Millions of Americans suffer from chronic pain. According to the National Institutes of Health, chronic pain is defined as pain that lasts for more than three months. Chronic pain can be caused by a variety of conditions, including arthritis, fibromyalgia, injuries, endometriosis, and migraines. Chronic pain can be debilitating and make it difficult to live a normal life. Many people with chronic pain turn to pain medications for relief. But pain medications come with a risk of addiction and other side effects. If you’re looking for pain relief but want to avoid pain medications, there are other options available. In this article, we’ll give you an overview of some of the best pain relief solutions outside of pain medications.
Exercise
Exercise is often recommended as a way of managing chronic pain. There’s a lot of evidence that physical activity is helpful for managing chronic pain. It’s unclear whether it can actually cure your pain, but it may help you better manage it. Some people find that for them exercise doesn't actually help with their pain. In that case, you may want to try other options. Exercise can help with chronic pain in a few different ways. It can help with mood and stress, which can make the pain worse. Exercise can also help you build up strength and improve your joint function. This can make movements less painful. Another common pain management technique is self-hypnosis. You can use hypnosis to focus your attention on something other than your pain, which may help reduce pain. It may also help you manage your stress levels.
Physio
Physiotherapy (or physical therapy) uses exercise, manual therapy (like massage), and other types of treatment. It’s often used to help manage chronic pain. There’s not a lot of evidence that one type of treatment is better than another. It’s likely that all types of treatment are helpful. Physiotherapy can help you strengthen your muscles and improve your joint function. This may make it easier to move around and reduce pain. Physiotherapy may also help ease your stress levels and improve your mood. Improved mood and reduced stress can make it less likely that you’ll experience pain. Another treatment that’s helpful for managing chronic pain is acupuncture. This is a type of Chinese medicine in which thin needles are inserted into the skin. It’s often helpful for managing chronic pain, especially pain related to the joints. It may also help ease your stress levels and improve your mood.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a Chinese medicine treatment that uses thin needles to manipulate your body’s flow of energy. There’s evidence that it can be helpful for managing chronic pain, especially pain related to joints. It may also help ease your stress levels and improve your mood.
Massage Therapy
Massage is a type of therapy that uses touch to help relieve pain and reduce stress. There's not a lot of evidence that one type of massage is better than another. But there is some evidence that Swedish massage can be helpful for managing chronic pain. The more an area gets massaged, the more blood flows to that area. This increased blood flow increases oxygenation, which also increases healing.
Yoga
Yoga is a type of exercise that includes poses and other exercises. There’s some evidence that yoga can be helpful for managing chronic pain. People often experience less stress, a larger range of motion, and less pain when they practice yoga on a regular basis.
Hypnosis
Hypnosis is a form of mental self-management. It’s often used to help with managing pain. There is some evidence that general hypnosis can help with chronic pain. It often involves a very similar practice to meditation, where one feels weightless during the session and comes out the other side with a full understanding of everything that took place.
Surgical Relief
If nothing else works, your doctor may recommend surgery to reduce your pain and improve your joint function. For example, surgery may help if you have a herniated disc in your back or another type of spinal pain. Surgery may be recommended only as a last resort to reduce your pain because it comes with some risks and side effects.
When you’re suffering from chronic pain, it may seem like nothing can help. But there are many pain relief options available that don’t involve medication. With a combination of these options, you may be able to reduce your pain and live a better life. If you’re in pain and medication isn’t helping, consider trying one of these other options.
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