Many of us experience pain. Sometimes immediate relief is as simple as a DIY treatment.
Pain is the #1 reason that people go to the doctor in the United States. It is also the top reason why people become disabled and unable to work. It can have many possible causes. You might hurt yourself in a car accident or in sports, or it might be a result of osteoarthritis, lumbar disk herniation, or other disorders. Here are five strategies to deliver pain relief in little more than an instant.
Self-acupressure
The most frequently occurring source of physical discomfort is muscle pain. If you develop hard knots of tissue within your muscles, those are trigger points, explains fibromyalgia author Jacob Teitelbaum, MD. “Push on the trigger point with enough pressure to see a white mark from your finger and hold for at least 45 seconds,” he says. “[D]oing this increases the energy flow to help release the muscle” in a similar manner to massage.
If you can’t get to the spot easily with your fingers, use a tennis ball placed between your body and the floor. Put the ball on the ground close to the painful spot. Carefully push yourself down on the ball, locating the area that is the most sensitive. Lie on the ball for as long as you need to feel a release – backing off if you feel sharp pain.
Tunes as treatment
Scientists in France found that music actually reduces reported pain levels. Additional research from the The International Journal of Nursing Studies found that when cancer patients listen to music, almost 50% saw the intensity of their pain cut in half.
Bathing relief
If you don’t get enough magnesium, your tissues will tighten, which is often a precursor to pain. The standard American diet only contains 35% of the magnesium it did in the past. You can get magnesium from foods such as whole grains and avocados. However, you can also soothe your body by heating it with an Epsom salt soak. In a bath, you want about a pint of salts. Soak for 10-15 minutes.
Topical gel
Try a topical gel such as Tiger Balm. These solutions can ease pain by improving circulation and stopping neurotransmission of pain signals.
Exercise
Being sure to get a regular workout will typically lead to pain relief, explains Dr. Teitelbaum. “Factors such as stress trigger adrenaline, which signals your body to tighten up and results in pain,” he says. “Yoga and tai chi practices help stretch and relax your muscles and soothe soreness.”
Expertise for full recovery
Are you suffering from chronic pain? Often DIY treatments aren’t enough. At Advanced Wellness & Rehab, we have had stunning success treating patients with conditions ranging from whiplash to scoliosis to herniated disks. Get a free consultation with Dr. Roy.
