If your check engine light came on in your car would you ignore it or have it checked out? Most of you….with the exception of the jokesters :) …probably answered that you would have it checked out.
Makes sense, right?
What if you had a fire in your house and your smoke detector was going off, would you put out the fire or call the fire department or would you pull the batteries and consider your problems solved? I know you’re smart and you would probably call the fire department or put out the fire.
My point is that the check engine light and smoke detector are all warning signals letting you know that something needs to be taken care of or else something undesirable will ultimately happen.
Well pain is also a warning signal. It’s your body’s way of letting you know that something is wrong and that it needs to be PROPERLY addressed. I stress the word PROPERLY because all too often many people will cover up their pains by taking medication.
Pain relievers, anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxers are all medications that do not address the underlying cause of your pain. They simply try to minimize your symptoms.
As I always share there is a time and place for medications but when it comes to most cases of pain medications are not the answer. They may provide short term pain relief but they do nothing to correct the underlying problem. Long term usage of pain medications only leads to side effects and a problem that gets worse over time.
Right now in the United States there is an epidemic of prescription drug ABUSE. Specifically opioid medications like Vicodin, Percocet, Hydrocodone, Oxycotin, and Oxycodone to name a few. And this is a doctor driven epidemic. Yes the patients are ultimately responsible for taking these powerful medications but they are doing so under the guidance of their prescribing physicians.
Check out this short video below about the epidemic of prescription drug abuse:
Pain Pill Addiction
These drugs are NO joke. They are very addictive and have similar chemical properties as heroin and morphine. They work by attaching to specific receptors in the brain, spinal cord and intestinal tract that reduce the sensation of pain.
They do not “fix” what is driving the pain. They simply mask it. So while the individual taking the medication is feeling no pain the issue that is driving the pain is still present and causing problems. When the medication wears off, the sensation of pain is still there which then leads to them having to take more pain medications. This scenario overtime leads to the body requiring more of the medication to obtain the desired outcome which results in pain medication abuse.
These medications in the vast majority of situations should NOT be your first choice. As I said they are DANGEROUS! Just because they are FDA approved and doctor prescribed does not meant that they are safe.
It has been determined that 46 people per day in the United States die from prescription opioid overdoses.
So before you reach for the prescription drugs you should consider safer alternatives which are just, if not more, effective then pain medications.
Here are 5 natural options to help you manage your pain.
- Chiropractic Care: I’m biased of course but I see the miracles day in and day out. Chiropractic care is extremely effective at addressing the underlying cause of the pain and providing long term relief without the need for medications.
- Exercise: as tolerated with your pain. Exercise releases your body’s natural opioids called endorphins which help decrease your pain.
- Behavior therapy: can help an individual understand what is driving their pain and how they can modify their behaviors to obtain relief.
- Home care: ice, pain relieving rubs, and tens units are some examples of easy to utilize techniques to help reduce pain at home. These do not correct the problem however they can help to effectively reduce the severity of pain and without the side effects of powerful medications.
- Natural anti-inflammatories: nutritional supplements such as fish oil, antioxidants (vitamins A, C and E), quercetin, curcumin, ginger, white willow bark, and bromelain to name a few are very powerful at helping to reduce pain and inflammation along with providing relief naturally.
And if you start combining several of the natural pain relieving suggestions above you get an exponential reduction in your pain and will often find that you will experience longer lasting relief.
Pain is a warning signal that should not be covered up with medications. Instead you should identify the underlying driver of your pain (joint problem, soft tissue problem, metabolic imbalance, etc.) and properly address it.
Identifying the root cause of your pain and using the power of lifestyle modification and natural therapies to address it will lead to long lasting relief and a better quality of life.
As always, I hope this information has served you and will take you one step closer to your desired health goals. Did you like this information? If so, please be sure to let me know what you liked by sending me an email at DrKirk@PerformanceHealthandChiro.com or leave me a comment on Facebook. I would love to keep the conversation going.
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