All of us deal with aches and pains at some point or other, and some readers will have chronic pain as a major part of daily life. Of course there are over the counter remedies like aspirin which can help, but these can have long term negative effects on the body. Tylenol, in fact, is toxic to the liver and is fatal in large doses.
People who have moderate pain are right to look for alternative options from the natural world. Fortunately, nature is full of medicinal options. All you have to know is where to look. Natural remedies from Curamed and New Chapter are great places to start. Here are some of the specific natural pain remedies which just might work for you.
Turmeric - Turmeric is one of the most important herbal remedies in Ayurvedic medicine. Turmeric has been shown to have mild analgesic properties in certain scenarios, such as surgical recovery. As patients often rely on dangerous opiate drugs during recovery, turmeric may be another arrow in the quiver during this challenging time. Of course, always listen to the advice of medical professionals, especially if you have severe pain. Herbal remedies like turmeric are not meant for intense pain relief.
Lavender Oil - Lavender Oil has been shown to help treat migraine headaches. Patients who inhaled the scent of lavender oil had improvement to their sensation and awareness of acute migraine pain, in the study linked above. Lavender may or may not be as effective at this as attenuating other kinds of pain, but it definitely doesn’t hurt to keep it around just in case.
Rosemary Oil - Rosemary oil is effective at treating many different kinds of mild pain, and has even been used to combat opiate withdrawal symptoms. As opiates are pain-relieving drugs, the fact that rosemary alleviates withdrawal symptoms speaks to its efficacy as a natural pain-reliever. Of course, rosemary oil is nowhere near as acutely effective as opiates, but this is also what makes it an effective drug without abuse potential. Opiates may be effective as painkillers, but this is also where their danger lies. Go with the rosemary is you can.
Eucalyptus Oil - The inhalation of eucalyptus oil scent has been shown to relieve pain in total knee replacement patients. Anyone who has smelled eucalyptus oil knows that this is a very strong and complex scent. It has been used in many headache and cold medications, because its power for pain relief has many applications.
Clove - Clove has been shown to work as a topical anaesthetic for needle pain associated with vaccines and the like. Pain from shots may be mild, but many people derive a great deal of anxiety from the threat. Rubbing a little bit of clove on the area a minute before the injection can relieve anxiety, and the resulting pain from the shot. It can also help the patient’s body relax, which will make the shot less traumatic, resulting in reduced soreness at the injection site in the hours and days to follow.
Capsaicin - Capsaicin has been used as a topical pain reliever for generations. Many people also believe that it helps with generalized pain when consumed as a food ingredient. There are those who point to statistics about how people in countries with lots of spicy food tend to have less inflammation overall, but this specific correlation may not be equivalent with causation in this case.
There are many other examples we could highlight. Do your own research and find natural food medicine sources that you enjoy. These could help relieve pain in your time of need, making these items a good addition to your natural medicine cabinet.
