Management of Pain Without Medications What is non-pharmacological pain management? Methods of non-pharmacological pain include: Education and psychological conditioning Not knowing what to expect with cancer treatment is very stressful.

To decrease your anxiety about cancer treatment, consider the following: Ask for an explanation of each step of a procedure in detail, utilizing simple pictures or diagrams when available.

Meet with the person who will be performing the procedure and write down answers to questions. Tour the room where the procedure will take place. Ask what you can expect as an outcome of the treatment. Hypnosis With hypnosis, a psychologist or doctor guides you into an altered state of consciousness.

Methods for hypnosis include: Imagery : Guiding you through imaginary mental images of sights, sounds, tastes, smells, and feelings can help shift attention away from the pain.

Distraction : Distraction is usually used to help children, especially babies. Using colorful, moving objects or singing songs, telling stories, or looking at books or videos can distract preschoolers.

Older children and adults find watching TV or listening to music helpful. Use distraction appropriately, and not in place of an explanation of what to expect.

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Clinical Trials. MyHealth Login. The team at Southern pain Clinic has put together a list of options that you can try at home to do just that — tame your pain.

These techniques may help if you have temporary pain from a sprain or other physical injury, or if you suffer from chronic pain , which is defined as pain lasting longer than three months and may not respond well to OTC pain relievers.

Physical activity is essential for disrupting pain and limited mobility associated with chronic conditions like arthritis and fibromyalgia. Gentle aerobics like walking, swimming, or cycling may help. In a review of non-pharmacologic treatments for chronic pain, researchers determined that exercise is in fact moderately effective.

Fish oil is known for its anti-inflammatory properties, and inflammation plays a large role in pain. Patients with neck or back pain were given milligrams of fish oil supplements daily for 75 days, along with eicosapentaenoic and decosahexanoic acid.

Once complete, the study found that over half of the patients disclosed that they were able to quit their prescription painkillers. Turmeric and Curcumin. Studies have shown that this root has definite anti-inflammatory properties, according to a study.

A combination of turmeric, along with two other substances, was given to patients with osteoarthritis and found that they had noticeable pain relief after taking two milligram capsules two or three times a day.

Red wine, grapes and berries are known to have resveratrol, which studies show may be beneficial for your brain, cancer prevention and living longer.

These two specialties can be among your best allies in the battle for shared custody of your body. Physical therapy will guide you through a host of exercises designed to improve your mobility and strength. Occupational therapy teaches you how to perform an array of day-to-day activities without aggravating your pain.

Consider trying some meditation , mindfulness , or breathing exercises. Researchers sent chronic pain patients to a mindfulness meditation program and found that they reported greater pain relief, along with reduced anxiety and depression and better mental clarity.

Therapeutic exercise can have long-term benefits for chronic pain, including helping people cope. Techniques may involve massage, exercise plans, and red light therapy. Acupuncture involves a practitioner applying thin needles to the skin at precise points in the body. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health , evidence suggests this technique could help people manage certain pain conditions.

This includes short-term relief from pain in the lower back, neck, knee, and osteoarthritis. However, there is little evidence to suggest it is effective over the long term. Psychological treatments for chronic pain include talking therapies, such as cognitive behavioral therapy CBT. A review on the effectiveness of psychological pain management techniques concludes that CBT is effective at reducing pain immediately after treatment compared with using no strategies.

The review also found that there was no evidence that CBT can reduce long-term pain. However, the technique was useful for reducing anxiety around pain and for improving quality of life. Yoga aims to relax, strengthen, and keep the body flexible through stretching, with specific poses focusing on particular body areas.

However, other studies have found yoga to be effective in reducing pain. Yoga is a safe and accessible pain management technique that people can try at home, using online videos, or in a class with an instructor.

Tai chi is an exercise therapy involving slow, continuous, fluid body movements combined with breathing and relaxation techniques. The method is also gentle on the joints and muscles. According to a review, there is some evidence that the technique could help with chronic pain. It states that people using tai chi experienced improvements in chronic pain from rheumatoid arthritis , lower back pain, and osteoporosis.

Relaxation techniques can help ease muscle tension, muscle spasms, aches, and pains. A person can help reduce stress through relaxation, which can ease some of the burden of chronic pain while promoting better sleep.

There is a wide range of medications to relieve pain. Each class and type of drug work differently, while some may be more suitable for certain people than others. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs NSAIDs are a group of medications that reduce inflammation and pain. They are available in capsules, tablets, or as creams or gels for the skin.

