Managing Pain Without Medications
Posted on: 18 July 2016
Pain medication can offer relief for pain you might have in your back, shoulders, and other such areas where most people feel consistent pain, but this medication is not without risk. There are often side effects to pain medication, and it may damage the liver over time; the liver is a natural filter for the body, and it needs to filter out any medication not absorbed in your system. This medication may build up in your liver or have the liver work too hard to filter it out of your system, so you might suffer liver damage or other such health concerns with long-term use of pain medication. There are ways of managing pain without medication and your doctor can give you personalized advice on what might work for you, but note a few suggestions here as well.
Physical therapy
Physical therapy is different than exercise in that a physical therapist will work with you for a particular goal beyond just weight loss and good cardiovascular health; this might include helping certain muscles grow stronger so they can better support your frame. A physical therapist may also help muscles and joints heal more quickly after an accident. Having stronger muscles in your back, hips, and legs can mean better support of your body so that you don't have pain in your back or other such area, or building up muscles that you may now be overusing because of a physical condition or injury. Healing faster after an accident or injury can mean less pain during that healing process.
Surgery
If you don't want to use medication, surgery can seem just as bad; however, note that sometimes surgical intervention can mean lasting relief without long-term use of medication. You may need to have the swelling relieved in certain joints through surgery or bones reset so they heal properly and you get relief from chronic pain. A quick surgical intervention can then mean a lifetime of being without pain.
TENS machine
A TENS machine is something you can use at home; this device delivers tiny impulses to the nerves in areas where you feel pain, so that the nerves no longer receive the signals telling them that your body is in pain. If the nerves don't get this signal, they won't send it to the brain, so you don't feel any pain. A TENS machine will not treat any physical condition that is causing the pain, but it can stop the sensation of pain itself, offering you relief when needed.
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