Pain, pain go away!
March 2008 - Julie Chen

The constantly changing weather can literally be a real pain at times. Winter can be a non-stop cycle of shovelling snow; spring offers some relief but also brings its own set of muscular aches and pains as we break out the gardening shears. There’s also the damp weather that can aggravate arthritis. The Chronic Pain Association of Canada reports that at any given moment, at least half of us experience some kind of pain. Millions of Canadians suffer from chronic pain and more than 18 per cent suffer from severe chronic pain.

Pain is a sensation triggered in the nervous system that can be felt as sharp or dull. It may be transient or constant and can occur anywhere in the body. Pain is actually the body’s alert mechanism for warning us when there’s been harm or injury caused. Once the injury is healed or cured, pain usually disappears. However, this isn’t always the case; chronic pain continues for at least six months even in the absence of any discernable harm or changes to the body.

Fortunately, there are treatments for pain. The best method, I always say, is a combination of both modern and complementary medicines. First, make sure you receive a proper diagnosis from your health care professional. When you don’t treat the cause, you’re using superficial solutions and the pain will return. Many people suffering from pain find that using non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (i.e., Aspirin, ibuprophen, etc.) can be helpful, but inadequate for chronic or severe pain. Some people may not like to use conventional treatments due to the associated side-effects.

Once you have a diagnosis, there are natural treatments you should consider. Acupuncture is a branch of traditional Chinese medicine that is well studied for treatment of many forms of pain. Acupuncture may be useful for mild pain such as headaches and sore muscles, to even more severe pain such as migraines, injuries and severe menstrual pain. Some patients experience relief even after one treatment, while chronic or more severe pain may require semi-weekly treatments for several weeks before they experience optimal relief.

Homeopathic and nutritional supplements may also be tremendously helpful for addressing the source of the pain at the root of the problem. A properly prescribed homeopathic remedy for your specific type and experience of pain can offer relief without any side-effects and won’t interfere with any of your medications. Arnica is a popular homeopathic remedy and is excellent for treating pain from physical injury or trauma to the body (such as post-operative pain) or where pain is described as a “bruised sensation.”

Nutritional supplements such as vitamins B12 and B6 may help nerve pain – where there’s inflammation in tissues that press on nerves as in carpel tunnel syndrome or sciatica. Methyl sulfonyl methane (MSM) may help to relieve pain through several mechanisms such as inhibiting transmission of pain impulses, increasing circulation and reducing muscular spasms; it may also decrease inflammation.

There are other non-invasive but effective treatments for chronic pain management, where the source of the pain can’t be eliminated. Relaxation therapies, hypnosis, stress management and meditation have been found to decrease pain sensations and pain-associated stress, and improve the overall sense of well-being. One of the simplest meditation practices is to sit or lie in a quiet space and become focused on the flow of your breath.

Whichever therapy or combination of therapies you choose, it’s important to eliminate or manage the cause of the pain as quickly as possible. From a practitioner’s perspective, the causes of acute pain are much easier to treat than causes of chronic pain. Speak to your naturopathic doctor or family doctor about your options.