Non-drug pain relief strategies are on the rise for good reasons. According to the Science Repository report, non-pharmacological therapy is a more effective treatment than a list of anti inflammatory drugs, which may have adverse side effects in the long run. For instance, the rise of anti-inflammatory drug prescriptions, such as opioids, is associated with increased overdose fatalities. Suffice it to say medical pain management is in shambles.
Nowadays, most doctors and nurses are reconsidering the use of medications for pain relief, opting for proven non-drug pain management strategies. For this reason, there is a considerable shift from ineffective surgical procedures and reliance on a list of anti inflammatory drugs to proven non-pharmacological pain-relieving strategies.
According to the National Library of Medicine, about 20% of adults globally suffer from different forms of pain. A further 10% get chronic pain diagnoses yearly. Such statistics are worrying, and a lousy pain management strategy would be disastrous. If you are in pain and wondering whether there are proven non-drug pain-relieving treatments, don’t fret. This article provides the best non-drug pain management treatments and their benefits.
Let’s start!
Advantages Of Non-Pharmacological Pain Relief Strategies
Non-drug pain relief strategies have myriad benefits. Mainly, they focus on the source of pain. For example, relaxation procedures help to manage stress levels, which is the root cause of headaches and muscle tension. Let’s look at the advantages of non-drug pain-relieving treatment compared to a list of anti inflammatory drug prescriptions and usage.
1. Fewer Side Effects
Comparatively, non-pharmacological procedures have fewer side effects – if any – than a list of anti inflammatory drugs. However, it is advisable to disclose to your healthcare provider any sensitivities, allergies, or whether you are on any medication for better care.
Usually, prescription drugs will have a list of possible side effects on the drug’s facts label. While many people ignore them, you can be shocked by the severity of damage they can cause. Pain-relieving medicines, such as opium, are prone to overdose, causing an increase in overdose fatalities.
2. Encourage Good Habits
Non-pharmacological pain relief strategies often lead to the development of good habits. For example, suppose your treatment requires you to take a 30-minute walk daily. In this case, you’ll find that over time, you’ll make the walk habitual. Good life-long habits, such as exercise, designed to manage pain and stress, will add to your overall wellness in the long run.
3. Minimal Medication Reactions
Suppose you are on medication for a lifestyle disease. In that case, you don’t have to worry about non-drug pain relievers interfering with your routine medications, which might be the case when dealing with a list of anti inflammatory drugs. Before starting non-drug pain-relieving treatment, you should communicate with your healthcare provider about any current medication. Doing so will help minimize any chance of medical reactions – if any.
Proven Non-drug Pain Relieving Strategies Better Than a List of Anti Inflammatory Drugs
Let’s look at proven non-pharmacological strategies that work better than a list of anti inflammatory drugs.
1. Ask a Professional About Rehab
When a person requires drug addiction treatment, the biggest challenge is to come out and ask for help. Not known to many, addiction is a disease that requires medical attention. The best way to deal with drug addiction is to ask a professional about rehab. You do not have to be shy about seeking professional help, as most doctors probably have dealt with such cases before and can deal with your situation professionally.
In most cases, drug addiction, for example, alcohol abuse, will require rehabilitation as an effective method of alcohol addiction treatment. For this reason, seeking professional guidance about rehab is the first step to drug abuse recovery. If you are shy, you can always reach out to a confidant, such as a parent or a trusted friend, to encourage you to seek professional counsel. Here is the point. Don’t hesitate to contact a professional if you are battling drug addiction. They’ll offer professional assistance.
2. Research Alternative Options to Surgery
When dealing with any form of pain, it would be wise to research alternative options to surgery. For example, back pain is one of the most prevalent medical problems. In fact, according to the National Library of Medicine, 8 out of 10 people suffer back pain at some point. In this case, the following are non-drug back pain relief treatment options for your consideration.
Check your weight
According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, about 70% of adults in the United States are overweight, and 40% are obese. These are worrying statistics and are a recipe for disaster. Obesity can drastically increase your chances of developing back pain. Lifestyle diseases such as arthritis are also major culprits. In this case, managing weight would be a better way to avoid back pain surgery.
Create a valuable diet plan
When managing back pain, consuming an anti inflammatory diet is better than a list of anti inflammatory drugs. The following are examples of foods that are known to reverse or prevent health conditions, including back pain:-
- Fish with fat, such as mackerel, sardines, and salmon
- Colorful vegetables such as blueberries, sweet potatoes, and carrots
- Nuts, for example, almonds
- Monosaturated fats, for example, canola oil, olive oil, avocado oil
- Seeds like chia and pumpkin seeds
3. Have Your Bones and Joints Assessed
If you are dealing with aching joints, you don’t have to go for a list of anti inflammatory drugs. Instead, book an appointment for a chiropractic adjustment. It is one of the best non-drug procedures to deal with joint pain. A chiropractor uses hands and specialized equipment to deliver chiropractic care, which means they rarely prescribe a list of anti inflammatory drugs or refer you to surgery. However, chiropractic care may require particular exercises as a form of therapy.
