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From casual gym goers all the way to elite athletes, pain management is a reality of life. This can be especially true the more often you’re active as little cramps, aches, and pains can become a regular part of your recovery process. Usually this is a good thing, and indicates your muscles are building and your fitness is growing.
No pain, no gain after all.Nonetheless, the actual pain you feel is never going to be much fun. Even if it’s just those small little flashes you feel when climbing the stairs, or sitting down for a meal. Or if it’s a pre-existing condition that you’ve struggled to treat. Fortunately there’s a variety of pain management alternatives beyond over-the-counter painkillers.
What are pain management alternatives exactly?
Tylenol and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories are used by many as the go-to pick for treating pain, but their status as the default pick sees many great alternatives overlooked. Each of these alternatives has different ways of use, and serve different purposes. But each offers another option for anyone who wants to avoid using a painkiller, or who simply wants greater variety in their pain relief treatments.
1. Yoga
Yoga is a wonderful way to reduce pain in your body, improve wellbeing, and delivering a whole range of benefits. Not only can regular yoga practice help reduce pain and speed recovery time, it can also diminish stress, anxiety, and other conditions that can really compound the feeling of pain and illness when you’re not feeling great.
2. Pineapple
One of the chief causes of pain is inflammation. Whether this is due to physical exercise or another ailment, seeking to reduce the pain is always a good step. The bromelain in pineapple, whether eaten or pulped, is a great way to reduce inflammation.
3. Exercise
It is understood when you are in pain exercise may not be the most appealing activity to do.
It’s important to ensure any exercise you do helps heal rather than harm – so seeking medical advice beforehand is important – but some light or moderate exercise can actually can be a really good way to treat pain. This has been shown numerous times when it comes to treating lower back pain.
4. Massage
Beyond quick and easy treatments at home, a massage is a great pick for someone looking to treat pain. By actively stimulating muscles throughout your body, a good massage can help reduce discomfort, promote wellbeing, and speed up muscle repair. This choice is especially good for anyone who regularly has muscle pain.
5. Acupuncture
The next step up from a massage, acupuncture is an excellent choice for someone seeking a comprehensive pain management alternative. By stimulating the nerves within muscles, the acupuncture process can offer similar results to a massage, while seeking to stimulate the pituitary gland. This gland is held to be the ‘master gland’ that controls the release of cortisol, and when released rapidly reduces pain and discomfort.
Making these remedies work for you
Pain management alternatives are a great way to reduce recovery time, minimize pain, and help you live your best life. Better still, you can achieve this while utilizing treatments with natural remedies and compositions. Pain management alternatives can be an important part of your overall health, but it’s important to ensure they are just one part. Ensuring you get regular exercise, maintain a good diet, and get enough sleep is vital to obtaining the greatest benefits from physical activity and recovery treatments.
Though important to show patience when trying these remedies for the first time, over time many people find yoga, the use of pineapple juice, or a massage, fundamentally improves their life. So, give one – or all 5 of these pain management alternatives a try – and reap the rewards!