However, NSAIDs may cause issues with the stomach and the cardiovascular system in some people. Talk with a doctor before beginning treatment with NSAIDs. Opioids can treat moderate-to-severe pain and are generally only appropriate for short periods, as they can be addictive.

CDC guidelines recommend people should only use opioids when the benefits outweigh the risks. There is a lack of evidence that this treatment works for chronic pain, as people typically use opioids for short periods. Some antidepressants , such as amitriptyline, can help with pain relief.

Amitriptyline is an antidepressant that, at lower doses, people also use for chronic pain, such as diabetic neuropathy and fibromyalgia. It can take 2—4 weeks for a person to feel the effects of the medication. Beta-blockers slow down the heart and stop hormones, such as adrenaline, from working.

Some people use them to treat migraines.

While preparing for any chronic pain coping method, it is important to learn how to use focus and deep breathing techniques to relax the body. Learning to relax takes practice, especially while in pain.

It is beneficial to be able to release muscle tension throughout the body and start to remove attention from the pain. See Understanding Chronic Pain. Eleven specific imagery and chronic pain control techniques that are effective for pain management include:. See Leg Pain and Numbness: What Might These Symptoms Mean?

Some of these techniques are probably best learned with the help of a professional, and it usually takes practice for these methods to become effective in helping alleviate chronic pain. It is often advisable to work on pain coping strategies for about 30 minutes 3 times a week.

With practice relaxation and chronic pain control can become strong and last for a long time. After learning these techniques, chronic pain relief and relaxation can be produced with just a few deep breaths.

These techniques can then be used while being engaged in any activity, working, talking, etc. With enough experience, a greater sense of control over the chronic pain and its effects on life can be felt.

Next Page: Treatment for Chronic Lower Back Pain Video. Andrew Block is a clinical health psychologist at the Texas Back Institute, where he has specialized in providing psychological services to patients with chronic pain over a year career.

Home Conditions Chronic Pain 11 Chronic Pain Control Techniques. By: Andrew Block, PhD, ABPP, Psychologist Peer-Reviewed. See Understanding Chronic Pain Coping techniques for chronic pain begin with controlled deep breathing, as follows: Setting oneself in a relaxed, reclining position in a dark room and either closing both eyes or focusing on a point.

Slowing down the breathing and taking deep breaths, using the chest and not the abdomen. If distracted, thinking of a word, such as "relax," to help control the breathing and gain focus can be helpful.

This process may be performed by repeating the syllable "re" while breathing in and "lax" while breathing out.

Continue with about 2 to 3 minutes of controlled breathing. After relaxation and focus are achieved, imagery techniques can be used. Researchers sent chronic pain patients to a mindfulness meditation program and found that they reported greater pain relief, along with reduced anxiety and depression and better mental clarity.

Yoga and Tai Chi. These two exercises combine gentle movements, breath control, and meditation to strengthen and stretch your muscles. Many studies have shown that they can help people manage pain caused by a host of conditions, from headaches to arthritis to lingering injuries. Biofeedback involves lessons in relaxation and breathing exercises utilizing a biofeedback machine in an effort to give you a sense of control over how your body responds to pain.

Studies show that music is able to relieve pain, with classical music being at the top of the list. But, if classical is not your thing, mix it a little, enjoying any genre of should help. Therapeutic massage.

Massages ease pain by releasing tension out of your muscles and joints. Massage therapy may also relieve stress and anxiety. If your pain gets worse, changes, or is not the result of a recent injury that you can recall, our team of specialists can help to distinguish what the underlying cause is and then go on to put together a treatment plan catered to you and your specific needs.

Contact us today to get the pain relief you deserve. We look forward to helping you live happier with less pain. Skip to primary navigation Skip to main content Skip to footer Pain Relieving Techniques You Can Do at Home. August 26, Is pain keeping you from enjoying your life? Proven At-Home Pain Relieving Techniques If pain is dragging you down, consider: 1.

Cold and Hot Compress Tried-and-true methods are the cornerstone of pain relief for specific types of injuries. Some non-medicine options include: Heat or cold — use ice packs immediately after an injury to reduce swelling.

Heat packs are better for relieving chronic muscle or joint injuries. Physical therapies — such as walking, stretching, strengthening or aerobic exercises may help reduce pain, keep you mobile and improve your mood. You may need to increase your exercise very slowly to avoid over-doing it.

