How to Adapt an Holistic Approach to Pain Management

Guest Blogger: Trevor McDonald  /  https://trevormcdonald.me/

​If you go to the doctor for pain, he’s likely to prescribe something. That’s just how our system works. Modern medicine may try to find and fix the root of the issue, but that’s always the case. Either way, prescription painkillers are likely to make an appearance in your treatment protocol.

And anyone who has television can turn on the nightly news for examples of why prescription painkillers are dangerous. Painkiller addiction is common, and it's a problem that's plaguing our nation. 

If you’re sure you don’t want to follow that path, you’ll be happy to know that there are other options. We tend to think of pain as something that’s localized. If you break your leg, your leg is the problem, right?

Somewhat surprisingly, the answer isn’t that simple. Your leg is the root of the problem, for sure, but there are other things involved.
Your perception of pain has nothing to do with your leg.
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Even opioid painkillers don’t work on the source of pain. They work by blocking pain signals in the brain. Short-term pain relief must focus on the brain while long-term relief typically must focus on the pain source.
Here’s how to adopt a holistic approach to pain management. 

Learn how to meditate

Do you know how some lucky people just seem to have a higher tolerance to pain? We usually chalk it up to genetics and nothing more. And while genetics may play a role, there’s most definitely more.

A Frontiers in Human Neuroscience study suggests that mindfulness training, including meditation, can change a person’s subjective experience of pain.
When it comes to pain management, perception is everything. You cannot stop a bee from stinging you, but you apparently can alter the way you perceive the pain. Of course, we’re not talking about turning pain into pleasure like water to wine, but meditation may help alleviate the literal and figurative sting.
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Researchers found that participants in the pain study showed significantly less pain after meditation, but they also showed an increase in brain activity in the area responsible for self-awareness and perception. 

Find natural remedies to alleviate pain

Through meditation, you may be able to tolerate pain better, but it may not be enough when you're battling an extreme case. If you find yourself in a situation like this, experiment with various natural remedies to alleviate pain.

​If you’re in a state where medical marijuana is legal, this may be an option. Research has shown that marijuana may be effective at treating some types of pain. Other natural remedies include turmeric, devil’s claw, capsicum, comfrey oil and glucosamine (specifically for joint pain). 

Treat the source of your pain

Perception and mediation are great stop-gap solutions to help live your life while experiencing pain, but they will do nothing to help alleviate your pain in the long run. To accomplish lasting pain relief, you must find and address the root cause of the problem. This will be different for different people, but your doctor should be able to help you determine and address pain at the source.
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With a holistic approach to pain management, you can get back to a state of good health without having to rely on dangerous prescription medications.