Pain can get the best of anybody, especially when it’s chronic. If you’re looking for alternatives to potentially addictive medications for pain relief, it’s time to consider some of our favorite natural methods.
At Klarity Clinic, we specialize in ketamine infusion therapy and NAD+ infusions to relieve chronic pain that isn’t treatable with oral medications. Even though these innovative therapies are highly effective, they typically aren’t the first line of treatment for many who are only recently dealing with pain.
For this reason, our experienced medical providers have gathered some of their best tips for pain relief using all-natural strategies. But first, let’s take a look at the conditions that can cause chronic pain.
Chronic pain describes persistent or intense pain that lasts for six months or longer. This kind of pain can affect your physical, mental, and emotional health and interfere with your ability to care for yourself or others.
Chronic pain can result from traumatic injuries or a wide range of underlying medical conditions such as:
You might also experience chronic head pain from recurrent headaches or from migraines.
When the pain is hard to control, you may become more reliant on opioids and other potentially addictive pain medications. Because of the complications that can arise from addiction, you should only take medications under the supervision of a qualified physician.
Medications aren’t the only treatment option for some chronic pain conditions. There are also effective and natural strategies you can use to optimize your health and prevent your pain from worsening.
Here are six pain-relieving methods you can use to minimize pain without medications:
Regular ice and heat therapy can relieve pain related to muscle tension and inflammation. When used at the start of your pain, homemade ice packs and heating pads can reduce the severity of pain and keep it from worsening.
Therapeutic massage offers many pain-relieving benefits because it enhances your blood flow throughout your body. Regular massages can also minimize tension in your muscles and joints and provide a deep sense of relaxation to lessen pain sensations.
Mindfulness techniques like breathwork and meditation train your brain to focus on something besides pain. The techniques also help reduce anxiety and relax your body to prevent muscle tension that can intensify existing pain.
Physical activity is important for maintaining a healthy weight, boosting blood circulation, and keeping muscles and joints flexible. Even if you’re limited by pain, there are a variety of exercises you can do in a seated or prone position to keep your body strong.
Tai chi and yoga both use a series of gentle movements that stretch your muscles to relieve tension and stress. With regular practice, you can also develop skills to control your breathing and gain a better sense of control over your body.
Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese practice that involves the insertion of ultra fine needles into specific points on your body. The purpose of treatment is to restore balance in the life force (qi) of your body. The needles stimulate your natural healing responses and increase the production of serotonin, a brain chemical that helps improve your sense of well-being.
If these strategies aren’t working or your chronic pain is intense, our providers can determine if you’re a candidate for ketamine infusion therapy or BR+NAD+ infusions.
Call the Klarity Clinic office near you to schedule a diagnostic evaluation for chronic pain, or book an appointment online today.
