Too many of us are suffering with chronic pain. Natural solutions for Chronic Pain are available and this month’s newsletter is going to share some ideas and tips with you. Acute pain occurs when you are injured and the pain dissipates naturally as the injury heals. So once you are aware of the injury and have taken care of it, taking an analgesic (a pain relieving medicine) to ease the pain while the injury heals makes sense.
What happens when the pain doesn’t dissipate, when it doesn’t go away and the acute pain becomes chronic pain? It may be tempting to just keep taking analgesics to stop the pain, but taking them long-term isn’t the solution. Chronic pain is an indication that there are still problems that need to be addressed.
In addition to ignoring the underlying problem, the long-term use of most OTC and prescription analgesics (i.e. aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and codeine) can have unwanted side effects. For example, non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), the most commonly used analgesics for chronic pain, have several possible side effects. Studies have shown that they are a common cause of peptic ulcers, increased blood pressure, and can contribute to the progresssion of atherosclerosis. They may also increase the risk of having a heart attack or stroke, especially if you have pre-existing heart disease. NSAIDs and acetaminophen (another common analgesic) can also cause chronic kidney disease, kidney failure and liver damage.
Even more problematic are narcotic analgesics, especially the various opioids, including morphine, heroine, codeine, hydrocodone, oxycodone (sold as OxyContin), fentanyl and many others. These drugs are not only addictive, they are associated with gastrointestinal upset, depression of respiratory function, and even fatal overdoses. This is an increasingly serious problem. About 65,000 people died from opioid overdoses in 2021, up from about 47.000 people in 2019.
In this issue of Sunshine Sharing we’ll look at what natural solutions for chronic pain are available as well as the importance of identifying the underlying cause of chronic pain and the supplements and options you have to help you better manage it.
Primary Causes of Chronic Pain
- A lack of Oxygen in your Cells.
- Dehydration – Not Drinking Enough Water.
- Lack of Blood and Lymph Flow.
- Imbalanced pH. A lack of energy throughout the tissues.
Secondary Cause of Chronic Pain
- Muscle Tension.
- Environmental Toxins.
- Mechanical Irritations.
Natural Solutions for Chronic Pain
You also need to focus on the following.
- Improving your diet.
- Drink 6-8 glasses of water a day to stay hydrated.
- Move your body, if you can’t due to the pain, the Chi Machine is very helpful for moving the lymphatics and circulation. I use mine every day!
- Focus on Limiting your Exposure to Environmental Toxins and create a Detoxification Plan.
- Join our Managing Pain Naturally Wellness Program.