Over-the-counter painkillers such as paracetamol and aspirin can be effective at fighting pain – but there can be dangers to popping too many of these pills. If you suffer from chronic pain, it could be worth taking an occasional break from over-the-counter meds and trying a few other alternative forms of pain relief. Here are just a few other options to consider.
Treat yourself to a massage
Everyone loves a massage. As well as helping you to destress, a massage from a professional therapist could help to relieve pain by relaxing muscles and possibly even freeing trapped nerves. Head massages can even be used to treat migraines and tension headaches. There are also sports massages for sports injuries – these aren’t particularly relaxing (in fact they can be quite painful), but they’ll often reduce the long-term pain of such injuries.
Give acupuncture a go
The idea of getting stabbed by lots of tiny needles might not seem like an effective form of pain relief, but it can in fact have great results. A professional acupuncture therapist will be able to target precise pressure point using needles to help ease your specific pain. These needles are so thin that you won’t feel them and they won’t even leave a mark. Just make sure the person stabbing you is qualified!
Try turmeric powder
Many herbs and spices have claims of being able to numb pain. Turmeric is one of the most widely accepted forms of herbal pain relief and it is commonly used to alleviate joint pain by reducing inflammation. It is commonly consumed as a powder – either as hot water or sprinkled on food. Some foods may even contain turmeric already such as various curries.
Look into medicinal marijuana
You may even be able to consider medicinal marijuana as a form of pain relief. With many countries and states legalizing it, you can now buy marijuana online as evident from this Lindsay OG strain. It can be very effective at alleviating many kinds of pain. There are even options such as CBD oil for those that don’t want the high.
Have regular hot baths
Medical professionals will recommend a hot bath for everything from a bad back to labor pain. This is because a hot bath really does numb pain – the hot water helps to relax muscles whilst also flooding the body with feelgood endorphins. Many people have a bath in the evening, which can be a great idea if you suffer from pain at night.
Hit the gym
Exercise can also be a form of pain relief. When we exercise, the body releases lots of feel-good endorphins to help numb pain. Of course, certain exercises should be avoided as they could aggravate an injury – to be safe, you may want to stick to low-impact exercises like swimming, walking or yoga.
Identify triggers to cut out
Certain triggers could be making your pain worse. Cutting these out could help to reduce pain. For example, breaking a sleeping pattern may cause a migraine for some people, whilst soft drinks can often make back pain and joint pain worse as a result of sugar spiking insulin levels.
