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Learning to “Lower the Flame” on Pain
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OVERVIEW
Chronic Pain
Learning to “Lower the Flame” on Pain
Medically speaking, if you have pain for less than six weeks, it is considered acute, whereas any pain lasting longer is termed chronic.
Pain is most often accompanied by some level of inflammation. Inflammation is the body’s natural reaction to an injury, irritation or infection (both viral & bacterial). The key symptoms of inflammation are: heat, swelling and redness at the affected site.
Inflammation normally helps fight infections and initiates the healing process after an injury. This is true regardless of whether the injury results from a cut, burn, bruise, infection, or even an autoimmune disease such as rheumatoid arthritis or fibromyalgia.
The type of pain and inflammation that most of us are familiar with is joint and back pain. In fact, just a few short years ago, chronic inflammatory diseases were defined largely by arthritis and other ‘-itis’ diseases. Over the past several years however, medicine has started to recognize the fundamental role of inflammation in nearly every disease process.
Newsweek’s Anne Underwood wrote, “Researchers are linking inflammation to an ever-wider array of chronic illnesses. Suddenly medical puzzles seem to be fitting together, such as why hypertension puts patients at increased risk of Alzheimer’s, or why rheumatoid-arthritis sufferers have higher rates of sudden cardiac death. They’re all connected on some fundamental level.”
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How Pain Can Run Amok
Even after trauma, however, the inflammatory response may be excessive and result in continued and unnecessary pain. In some conditions, as with rheumatoid arthritis, the inflammation serves no useful purpose and is actually a component of the disease rather than part of the healing process.
Injuries cause pain! The greater an injury is, the greater the pain will be. There is no way around this. It takes even the healthiest body some time to heal. As the body heals, the pain begins to lessen. However, it’s the chronic pain resulting from runaway inflammation that is insidious. This type of pain is what we will be addressing in this article.
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Diet, Inflammation and Pain
Today we know that diets high in sugar, refined grains, saturated fats, processed and fast foods are a key contributor in the massive inflammation epidemic that lies at the root of all our major health problems. When inflammation goes unchecked, it damages cells, tissues and eventually whole organs and systems. This condition is called chronic systemic inflammation.
What sort of steps can we take to help ensure inflammation does not compromise our body’s health, or if it has: what can we do to help stop it in its tracks? The following diet tips will go a long way in strengthening your body’s defenses against runaway inflammation and the pain that comes with it:
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Treating Pain Naturally
EAT FRESH FOODS: Foods should be devoid of any artificial flavors, additives, preservatives, chemicals and preferably organic. The fresher the food the better! Below is a link to our chart of anti-inflammatory foods. For instance, blueberries are loaded with anti-inflammatory phytochemicals and antioxidants.
CUT DOWN ON ALL CAFFEINE: The caffeine most often consumed by Americans is coffee, or more appropriately referred to as “liquid stress” in a cup. Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system in creating a fight-or-flight response. It makes every muscle in your body tense (or tighter), including the involuntary muscles in your organs. Caffeine is also associated with a higher incidence of PMS and fibrocystic breast disease (FBD) in women.
If you’re a coffee drinker, consider cutting down 1/2 cup per day to avoid withdrawal symptoms. Recovery from caffeine will only begin after a full withdrawal, and can take a month or two.
REPLACE COOKING OILS WITH OLIVE OIL: Research suggests that extra-virgin olive oil contains a compound called oleocanthal that acts in the same way ibuprofen does to relieve pain. Scientists at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia reported in the August 31, 2005 issue of the journal Nature that oleocanthal acts as a natural anti-inflammatory by inhibiting COX-2 enzymes in the same way ibuprofen does. COX-2 enzymes take part in the process of joint inflammation that can lead to arthritis pain.
DRINK PLENTY OF WATER: This may seem too simple, but drinking plenty of water is the easiest, most effortless thing you can do for joint and muscle pain relief. It has been estimated that over 80% of the U.S. doesn’t get enough water. And we are just referring to water! Any other liquids are recognized by the body as food. When the body’s water supply is low, your muscles, joints and all other connective tissues are: weaker and stiffer, and you are in MORE PAIN!
SPICE IT UP!: For centuries, spices were used as natural remedies. As pharmaceutical drugs took over, spices fell out of use. For instance:
- Ginger: Warms painful joints by helping to increase blood flow.
- Cayenne: known to block a substance that transmits pain signals, and is often used topically, in cream formulas, for pain relief.
- Saffron (the most expensive spice in the world) and Rosemary also have antinflammatory benefits.
- Turmeric, our spice of choice, fights inflammation and reduces swelling. Liberally add turmeric, to food dishes, or you can take 1,000 milligram capsules three times daily for assistance with pain, providing your healthcare provider has no objections.
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A Word About the Role of Regular Exercise in Pain-Relief Management
According to the Healthy Fellow website, “The last thing anyone wants to do when in pain is exercise. Certain injuries require allowing the body time to recover. However, mental and physical discomfort shouldn’t always be used as an excuse to slow down. In fact, many times, the desire for bed rest may actually be counterproductive. This certainly appears to be the case with some very common, inflammatory conditions that affect both the body and the mind.”
Pool exercises - A study involving 134 women with fibromyagia and 32 with “chronic widespread pain” was presented in the September issue of the Journal of Rehabilitative Medicine. Half of the female participants engaged in 20 sessions of pool exercises and attended 6 educational classes relating to their respective conditions. The remaining study volunteers only took part in the class work – which included no added exercise. Two tests were used to determine the effects of the different treatments – a Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) and a 6-minute walk test (6MWT).
- All those in the pool exercise group reported significant improvements in their FIQ scores.
- Women who attended at least 60% of the pool sessions found benefits in both FIQ parameters and the 6-minute walk test.
Walking - A 2004 study in The Spine Journal showed that a single session of an exercise such as walking can reduce low back pain 10 to 50 percent. And a 1993 study found that just 10 minutes of treadmill walking led to a significant reduction in back pain.
"Walking is one of the simplest things you can do for yourself," says Dr. Dave Drake, director of musculoskeletal and sports medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond.
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FDA REQUIRED STATEMENT: Statements on this site have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug administration. Products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Also, it is not recommended that you add any supplements, (vitamins, minerals, herbals or otherwise) to your daily regimen without first consulting with your healthcare professional.
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