As anyone who has ever suffered acute or chronic pain is all too well aware, when you are in pain, you need to do something about managing it. And whilst we can all probably live with low-level pain even if it is constant, it is natural that your need to deal with pain increases the worse it gets.
There is no doubt whatsoever that in the West, when pain strikes, our first thought or reaction is to scamper off to the medicine cabinet to see whether we have any aspirins or paracetamol to address the problem with. After all, using analgesic drugs is convenient and quick for most of us when we have a headache or backache and want to do is get rid of it as effectively as possible.
However, as you now understand, analgesic drugs have the potential to cause adverse side effects, some of which might be mild but many are obviously not. In effect, every time you pop an aspirin or a paracetamol into your mouth, you are taking a risk and whilst there is no point in pretending that it is a major risk, it is nevertheless a chance that you are taking.
Rather than popping a pill when you’re suffering a short-term pain, try some of the herbs detailed in the last chapter or do something like going out for a long walk in the fresh air. Whilst this is not a particularly revolutionary painkilling theory, it is a fact that a long walk will often clear a tense headache, whilst muscle pain can often be relieved by getting those muscles moving once again.
Of course, if you suffer from chronic pain, then the solution that you are seeking is far more long term and permanent as well.
Whatever kind of pain you suffer from, it is possible to bring that pain under control by applying the natural pain management techniques.
By doing so, you may be able to reduce or even stop taking potentially harmful analgesic drugs, which in itself will bring significant health benefits and lifestyle improvements.
It never really makes sense to take potentially harmful chemicals when perfectly valid natural alternatives exist. As you have read, there are quite a few effective natural pain management techniques, so it clearly makes sense to start using them sooner rather than later.
External Resources to Read;
Natural Pain Management
Herbs for Pain Relief
Pain Management
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Rabu, 14 April 2010
What kind of Pain Do You Have?
One important consideration that your doctor will take into account before they prescribe pharmaceutical analgesics is the type of pain that you are suffering from.
They will take into account whether it is a chronic or acute pain and whether there is any underlying condition or situation that is causing the pain before deciding upon what medicine to give you. A similar situation will apply if you are buying over-the-counter painkillers well, because whilst paracetamol or Tylenol might be very effective for dealing with fever and the pain from and associated with a headache, aspirin will be far less effective for dealing with a fever problem.
Similar considerations apply when you are looking at natural pain management solutions as well because some solutions will work better in some pain management situations than they will in others. Furthermore, if you have a specific medical condition or situation that is causing pain, some natural pain management solutions are likely to be more appropriate than others.
As an example, the painkilling approach that you use to get rid of a headache or backache is likely to be significantly different to the approach that you adopt if you are trying to combat the pain caused by cancer or it’s treatment or the various aches and pains associated with pregnancy and childbirth.
Hence, many of the solutions that are going to be explained are likely to be more effective in certain circumstances or situations than in others.
You need to know what kind of pain it is that you need to combat before deciding upon the best way of using completely natural pain management strategies, tactics and ideas to minimize the adverse effects of your problems.
They will take into account whether it is a chronic or acute pain and whether there is any underlying condition or situation that is causing the pain before deciding upon what medicine to give you. A similar situation will apply if you are buying over-the-counter painkillers well, because whilst paracetamol or Tylenol might be very effective for dealing with fever and the pain from and associated with a headache, aspirin will be far less effective for dealing with a fever problem.
Similar considerations apply when you are looking at natural pain management solutions as well because some solutions will work better in some pain management situations than they will in others. Furthermore, if you have a specific medical condition or situation that is causing pain, some natural pain management solutions are likely to be more appropriate than others.
As an example, the painkilling approach that you use to get rid of a headache or backache is likely to be significantly different to the approach that you adopt if you are trying to combat the pain caused by cancer or it’s treatment or the various aches and pains associated with pregnancy and childbirth.
Hence, many of the solutions that are going to be explained are likely to be more effective in certain circumstances or situations than in others.
