Does Natural Pain Relief Really Exist?
Everyone will suffer pain at some time in their lives. Grim as this may sound, some pain is necessary - it is a signal from our brain that something is wrong in our body, something we will need to address to protect our health and well-being. It can be caused by anything from a dental cavity to a broken bone to a disease. Once we determine where the pain is coming from, we can diagnose and address the health issue, thus alleviating the pain.
Sometimes, however, pain is not done away with so easily - it remains with us despite all efforts to banish it. This is called'chronic' pain, distinguishable from'acute' pain by its own persistence. Frequent examples of chronic pain include backaches, migraine headaches, and arthritis.
The most popular treatment for chronic pain are prescription medications, but these often have adverse side effects ranging from nausea to fatigue, and can cease to be effective once a patient builds a tolerance. Acupuncture has been used as a kind of natural pain relief and cure for many chronic conditions for more than two thousand years. Originating in China, acupuncture involves piercing the skin with thin needles on specific points of the body. Patients have claimed acupuncture has proven successful in treating ailments such as neck pain, migraine headaches, arthritic pain, and even depression.
Herbal remedies provide another time-tested alternative to conventional therapies, providing natural pain relief to sufferers without many of the unwanted side effects of conventional medications. There usually several herbal treatments for a particular condition; popular herbal remedies include emu oil, which can alleviate the pain of arthritis, and great old Vitamin E, which can help minimize scarring. The drawback of herbal treatments is that they often take longer to achieve noticeable results; the upside is that you aren't introducing man-made foreign chemicals to your body, and run less risk of side effects or damaging your overall health.
Although it may seem like well-worn advice with small carrot or pizzazz, perhaps the best advice would be to take care of yourself - get proper nourishment by eating fewer processed foods and more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Take care to get enough sleep each night, and take some time out of each day for exercise - even simple activities like taking the stairs at work or a walk around the block go a long way towards improving your health.