Best Home Solutions to Chronic Pain

Estimates state that about a third of all Americans live with some sort of chronic pain. Dr. William L Yancey is a great pain specialist in Houston. You should pay him a visit if you live in or around the city.

A pain specialist is a great aid in dealing with chronic pain. However, the lion’s share of the pain management work rests with you.

Dealing with the pain on your own saves you many trips to the doctor’s office. It will also save you money in doctor’s fees and transportation costs among other expenses.

The following are some home remedies you can use if you suffer from chronic pain:

1. Fish Oil

If you want to address chronic pain from the comfort of your home, fish oil is one of the best aids in this regard. Fish oil has great anti-inflammatory properties that helps the body deal with inflammation and pain whenever it arises.

The key to taking fish oil for chronic pain is to do it consistently. Including it as part of your diet is the best way to do so, as it ensures you will not forget to take it.

You can get fish oil by way of supplementation, which is the easiest way since it is difficult to eat fish every day. However, if you can eat a variety of fish every day, you should get the necessary amount of fish oil.

2. Willow Bark

As far as natural remedies of chronic pain go, it doesn’t get any better than Willow bark. Willow bark has been used to address pains and aches for centuries.

Traditionally, people chewed the bark whenever they felt pain but it is now sold as a dried herb that you brew as you would a tea. There is also willow bark in the form of liquids and supplements.

The white willow bark contains a chemical called salicin, which is the main ingredient of aspirin, which shows you how potent it is. On the other hand, it means that you cannot take willow bark alongside other pain medication as it can lead to seriously adverse side effects.

3. Turmeric

There are many herbs used to address pain in the body and turmeric is one of the best. It is a root that is often included in spicy foods giving them a yellow color, but it is useful for much more than its taste.

Turmeric has strong anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce inflammation whenever it arises. Turmeric contains a compound called curcumin, which is an antioxidant that helps fight free radical cells in the body.

You should include turmeric in at least one meal you eat every day.

4. Heat and Cold Therapy

When used wisely, heat and cold can be great remedies for chronic pain at home. The good news is that almost everyone has heat and ice in the homes, which make them very convenient remedies.

Both heat and cold relieve pain, but they function in different ways. You should also never apply heat and cold to an area simultaneously. The key is to know when to use which therapy.

For acute bouts of pain, ice is preferable as it numbs the area causing pain relief. For throbbing pains, heat is the better option as it increases blood flow to the area reducing the intensity of the pain.