Pain, Inflammation - Natural Pain Relievers and Anti-Inflammatories
Muscle Pain. Fibromyalgia Pain. Nerve Pain. Joint Pain. Bone Pain. Injury Pain. Common thread in all of this is PAIN. Pain is the body's 'signal' that there is an 'invader', whether that be sickness or injury. Inflammation is what occurs when you have had something 'invade' your system. This could be anything such as a sliver in your finger, hemorrhoids, torn muscle, virus, wound, etc.
Inflammation is – very generally speaking – the body’s immune system's response to stimulus. This can be bacteria colonizing a wound or a splinter piercing your finger, for example. Inflammation happens when the immune system fights against something that may turn out to be harmful. Inflammation is the root of all evil. Seriously. Inflammation is what causes cellular structure to change and disease to take hold.
Inflammation causes other diseases to take root such as heart disease, Chron's disease, Rheumatoid arthritis, cancer. Yes, you read that correctly, they are NOW publishing research and articles that say INFLAMMATION is what causes heart disease (heart attacks, strokes, etc.) and auto-immune diseases. You can read more about the causes of inflammation and the body's response to that in this research and how reduction in inflammation will help in the articles below. Key point to remember is that INFLAMMATION is the culprit and we need to reduce it to stop disease and pain. Read these articles - what is inflammation and reducing inflammation. to prevent disease.
How pain is currently treated with over the counter meds or doctor prescribed medications (NSAIDS) with either option having long term ramifications.
NSAIDS (non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) chronic use carry risk and have many ramifications such as: Peptic ulcer disease, acute renal failure, and stroke/myocardial infarction. Moreover, chronic NSAID use can exacerbate a number of chronic diseases including heart failure and hypertension, and can interact with a number of drugs (eg, warfarin, corticosteroids).
NSAIDS are given to EVERYONE, children and adults alike, it is one of the go-to drugs that doctors frequently prescribe. My children and I (throughout the years) have been prescribed NSAIDS for a number of reasons; broken bones, sports injuries, etc.
You can read what the National Institute of Health has to say about the effects of NSAIDS in this article.
How SHOULD we treat pain? First you need to understand that pain is the body's response so determine the cause. Germs, bacteria, virus, external/internal injury, etc. Then do what is required to resolve the issue; if you broke your arm, you clearly need to see an orthopedic doctor to resolve the injury. BUT be smart in your approach to how you treat inflammation AND the pain using a holistic approach.
Use natural anti-inflammatory plants and oils taken both internally and externally to reduce and eliminate the inflammation and thusly the pain. Ginger, tumeric, cayenne, cinnamon and garlic are amazing plants that are highly anti-inflammatory and can easily be taken (here is an article discussing the anti-inflammatory properties of ginger, tumeric, cayenne, and other herbs).
Mom's balm (you can get that right here) has been formulated to combat inflammation as well as having an analgesic effect to stop pain; it is an all natural, organic product you can feel good about using without the nasty repercussions of NSAIDS and other drugs.