001: Dealing with Pain - A Natural Approach
November 25, 2017 by Dr. Rhamsy
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Most providers advocate for an alternative to strong painkillers - going natural may be the way!
As a society, we’re conditioned to reach for over-the-counter painkillers the moment we feel any sense of discomfort. Prescription-strength painkillers are usually present in the medicine cabinets of those suffering from chronic pain. The good news it this: there are many natural alternatives available for those of us who prefer to avoid the potential problems associated with pharmaceutical solutions for pain.
The Dangers of Popular Painkillers.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), acetaminophen, corticosteroids and opioids are the most common types of medicines used to address pain. All of them stop us from hurting, but none are without side effects, some of which can be severe.
NSAIDs which include the active ingredients in Aleve®, Advil®, and Motrin®, may cause stomach ulcers, bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract and impaired kidney function. These painkillers have also been shown to undermine the inflammatory process, making it more difficult to truly heal.
Acetaminophen, the ingredient in good old Tylenol® is not without its own side effects too. It may affect your liver and kidneys, and cause unusual bleeding, to list a few of its possible complications.
Corticosteroids, which make up your steroid shot or prednisone, dampen the body’s immune response, deplete essential vitamins and minerals and may cause swelling and unwanted weight gain.
Opiods, which were once touted as the best thing after chocolate are now shown to lead to a lot of untimely deaths.
Opioids are at the heart of a growing epidemic and are involved in most drug overdose related deaths¹. In 2015, opiods were associated with about 33,000 deaths, in the United States². Opiods are not only associated with death; they are also associated with addiction. 1 out of every 4 persons that uses an opioid for chronic pain relief is addicted to the drug³. Despite the highly addictive nature of these drugs, doctors still write a lot of prescriptions for opioid medications⁴. More than 1,000 people are treated each day in the emergency room for not using their opioid prescriptions properly⁵.
What can we do if we want to manage our pain without pills? - "Go Natural!"
Natural remedies like turmeric work with the body instead of against it to support a healthy inflammatory response. It also promotes healing without depleting nutrients or causing collateral damage.
Turmeric: Power for Pain Relief
Turmeric is the yellow pigment that colors curry powder and mustard. It has traditionally been used in India to combat pain and fatigue. Turmeric can be found as a fresh or dried root, as a powdered spice or in supplements. In all its forms, turmeric contains natural anti-inflammatory compounds, including curcumin, one of its active ingredients.
Curcumin is poorly absorbed in the body. You can get the health benefits of curcumin by taking turmeric in large amounts mixed with oil or black pepper. Turmeric's orange color naturally stains, so be prepared. If you are busy, like most of us are, or you don't want to deal with turmeric staining your things, you can take dietary supplements that contain, clinically proven, better absorbed curcumin, manufactured in facilities with good manufacturing practices such as with Curaphen® and Curaphen® Extra Strength.
The power of turmeric as a natural remedy has been put to test in several research studies. Some research evidence shows that with regards to alleviating knee pain associated with arthritis, taking 500 mg of turmeric extract, 3 to 4 times daily works as well as the active ingredient in Advil® 400 mg, taken 2 to 3 times daily⁶'⁷. This data suggests that turmeric could be a viable alternative to standard pain medications.
When natural painkillers are used instead of natural supplements, it’s possible to cool inflammation and help our bodies heal instead of simply dulling pain.
Although turmeric and other natural remedies for pain are considered to be safe, any type of food, medication or supplement has the potential to cause side effects in some people. Keep in mind that natural supplements have medicinal properties so you should seek medical recommendations before using one.
References
- CDC. Wide-ranging online data for epidemiologic research (WONDER). Atlanta, GA: CDC, National Center for Health Statistics; 2016. Available at http://wonder.cdc.gov.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention. Drug Overdose Death Data. Available at https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/data/statedeaths.html
- Boscarino JA, Rukstalis M, Hoffman SN, et al. Risk factors for drug dependence among out-patients on opioid therapy in a large US health-care system. Addiction 2010;105:1776–82. http://dx.doi. org/10.1111/j.1360-0443.2010.03052.x
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vital Signs: Variation Among States in Prescribing of Opioid Pain Relievers and Benzodiazepines — United States, 2012. MMWR 2014; 63(26):563-568.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Highlights of the 2011 Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) findings on drug-related emergency department visits. The DAWN Report. Rockville, MD: US Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; 2013. Available from URL: http://www.samhsa.gov/data/2k13/DAWN127/sr127-DAWN-highlights.htm
- Kuptniratsaikul V, Thanakhumtorn S, Chinswangwatanakul P, et al. Efficacy and safety of Curcuma domestica extracts in patients with knee osteoarthritis. J Altern Complement Med 2009;15:891-7.
- Kuptniratsaikul V, Dajpratham P, Taechaarpornkul W, Buntragulpoontawee M, Lukkanapichonchut P, Chootip C, Saengsuwan J, Tantayakom K, Laongpech S. Efficacy and safety of Curcuma domestica extracts compared with ibuprofen in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a multicenter study. Clin Interv Aging 2014;9:451-8.