Massage — this is another physical therapy; it is better suited to soft tissue injuries and should be avoided if the pain is in the joints. There is some evidence that suggests massage may help manage pain, but it is not recommended as a long-term therapy.

Relaxation and stress management techniques — including meditation and yoga. Cognitive behaviour therapy CBT External Link — this form of psychological therapy can help you learn to change how you think and, in turn, how you feel and behave about pain.

This is a valuable strategy for learning to self-manage chronic pain. Acupuncture — a component of traditional Chinese medicine. Acupuncture involves inserting thin needles into specific points on the skin.

It aims to restore balance within the body and encourage it to heal by releasing natural pain-relieving compounds endorphins. Some people find that acupuncture reduces the severity of their pain and enables them to maintain function.

However, studies on the effectiveness of acupuncture in managing pain is inconclusive. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation TENS therapy — low voltage electrical currents pass through the skin via electrodes, prompting a pain-relieving response from the body. There is not enough published evidence to support the use of TENS for the treatment of some chronic pain conditions.

However, some people with chronic pain that are unresponsive to other treatments may experience a benefit. Your doctor or other healthcare professional can guide you through the best treatments for you. Pain medicines Many people will use a pain medicine analgesic at some time in their lives.

The main types of pain medicines are: Paracetamol — often recommended as the first medicine to relieve short-term pain. Aspirin — for short-term relief of fever and mild-to-moderate pain such as period pain or headache. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs NSAIDs , such as ibuprofen — these medicines relieve pain and reduce inflammation redness and swelling.

Opioid medicines, such as codeine, morphine and oxycodone — these medicines are reserved for severe or cancer pain. Local anaesthetics drops, sprays, creams or injections — used when nerves can be easily reached.

Some antidepressants and anti-epilepsy medicines — used for a specific type of pain, called nerve pain. How pain medicines work Pain medicines work in various ways. Choosing the right pain medicine The right choice of medicine for you will depend on: the location, intensity, duration and type of pain any activities that ease the pain or make it worse the impact your pain has on your lifestyle, such as how it affects your appetite or quality of sleep your other medical conditions other medicines you take.

Managing your medicines effectively Always follow instructions for taking your medicines safely and effectively. By doing so: your pain is more likely to be well managed you are less likely to need larger doses of medicine you can reduce your risk of side effects. People can lower the levels of pain they feel by: staying active pacing their daily activity so as to avoid pain flares this involves finding the balance between under- and over-doing it avoiding pain triggers using coping strategies.

Side effects of pain medicines Some of the side effects of common pain medicines include: Paracetamol — side effects are rare when taken at the recommended dose and for a short time. Paracetamol can cause skin rash and liver damage if used in large doses for a long time. Aspirin — the most common side effects are nausea, vomiting, indigestion and stomach ulcer.

Some people may experience more serious side effects such as an asthma attack , tinnitus ringing in the ears , kidney damage and bleeding. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs NSAIDs — can cause headache, nausea, stomach upset, heartburn, skin rash, tiredness , dizziness , ringing in the ears and raised blood pressure.

They can also make heart failure or kidney failure worse, and increase the risk of heart attack , angina , stroke and bleeding. NSAIDs should always be used cautiously and for the shortest time possible. Opioid pain medicines such as morphine, oxycodone and codeine — commonly cause drowsiness, confusion, falls, nausea, vomiting and constipation.

They can also reduce physical coordination and balance. Importantly, these medicines can lead to dependence and slow down breathing, resulting in accidental fatal overdose.

Precautions when taking pain medicines Treat over-the-counter pain medicines with caution, just like any other medicines. Take care if you are elderly or caring for an older person. Older people have an increased risk of side effects. For example, taking aspirin regularly for chronic pain such as arthritis can cause a dangerous bleeding stomach ulcer.

When buying over-the-counter pain medicines, speak with a pharmacist about any prescription and complementary medicines you are taking so they can help you choose a pain medicine that is safe for you.

It is easier than you think to unintentionally take an overdose. See your doctor or healthcare professional for proper treatment for sport injuries. Consult your doctor or pharmacist before using any over-the-counter medicine if you have a chronic ongoing physical condition, such as heart disease or diabetes.

Managing pain that cannot be easily relieved Sometimes pain will persist and cannot be easily relieved. Here are some suggestions for how to handle persistent pain: Focus on improving your day-to-day function, rather than completely stopping the pain.