You need to know what kind of pain it is that you need to combat before deciding upon the best way of using completely natural pain management strategies, tactics and ideas to minimize the adverse effects of your problems.
Guide to Ibuprofen and Naproxen
Ibuprofen (Advil, Nuprin etc) and Naproxen (Aleve) are both NSAID’s like aspirin. They therefore share many of the potential side effects that have already been highlighted as been endemic to aspirin. For instance, aspirin allergy, upset stomach and a higher risk of asthma attacks can be equally ascribed to both of these medicines as they can to aspirin.
Ibuprofen however carries additional risks as it is believed to increase the risk of myocardial infarction (heart attack) if taken in high dosages and you can also cause or exacerbate irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis due to its capability of starting gastrointestinal bleeding.
With Naproxen, some of the most widely reported side-effects include constipation or diarrhea, drowsiness, upset stomach, stuffy nose and heartburn.
However, whilst the NSAID’s already detailed are likely to carry a slight increase in risk levels for heart attacks and strokes, the risk associated with Naproxen might be considerably more serious. Indeed, the National Institute of Health terminated a trial into the effects of Naproxen as a drug for reducing the severity of Alzheimer’s disease (in 2006) because of the suspicion that the drug significantly increased the risk of heart attack or stroke.
Since that time, further analysis suggests that at normal dosages, the increased risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke is fairly low although as you will see in the next section, this is certainly not true of all NSAID’s.
Ibuprofen however carries additional risks as it is believed to increase the risk of myocardial infarction (heart attack) if taken in high dosages and you can also cause or exacerbate irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis due to its capability of starting gastrointestinal bleeding.
With Naproxen, some of the most widely reported side-effects include constipation or diarrhea, drowsiness, upset stomach, stuffy nose and heartburn.
However, whilst the NSAID’s already detailed are likely to carry a slight increase in risk levels for heart attacks and strokes, the risk associated with Naproxen might be considerably more serious. Indeed, the National Institute of Health terminated a trial into the effects of Naproxen as a drug for reducing the severity of Alzheimer’s disease (in 2006) because of the suspicion that the drug significantly increased the risk of heart attack or stroke.
Since that time, further analysis suggests that at normal dosages, the increased risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke is fairly low although as you will see in the next section, this is certainly not true of all NSAID’s.
Facts About Aspirin
Aspirin is still one of the most widely used analgesic painkillers and as you can buy aspirin in almost any convenience store, it is a medicine that thousands of people all over the world use whenever they have a minor pain such as a headache or some other similar condition.
Technically speaking, aspirin is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (an NSAID) and was the first drug of its type to be discovered and isolated. For the vast majority of people, aspirin is a relatively safe medicine to take, although as previously suggested, it is a medicine to be avoided for people who are already taking other medicines with which it might interact.
In addition however, it is estimated that approximately 1% of people suffer from an aspirin allergy which is most commonly seen on the skin in the form of hives, rashes, and swellings. An aspirin allergy can bring on asthma attacks in people who already have a susceptibility to asthma, with an estimated 10% of asthma sufferers likely to suffer this form of allergic reaction to aspirin. This can extend as far as developing into anaphylaxis (a severe life-threatening allergic reaction) in a worst-case scenario.
Aspirin can also cause upset stomachs and diarrhea, as well as bleeding (both internal and external) and bruising as a result of its anticoagulant capabilities.
In a very small number of cases, aspirin can lead to Reye’s Syndrome which is a potentially fatal condition characterized by damage to many internal organs, especially the liver and the brain. Given the seriousness of this particular condition, early diagnosis of Reye’s Syndrome is absolutely essential because otherwise brain damage or death could be the result.
Reye’s syndrome passes through five distinct stages with the first being characterized by heavy vomiting that is not reversed by eating, general lethargy, nightmares and all-round confusion. If anyone who is taking aspirin exhibits any of these symptoms, it is absolutely critical to get them to a doctor or emergency hospital as quickly as possible.
