, massage therapy is a treatment in which the soft tissues of the body are kneaded, rubbed, tapped, and stroked. Among other benefits, it may help people relax as well as relieve stress and pain.
According to the NIH, electrical stimulation involves using a device to send a gentle electric current to your nerves or muscles. This can help treat pain by interrupting or blocking the pain signals. Types include: transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TENS), implanted electric nerve stimulation, and deep brain or spinal cord stimulation.
TENS (transcutaneous electrical stimulation) uses tiny electrical pulses, delivered through the skin to nerve fibers, to cause changes in muscles, such as numbness or contractions. This in turn produces temporary pain relief. TENS can activate subsets of peripheral nerve fibers that can block pain transmission at the spinal cord level.1
Mostly used for headache and back pain, biofeedback techniques, per the NIH, use electronic devices to measure body functions such as breathing and heart rate. This teaches you to be more aware of your body functions so you can learn to control them. For example, a biofeedback device may show you measurements of your muscle tension. By watching how these measurements change, you can become more aware of when your muscles are tense and learn to relax them. Biofeedback may help to control pain, including chronic headaches and back pain.
According to the NIH, “natural substances from plants and animals have been used for thousands of years for pain relief and are the sources of many well-known drugs.” Natural products used in complementary health include herbs (also known as botanicals), vitamins, minerals, probiotics, and other substances such as glucosamine and fish oil. Many of these products are sold as dietary supplements or as products for topical use, which you put on your skin. For example, here are some herbal medicines discussed by the NIH:
Additionally, research the following herbs for pain relief:
Poultices may be recommended which are made from herbs into soft, paste-like substances and then spread on or between layers of cloth. The cloth is then placed on a body surface to help increase blood flow, relax tense muscles, sooth inflamed tissues, or draw toxins from an infected area8
As with pharmaceutical medicines, be sure to work with an experienced healthcare provider prior to starting any herbal treatment. To research any potential herb-drug interactions, be sure to read the insert of any drugs you are taking and search for the herb on the “Herb List” on the NIH website.
According to the NIH, “products containing substances from cannabis (marijuana), which typically include both tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), have been tested for their effects on chronic pain in short-term studies. Oral products with high THC/CBD ratios and sublingual (under-the-tongue) products with roughly equal amounts of THC and CBD may reduce chronic pain in the short term but may also have adverse side effects including dizziness and sleepiness. Not much is known about other formulations or the effects of longterm use. Research funded by NCCIH is looking at the potential pain-relieving properties of substances from cannabis.”
Research suggests, according to the NIH, that some people with chronic pain can benefit from eating anti-inflammatory foods to help reduce their level of pain with limited negative side effects.1 A low-inflammatory diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and lean protein sources.4
Conversely, excess of acid-forming foods can precipitate painful episodes. Lack of essential nutrients that insure the health of the nerves and their insulating sheaths can lead to inflammation.7
Kelp, for example, can help increase iodine. Acting as a tranquilizer, kelp can interrupt the cylce of disease to pain to aggravation to more disease and more pain. Kelp also supplies essential vitamins and mineral salts that nourish nerves.7
Other potentially healing foods include potato peeling broth and barley water. Potato peels are high in potassium, however avoid potatoes with green tint. The chemical solanine gives the green tint and can interfere with nerve impulses.8
Homeopathy for pain depends largely on the type of pain you’re experiencing. Explore your options here.
According to NIH, increasing evidence suggests that listening to or making music affects the brain in ways that may help promote health and manage disease symptoms. Music-based interventions may involve listening to music, singing, playing instruments, moving to music, or other activities. Evidence suggests that music-based interventions may have beneficial effects on both pain intensity and emotional distress from pain and may lead to decreased use of pain-relieving medications.3
Performing or listening to music activates a variety of structures in the brain that are involved in thinking, sensation, movement, and emotion. These brain effects may have physical and psychological benefits. For example, music causes the release of brain chemicals (neurotransmitters and hormones) that can evoke emotional reactions, memories, and feelings and promote social bonds. Music can even affect the structure of the brain. Certain structures in the brain have been found to be larger in musicians than nonmusicians, with particularly noticeable changes in people who started their musical training at an early age.5
Per the NIH, the terms “balneotherapy” and “spa therapy” refer to bathing in mineral water for health purposes and related techniques such as mud packs. Balneotherapy may be helpful for some symptoms of fibromyalgia and for improving quality of life in people with rheumatoid arthritis.
1 National Institutes of Health
2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
3 NIH National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
4 International Association for the Study of Pain
7 “The Scientific Validation of Herbal Medicine” by Daniel B. Mowrey, PhD
8 “Prescription for Nutritional Healing” by Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
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