Statistics indicate that more than 50 million Americans suffer from chronic pain at some point. If these figures were to be extrapolated to the global population, the global chronic pain prevalence stands at over 20% worldwide.
Pain can affect virtually any part of the body, ranging from the head and chest to the abdomen and feet. It can also vary in intensity, from mild muscle aches to throbbing headaches.
Without urgent medical intervention, pain can deal a heavy blow to your daytime productivity. And on a long enough timeline, it could reduce your overall quality of life.
Fortunately, there are numerous ways to relieve pain naturally for a happier and more productive life. Read on as we explore a few proven pain relief tips.
Try CBD Products
Delta-8 is an analog of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a powerful compound in cannabis that may boast both psychoactive and therapeutic properties. This cannabinoid is commonly recommended for pain relief.
Delta-8-infused compounds, such as delta-8 flower, may mainly fight pain by activating pathways in the central nervous system that block pain signals from getting relayed to the brain.
Besides delta-8 flower, the cannabis market teems with a wide variety of delta 8 products to order. Other standard delta-8 formulations include delta-8 vape juice, delta-8 gummies, delta-8 tinctures, and delta-8 bath bombs. You can explore more products at CBD Genesis.
Get Moving
Working out regularly can prove difficult when you’re already battling excruciating pain. Hitting the gym is usually the last thing on our minds when in pain.
However, performing specific exercises, particularly aerobic workouts like walking, swimming, and dancing, can mitigate pain by blocking the transmission of pain signals to your brain. Regular exercise may also ease pain by stretching tense muscles and stiff joints.
If your condition is already debilitating, you should consider consulting your physiotherapist before signing up for a workout regime. They’ll assess your condition and recommend the most appropriate workout plan.
Eat More Fiber
Fiber is famous for aiding digestion and encouraging weight loss. It turns out that this nutrient may also promote pain relief.
Numerous studies indicate that fiber-rich diets may improve the symptoms of osteoarthritis pain.
Besides, fiber is chockfull of short-chain fatty acids that can nourish gut microbiota – the healthy microorganisms inhabit the alimentary canal. A healthy balance of these microbes may lower the risks of inflammatory conditions like osteoarthritis and ankylosing spondylitis.
Practice Healthy Sleeping Habits
Your sleeping habits can directly affect how your brain receives and interprets pain signals. Sleeplessness and pain share a cause-effect relationship.
Pain can cause sleep deprivation, and insomnia can worsen pain symptoms further, resulting in a vicious cycle. So, getting sufficient sleep may go a long way in mediating pain. That entails 7 – 9 hours of uninterrupted sleep every 24 hours.
Remember that oversleeping is nearly as harmful as under-sleeping. Sleeping more than the recommended daily limit will only interfere with your circadian rhythms. You’ll wake up feeling groggier and more fatigued.
Healthy sleeping habits also entail adopting good sleeping positions. For instance, sleeping on your belly with a pillow tucked underneath your abdomen can help with back pain.
Breathe Right
Breathing may be an involuntary exercise. But research shows that concentrating on your breathing patterns could offer some pain relief. This is especially true for pain that affects the upper abdomen.
According to medical experts, it’s best to take deeper and slower breaths when in pain.
Deep breathing, also called diaphragmatic breathing, ensures your lungs receive a maximum amount of oxygen without exerting too much force on your diaphragm muscles, which could otherwise aggravate pain. It also stabilizes your blood pressure and heart rate, which can help regulate your brain’s pain response.
In the same vein, avoid shallow, rapid breaths as these will only make you anxious and exhausted.
Get Some Massage
When was the last time you treated yourself to a spa bath or serenading massage therapy?
Massage has been used to improve blood circulation, combat stress, and even mitigate pain from time immemorial.
Like exercise, massage soothes pain by relaxing the tension in your muscles and joints. The practice may distract your brain from focusing on pain by introducing feelings that compete with and override pain signals.
Dance It Away
Music isn’t only good for mental and emotional therapy. It can also play a significant role in pain alleviation.
Music shares one fundamental thing with massage when viewed in its pain-relieving potential. Both practices activate sensory pathways that introduce sensations that compete with pain pathways.
Music produces feel-good effects that offer a welcome distraction from pain. Therefore, every moment spent listening or jamming to your favorite rhythm equals a pain-free moment.
Try Yoga and Meditation
Yoga and meditation are other pain-relieving practices on this list that enjoy a long history of human use.
The combination of yoga and meditation is particularly effective against pain resulting from muscle stiffness. These practices also promote blood circulation. Besides, they can treat pain-induced stress and anxiety.
To make the most of yoga and meditation as a pain-relieving remedy, consider yoga asanas that work the tension in the specific sore areas.
Wrap Up
It’s impossible to remain pain-free all your life. However, you can adopt the above-listed measures to mitigate the effects of pain and make the condition more manageable.