Technically speaking, aspirin is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (an NSAID) and was the first drug of its type to be discovered and isolated. For the vast majority of people, aspirin is a relatively safe medicine to take, although as previously suggested, it is a medicine to be avoided for people who are already taking other medicines with which it might interact.
In addition however, it is estimated that approximately 1% of people suffer from an aspirin allergy which is most commonly seen on the skin in the form of hives, rashes, and swellings. An aspirin allergy can bring on asthma attacks in people who already have a susceptibility to asthma, with an estimated 10% of asthma sufferers likely to suffer this form of allergic reaction to aspirin. This can extend as far as developing into anaphylaxis (a severe life-threatening allergic reaction) in a worst-case scenario.
Aspirin can also cause upset stomachs and diarrhea, as well as bleeding (both internal and external) and bruising as a result of its anticoagulant capabilities.
In a very small number of cases, aspirin can lead to Reye’s Syndrome which is a potentially fatal condition characterized by damage to many internal organs, especially the liver and the brain. Given the seriousness of this particular condition, early diagnosis of Reye’s Syndrome is absolutely essential because otherwise brain damage or death could be the result.
Reye’s syndrome passes through five distinct stages with the first being characterized by heavy vomiting that is not reversed by eating, general lethargy, nightmares and all-round confusion. If anyone who is taking aspirin exhibits any of these symptoms, it is absolutely critical to get them to a doctor or emergency hospital as quickly as possible.
What Should You Know about Paracetomol
Paracetomol (and Tylenol) (acetaminophen) is widely used and generally available analgesic as well as being effective for reducing fever as well. For this reason, it is widely used as a treatment for headaches, fever and other minor aches and pains.
Paracetamol is technically known as an aniline analgesic and is the only one still widely used for the treatment of pain, because all other similar analgesics were withdrawn as they were believed to exhibit carcinogenic qualities (which so far, paracetamol does not). However, the fact that it is made from coal tar may give you a reason to question this as carbon is often believed to have carcinogenic qualities as well.
In normal doses, one of the advantages of paracetamol is that it does not irritate the stomach lining or affect blood coagulation in the same way that NSAID’s like aspirin do.
However, higher than recommended usage has been seen to have a potential connection with gastrointestinal bleeding and very high dosages have the capacity to cause liver damage, which in the most severe cases can be fatal. Indeed, paracetamol or tylenol poisoning is the number one cause of acute liver failure in most Western countries and the way that most people choose to commit suicide in these countries as well.
Furthermore, a massive study conducted in 31 countries and involving over 200,000 children in 2008 and reported in the leading medical journal ‘The Lancet’ found that the use of paracetamol in the first year of life made children far more likely to develop asthmatic symptoms at around age six or seven. In addition, children who took paracetamol during the first year of life and also children who took the drug at ages 6-7 demonstrated a far higher likelihood of developing eczema and rhinoconjunctivitis later too.
Paracetamol is technically known as an aniline analgesic and is the only one still widely used for the treatment of pain, because all other similar analgesics were withdrawn as they were believed to exhibit carcinogenic qualities (which so far, paracetamol does not). However, the fact that it is made from coal tar may give you a reason to question this as carbon is often believed to have carcinogenic qualities as well.
In normal doses, one of the advantages of paracetamol is that it does not irritate the stomach lining or affect blood coagulation in the same way that NSAID’s like aspirin do.
However, higher than recommended usage has been seen to have a potential connection with gastrointestinal bleeding and very high dosages have the capacity to cause liver damage, which in the most severe cases can be fatal. Indeed, paracetamol or tylenol poisoning is the number one cause of acute liver failure in most Western countries and the way that most people choose to commit suicide in these countries as well.
Furthermore, a massive study conducted in 31 countries and involving over 200,000 children in 2008 and reported in the leading medical journal ‘The Lancet’ found that the use of paracetamol in the first year of life made children far more likely to develop asthmatic symptoms at around age six or seven. In addition, children who took paracetamol during the first year of life and also children who took the drug at ages 6-7 demonstrated a far higher likelihood of developing eczema and rhinoconjunctivitis later too.
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