Whether you have a headache, back pain or any other kind of pain you are going to take a pain killer without thinking twice to get instant relief. Most people don’t really think that much about the long term effects of painkillers, but you need to know that painkillers are not your friends.
In the long run, they can have extreme side effects like addiction, breathing problems, and difficulty in concentrating. If you are someone who wants to steer away from using painkillers and move towards natural alternatives, you have come to the right place. Here are some of the most effective natural alternatives to painkillers:
Try Cloves
Cloves aren’t what comes to mind when you think about natural remedies for pain. However, you will be surprised to know that cloves have been used as medicine for a long time. Ground cloves or clove oil is used to treat a number of different conditions including but not limited to nausea, sore throat, and the common cold. People have also used cloves to treat headaches, inflammation related to arthritis, and toothaches.
Cloves are also used topically to relieve pain sometimes. What makes cloves effective against pain is eugenol present inside it. It acts as a natural pain reliever and is also added in some OTC pain rubs. Back in the day people used to use clove oil to relieve toothache.
If you have a terrible toothache, you can use a bit of clove oil to get some instant relief until you get to the dentist. However, if you are someone who has a bleeding disorder or is taking any bloodthining medication, you need to be very careful because clove oil can aggravate your condition and raise the risk of abnormal bleeding.
Turmeric: The Asian Magic Herb
Turmeric is another one of those natural remedies that has been used by people for hundreds of years to treat a ton of different conditions. Turmeric is a spice, often used in south asian dishes to give them that yellowish color that you see in curries.
It contains the curcumin compound that is an antioxidant that can be useful against free radical molecules that can be very harmful for your cells and tissue. Some of the most common conditions that turmeric is used to treat include indigestion, ulcers, stomachache, psoriasis, and cancer.
Turmeric is also used topically to heal injuries. It is traditionally mixed with some sort of oil and heated up to bring to a warm temperature and then applied to the wound. It is very quick at stopping bleeding and providing instant relief from pain.
Acupuncture can be Helpful
Acupuncture is an ancient form of Chinese medical practise that is believed to be a great way to balance out the natural energies of the human body. Many people don’t believe it to have any effect however, hundreds of thousands of people who have tried and benefited from it will tell you otherwise.
Acupuncturists insert small needles in your skin. The location of these needles has to do with where you are feeling the pain. Sometimes the needles might be placed directly on the spot where you feel the pain while other times they might be placed exactly opposite to that sport.
Acupuncture relieves pain by releasing more serotonin in your body which is a hormone that is responsible for mode, feeling of well being and happiness.
Heat and Cold Therapy
Many doctors agree that both heat and cold therapy are proven ways of mitigating pain. Taking a hot bath is great to relax the mind, whereas icing the affected area can result in decreasing inflammation. Both heat and cold therapy are effective ways to provide some instant relief but you need to know when to use which one.
If you have an acute injury you need to treat it with cold therapy right away. For example if you have sprained your wrist you need to put ice on it right away to make sure that it doesn’t become swollen. If you use heat therapy in this situation and make your wrist warmer, it is going to swell up even more.
On the other hand, if you have a back spasm that keeps coming back, you need to treat it with heat therapy. You can take a warm shower or bath or massage your back with some sort of oil to make it warmer. You can aslo massage it under warm water.
Recreational Herbs: The New Trend
After the legalization of marijuana, many doctors have started prescribing it to patients with chronic pain. Many patients have also reported that marijuana has helped them overcome anxiety and even depression. Marijuana has tons of medical benefits, however you need to use it at your own risk.
It is because marijuana can have unexpected and unpredictable effects on people. If you are looking for something stronger, you need to try mushrooms, however do some research about mushrooms and find out the shelf life of mushrooms so that they don’t go bad once you have bought them.
Don’t Forget about Meditation
If you have tried everything and nothing seems to be working, you need to give meditation a shot. Meditation is one of those things that you either love or hate. Some people find meditation extremely boring and repetitive while others find it to be useful in treating chronic pain.
One of the best things about medication is that you don’t have to follow a script, you can try out different things and see what works for you. Try out different types of meditation to see what helps you. Along with being extremely effective against chronic pain, meditation lifts your mode and lowers anxiety and depression.
Conclusion:
So there you have it, these are some of the most common and useful alternatives to painkillers. Remember that painkillers might seem like an easy and the only option when you want instant relief, however you have to consider the long term ramification of relying on painkillers. Try out the above mentioned alternatives and see which ones work for you the best.