We may all endure the sudden outburst of pain sometimes. It may be an unexpected prickling, burning sensation, lower back pain or a headache that just won’t quit. Sometimes the pain may become chronic and may linger for weeks or even months and may interfere with your daily life.
But, there’s nothing to worry about. Fortunately, there are several pain management techniques available which can relieve you of that sudden pain without even taking a pill.
Amazing Techniques to Relieve Pain without Medication
Here are some of the great techniques you can implement to get relieve from pain without medication
1. Heat and Cold Therapy
These two are the most tried and trusted methods to alleviate pain inflicted from various injuries. Both heat and cold therapy are time honored ways to quell different types of pain.
The use of ice or a cold wrap or a cold pack reduces the blood flow to an injured area and is highly effective to relieve pain without medication and inflammation. Whereas, heat helps in soothing stiff joints and relaxing muscles. Heat bags are very effective in getting rid of menstrual cramps.
2. Exercise
Physical activity plays a key role in disabling the vicious cycle of pain in your body. People who exercise on a daily basis can relieve pain without medication.
When we exercise, the body produces its own version of painkillers in the form of hormones like endorphins. Endorphins enhance your mood as well as increase your pain threshold. Even a little burst of walking and gentle aerobic exercises like running, swimming or cycling would help.
3. Mind and Body Relaxing Techniques
These sets of techniques include mindfulness, meditation and breathing exercises. Practicing any of these exercises can help you to relieve pain without medication. People who indulge in them daily, have reported more control over pain, as well as lower anxiety levels and a better mental quality of life. Find a peaceful place, settle your body in a relaxing position, and block out all the intrusive thoughts.
4. Learn Bio Feedback
This approach involves the use of a biofeedback system to study relaxation and breathing exercises, which transforms the data of physiological activities knowledge (such as pulse rate and blood pressure) into visual signs like a map, a flickering light or even an animation.
Seeing and modifying the visualizations allows you to have a degree of control over the pain reactions in your body. This technique is very effective in decreasing migraine and tension headaches.
5. Massage Therapy
Various sorts of mental health issues like Anxiety, stress, and depression can intensify chronic pain. Therefore, it’s important to attend to the emotional side of your pain.
Massage can relieve discomfort by treating muscle and joint stiffness, relieving stress and distress, and likely helping to relieve pain without medication, by instilling a feeling of relaxation that overrides signs of pain. It is specifically in easing lower back pain.
6. Physical Therapy
Physical therapy teaches you how to push and flex your muscles slowly, and how to manage your joints and strengthen them, while helping to relieve pain without medication.
Physical exercises, unlike medicine, will potentially relieve the root cause of the discomfort, whether it’s arthritis or any other condition. It would hopefully relieve pain without medication over time. Physical therapists guide you through a series of exercises tailored to improve your strength and mobility Physical exercises may include hydrotherapy, massages and your routine exercises.
7. Music Therapy
Music is found to reduce pain and stress and promote relaxation. Listening to soothing and calming music can really uplift your mood. Classical music has proven to be really helpful but, you can also try your favorite genre – anything that distracts you from or relieve pain without medication.
For pain management, music therapy doesn’t involve only just listening to music but also composing the music, songwriting, playing instruments, and singing.
8. Integrative Medicine Techniques
Yoga, tai chi and acupuncture are very effective pain alleviation techniques. These exercises are recommended by health practitioners themselves and are renowned worldwide. The Chinese technique of acupuncture is touted as one of the oldest pain management techniques. The acupuncture uses tiny needles, which are positioned at different locations throughout the body.
Similarly, yoga and tai chi are two well known meditative exercises which incorporate breath control, meditation and gentle body movements which stretches and strengthens the muscles. They can help to relieve pain without medication, stemming from a host of conditions like headaches, anxiety, depression and other chronic injuries.
9. Find ways to distract yourself from pain
Find as many activities as you can to divert yourself from the pain. It could be anything that you love to do like cooking, gardening, talking to your friends, watching your favorite movie etc. You can also try mental imagery. Just imagine any of your joyful past experiences and transport yourself there. It could be anything like a family vacation, or a school trip or any other event which rewarded you with a joyous experience.
Using imagery to take your mind off your pain relaxes the body, including the muscles around the pain site. This can reduce your overall pain load. it tends to ease your pain as it deviates your attention to the experiences going on in your life at the present moment.
10. Turmeric
Turmeric has been used since generations by our elders as a trusted natural ingredient to alleviate pain. Curcumin, an active compound in turmeric, is recognized for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties which can facilitate healing.
Studies suggest that the capacity of turmeric to relieve discomfort is equivalent to prescription and over-the-counter drugs in certain cases.one It’s most significant properties is its use as an anti – inflammatory agent. Its use has been advocated for cardiovascular issues, arthritis, and a host of other illnesses.
These techniques have been practiced over many years and would surely help you relieve pain without medication.
The key is to be patient yourself while trying these pain management techniques. They may not work right away but that doesn’t mean you give up and resort to medications eventually. Trust yourself and the process.
Also Read: Painkiller Should Not Be The Solution To Headache