Pain can be a debilitating condition. Whether your pain is from cancer treatments, arthritis, fibromyalgia, or just an old injury, you need to keep it under control. Although over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen are effective pain killers, research shows that prolonged use of such drugs can have devastating effects and can lead to addiction.

For this reason, people are at a loss when deciding the best thing to do when it comes to chronic pain management. Fortunately, there are some natural or non-invasive pain relief techniques that can take your pain away for good.

The 1st step in pain management is knowing the cause. Although pharmaceutical drugs and most natural remedies may take away the pain, it is crucial to understand that in some cases, pain is more than just pain. 

If your pain has overstayed its welcome, you should visit your doctor as soon as possible to find out why you are in pain.

However, if you already know the cause and want to go the natural way, now, more than ever before, you have more natural pain management options. We have highlighted some of them below:

CBD Cream For Pain

We can never talk about natural pain remedies without mentioning CBD cream for pain. In case you don’t know yet, CBD, short for cannabidiol, is one of the 100+ cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant. Unlike most other naturally occurring compounds in the cannabis plant, CBD won’t get you high.

How Does CBD Work For Pain?

The human body is made up of a specialized system known as the endocannabinoid system. The endocannabinoid system, popularly known as the ECS, can be described as a system of receptors. The system is responsible for vital body functions such as pain perception and immune system response.

Research has shown that, by interacting with this system, CBD is able to eliminate chronic pain.

There are many ways of consuming CBD, with one of them being CBD cream. CBD-infused topicals such as salves, transdermal patches, lotions, and creams are applied on your skin surface for muscle and joint pain relief.

One of the best things about CBD for pain is that it has no known severe side effects. Also, instead of dealing with the symptoms, CBD focuses on the real issue causing the pain. 

Lavender Essential Oil

Apart from its application on pain relief, people also use lavender essential oil for sleep and anxiety.

In a 2012 study, it was discovered that inhaling CBD oil could help control pain as a result of migraines.

Some animal studies have also shown that lavender essential oil has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and pain-relieving properties. However, be cautious when using essential oils since some of them can be toxic. It is always important to consult a doctor before using any new essential oils.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese medical practice that tries to relieve body pain by balancing the body’s natural energy pathways. This medication is based on the belief that pain is caused by an imbalance in the body’s energy flow, popularly known as qi (CHEE).

During this practice, tiny needles are placed into your skin. The location of the needles in your body is always determined by the source of your pain. However, this does not necessarily mean that the needle has to be placed at the exact place experiencing the pain.

Acupuncture enhances the release of a happy hormone known as serotonin. According to a 2012 study, acupuncture helped reduce pain in patients suffering from migraines, etc.

Another 2018 analysis concluded that acupuncture is an effective natural remedy for pain. The experts believe that acupuncture can help with headaches, pain due to osteoarthritis, and musculoskeletal pain.

Heat and Ice

Another natural way of eliminating pain is by placing or applying ice and heat on the affected areas. Sounds obvious, right? Not quite as very few people know when to use heat and when to use ice.

Inflammation and swelling due to strained muscles, ligaments, or tendons can be treated using an ice pack. However, once the swelling has been eliminated, heat may be applied to help with the stiffness associated with strains and sprains.

If suffering from pain as a result of arthritis, then moist heat being applied to the affected joints may save the day.  You can use a microwave to warm moist heat packs. Planning to use ice or heat for pain? Talk with your doctor on the best way to apply this technique.

Yoga

Physical exercises such as yoga is another way of treating or preventing pain naturally. Research has shown that people who don’t engage in regular physical activities are at a higher risk of suffering from various lifestyle diseases and pain than their counterparts who engage in healthy physical exercises.

One of the best things about yoga is that it incorporates self-care, relaxation, and breathing techniques. This means that yoga may help treat pain associated with stress or anxiety.

In addition, studies have shown that practices such as yoga may help relieve back and neck pains.

Why Go The Natural Way?

As you have seen, there are many alternatives to acetaminophen and ibuprofen as far as pain relief is concerned. The question is, why would you prefer these natural remedies over pharmaceutical drugs that have been in use for many years?

Apart from having no known side effects, some of these natural remedies, such as yoga, meditation, and acupuncture, may benefit your mental health.

When it comes to other remedies such as CBD, it has been found out that, apart from helping with chronic pain, the compound can also treat other conditions such as muscle spasms, arthritis, cancer symptoms, etc.

When To Consult A Doctor?

As mentioned at the beginning, the 1st thing is to know the cause of the pain. 

Although effective, these natural remedies may not relieve some types of pain. 

If the pain is too severe or is as a result of an underlying medical condition, you must see a doctor as he/she will be able to guide you on the best approach to use.