There are different kinds of pain and approaches to pain management therapies administered by healthcare providers. Levels of pain can vary from acute to chronic. Pain management comes into the picture to work on different pain levels. It is the process of assessing, diagnosing, and treating these pains, thus relieving the discomfort felt by patients.
Speaking of treatments, patients have multiple options to choose from. Besides taking medications, other options vary from physical, complementary, and alternative therapies. To know more about alternative therapies, let us guide you through the basic concepts and goals, so you will know which therapy would best suit you.
Types of Alternative Therapies for Pain Management
You can suffer from pain due to different causes: labor, injuries, surgery, and chronic pain, among many others. These could be factors when assessing which pain management option is the best for you. To give you a hint about these alternative therapies, refer to our list below:
Mind-Body Therapies
Mind-body therapies can be an option to improve your mind’s coordination and interaction with your physical body. Mind-body therapies can help you relax and boost your mental and physical health at the same time. The following are the mind-body therapies for you.
Meditation
For people suffering from chronic pain, meditation is a safe therapy you can practice. Mindfulness meditation can help you erase your negative thoughts and worry about the pain you are suffering from therefore relieving it. It can help you refocus your attention and feel the calm, balance, and peace within you.
Yoga
When you do yoga, you are also releasing pain hormones called endorphins. This way, you can relieve the pain, feel more confident, and regain self-control. Patients with migraine, arthritis, low back pain, and fibromyalgia can benefit from this alternative therapy, making it one of the best pain medicines available. It’s because some vital movements like stretching, breathing, and meditation are incorporated into yoga, boosting flexibility, decreasing inflammation, and reducing pain perception.
Hypnotherapy
Our perception of hypnotherapy is that it would convince us not to feel the pain, therefore reliving it. However, instead of manipulating our feeling into making us believe that the pain isn’t there, hypnotherapy only redirects our attention from the sensation of the pain. It can help us manage fear and anxiety related to our pain. It’s an effective alternative therapy for surgery-related pain, trauma, and chronic pain patients.
Physical Therapies
Different kinds of pain can be relieved by physical therapies. These alternative therapies can help patients restore fluid movement in the body and support recovery from injury. Through patent education and hands-on treatment, physical therapists can help sufferers move on with their lives and get to the root cause of pain, thus helping alleviate it instead of just temporarily masking it.
Massage Therapy
Massage therapy is a practical approach to closing the pain gate and promoting relaxation. It can help with different kinds of acute and chronic pain. It reduces pain by relaxing the body’s painful tendons, joints, and muscles by intercepting inflammatory pathways, consequently avoiding secondary injury and promoting increased recovery.
Acupuncture
Besides taking prescription painkillers, you can also opt for more natural options like acupuncture. In addition, you should also consider the cost of prescription painkillers that you have to take regularly, for instance, typical tramadol hcl tablet price: $13.17.
Our bodies have “acupoints” where acupuncture needles can be inserted. Acupuncture needles can help release endorphins, thus reducing inflammation and relieving pains. Common pains like neck, back, and joint pain are cases that acupuncture can help with. Once the thin needles are inserted in the targetted portions of the body, these points will be stimulated, resulting in almost instantaneous pain relief.
Chiropractic Care
What to expect after a chiropractic adjustment: The spine, the body’s central support structure, is the primary target of chiropractic care. It aligns the body to improve function and relieve any pain associated with the body’s structure issues. Licensed chiropractors can help manipulate your joints and realign your spine, improving mobility and reducing pain and discomfort. After a chiropractic adjustment, you may feel some soreness or discomfort, but this is normal and should subside within a few days. It is important to stay hydrated and follow any post-adjustment instructions given by your chiropractor to ensure the best possible results.
Herbal and Dietary Supplements
Besides the alternative therapies we have mentioned in this guide, you can also look into different kinds of safe herbal and dietary supplements you can take. Of course, consult a health professional before taking any of these supplements.
Turmeric
Curcumin is an active component of turmeric. The presence of curcumin causes the yellow color of this spice. Moreover, it has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that can help heal and manage pain.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 Fatty Acids are especially effective in managing pains caused by rheumatoid arthritis. Patients who take these supplements are reported to experience less joint stiffness and pain and less morning stiffness.
Glucosamine
Conditions like osteoarthritis can be relieved by glucosamine sulfate. Taking glucosamine can support the body in producing chemicals that build ligaments, tendons, cartilage, and fluid surrounding joints, promoting mobility and preventing breakdown.
Conclusion
The alternative therapies we have included in this guide are applicable options to pain management. However, it is to seek medical advice from experts to get the most effective treatment for the kind of pain you’re suffering from. There are progressing and future directions for research in the study of the efficacy of alternative therapies. Sure enough, we will have more options for pain management in the coming years.
John Davis is a passionate content writer with a knack for crafting engaging narratives across various subjects. With a keen eye for detail and a love for storytelling, John brings ideas to life through the power of words. His dedication to delivering high-quality and informative content has made him a trusted voice in the digital realm. When he’s not at his desk, you’ll find John exploring new hobbies and seeking inspiration in the world around him.
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