Chiropractors have a way with bones and joint treatment and assessment, which include:-
- Massage and stretching
- Using sound waves (ultrasound) to relieve swelling and pain in joints, bones, and soft tissue
- Use heat or cold therapy to relieve pain.
- Bring down swelling using a low-level laser procedure
- Joint mobilization, which means working gently on a joint’s natural range of motion, seeking places with restricted movement
- Using transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) devices to stimulate nerves and muscles with a mild electrical pulse
4. Make Your Face Look Lively
Aging, sun, and skin disorders can lead to severe skin irregularities on the face, which include acne scars, wrinkles, and protruding blood vessels. Such anomalies are irritating and can potentially lower your self-esteem.
You probably want to make your skin look younger and more lively. Luckily, a few non-surgical skin rejuvenation treatment solutions are available for your consideration. Your recovery won’t necessarily need a list of anti inflammatory drugs. Let’s explore these safe treatment methods.
Ultherapy Skin Tightening
If you have loose skin in areas such as the chin, eyebrows, or neck, it will help to go for a non-painful ultherapy skin tightening procedure. Ultherapy is a non-invasive process that uses sound waves to penetrate deeply into your skin. It makes your skin muscles contract, forcing the wrinkles to disappear while tightening your skin.
Dermabrasion
Dermabrasion is an exfoliating procedure involving removing your face’s top layer of skin using a rotating tool, which makes it smooth and youthful. The process treats skin anomalies such as uneven skin tones, acne scars, sunspots, and fine lines. During the procedure, the dermatologist will numb you with a freezing spray, and when you feel pain after the process, it would be best to seek medical care.
Microdermabrasion
The microdermabrasion procedure is painless and works to even out your skin tone by using an applicator with an abrasive surface. The process is closely related to dermabrasion, which also addresses similar skin challenges like sun spots, uneven skin tones, fine lines, and acne scars.
5. Control Your Breathing
Purposeful relaxation naturally relieves pain, and you can achieve this through breath control. For this reason, the strategy is very beneficial to people who live with chronic pain. When pain takes a heavy blow on you, here are some excellent tips to help you relieve the pain:-
Lie down or sit in a comfortable place for a few minutes Relax your muscles by releasing any muscle tension Inhale deeply for about four seconds, also exhale at the same pace Breathe in deeply through your nose, and count to four Now, you have to hold your breath for a few manageable seconds Breath out, but this time use your mouth for a few seconds Hold for a few seconds When you repeat the process for about five minutes, you’ll notice that the pain will slowly disappear.
Oxygen therapy is a premier way to relieve pain while avoiding a list of anti inflammatory drugs. Although the procedure manages severe health conditions such as asthma, decompression sickness, and pneumonia, it’s quickly gaining popularity as a pain reliever.
Let’s look at the types of oxygen therapy: regular oxygen therapy and hyperbaric oxygen.
Regular oxygen therapy
Regular oxygen therapy involves the release of oxygen through a mask, nasal prongs, or a breathing tube. The treatment has proven effective in stopping a cluster headache attack.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT)
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy involves using pressurized rooms or tubes to increase atmospheric pressure significantly and boost the maximum intake of pure oxygen.
Although the therapy treats decompression sickness and carbon monoxide poisoning, it’s useful in managing pain from conditions such as fibromyalgia, as per the National Library of Medicine.
6. Know When to Seek Help From Others
When in pain, you may not know the right time to seek help from others. Also, you can easily get confused about whether to power through the pain or get immediate medical care. Here is the good news. The prompts below will help you determine whether it’s time to seek help.
The magnitude of the pain
A dull pain level, such as a slight headache, should not alarm you. In this case, you should wait it out to stop before seeking help. But a sharp and problematic pain that makes you suffer should prompt you to seek help.
Mobility impact
If the pain prevents you from walking or working, you should consider seeking medical care immediately.
Other symptoms
If the pain is associated with other sickly symptoms, such as a fever, it would be best to see your doctor for further examination.
7. Have Items at Home for Emergencies
You do not have to stock up on pain-relief drug-related medical supplies; there are natural alternatives to relieve your pain. For your consideration, the following are natural remedies that act as pain relievers with fewer side effects – if any.
- Lavender essential oil
- Peppermint essential oil
- Rosemary essential oil
- Eucalyptus essential oil
8. Work With Professionals Who Can Help You
Working with a professional who can help you is an excellent strategy for managing pain. Luckily, many appreciate the importance of working with professional healthcare providers. According to JAMA Career Centre, about 1.2 doctor searches are for physiatrists. This means specialists, such as spine physiatry jobs, are in high demand.
Professionals are highly trained to develop a pain management treatment plan, effectively relieve and manage pain quickly without the risk of damaging the affected body part.
In Summary
Non-drug pain-relieving strategies are better than a list of anti inflammatory drugs for obvious reasons, such as fewer side effects and medication reactions. Also, non-pharmacological pain management strategies encourage good habits. For example, most professionals consider particular exercises, such as walking, a remedy for stress and pain. While on treatment, you may love the workout and make it habitual, which will benefit your wellness in the long run. It’s time to shun the shackles of a list of anti inflammatory drugs and swim in the freedom of non-drug pain-relieving strategies