Managing Chronic Pain Without Medication

Managing Chronic Pain Without Medication

Chronic pain is a form of long-term pain that persists outside of a recovery period, and sometimes alongside a chronic health condition. Some people experience continuous chronic pain, while others might notice that it comes and goes infrequently. 

Regardless of which type of chronic pain you have, it may be so severe that it affects your ability to work, exercise, eat and enjoy life. When you don’t want to resort to medication for every bout of discomfort, you might see the value in exploring some of the following options. 

Natural Pain Relievers

Many people experience a range of uncomfortable side effects when relying on pharmaceuticals to relieve their pain and discomfort, which may lead you to consider natural pain relievers such as spiritleaf, CBD. 

CBD is available in many forms, such as tincture, creams, lotions, and edibles, and might be worth considering when you need momentary relief from chronic pain, positive results were taken from HealthCanal testing. While many studies are still in their infancy, various randomized, double-blinded, and placebo-controlled studies have suggested that CBD treatment significantly reduces pain on a visual analog scale. Many patients in these studies also reported improved quality of life and quality of sleep, and other studies indicated its safety for prolonged use.  

Meditation 

Meditation practices can require as little as five minutes of your time, yet they may have value in managing chronic pain without the need for medication. Some experts have stated that body scan mindfulness exercises may be valuable for managing pain conditions. While meditation can’t relieve pain completely, stress reduction expert Jon Kabat-Zinn believes getting to know your pain through meditation allows you to learn from it to manage it. 

You may like to lie on your back in an outstretched position, close your eyes and focus on your breathing before moving your attention to each body part and its sensations. When you notice pain, you can acknowledge it and any thoughts and emotions accompanying it and breathe through it. 

Exercise

When you’re in the throes of extreme pain, the last thing you might feel like doing is exercising. However, if your doctor recommends exercise as a pain management method, consider following their guidelines. 

Exercise such as swimming, walking, or cycling, may improve blood flow in your body and loosen your muscles, potentially allowing your body’s natural healing processes to take the lead. 

Stress Management

When you become aware that pain and stress physiologically and conceptually overlap, you may begin to understand the connection between chronic pain and chronic stress. If you’re chronically stressed, you might also experience chronic pain. 

People experiencing chronic pain might see the value in identifying any stressors in their lives, managing them, and seeing if stress management makes a difference to their overall health and well-being. 

Acupuncture

Acupuncture involves inserting thin needles into strategic areas of your body to relieve pain and discomfort. This form of alternative medicine may not be valued by all medical professionals, but studies have shown that it might provide some relief for chronic pain sufferers. A 2012 meta-analysis with 2018 updates revealed that acupuncture is effective as a form of chronic pain treatment and that benefits cannot be explained away solely by the placebo effect. 

While many pharmaceuticals provide the relief chronic pain sufferers are looking for, they are not everyone’s first choice. With the permission of your primary healthcare provider, you might like to explore the chronic pain relief options above.