As a person suffering from pain, you are quite aware of the benefits of painkillers. Although they are convenient tools to help you live a normal life, they also come with a variety of adverse side effects, which is why doctors regulate their use. From NSAIDs to opioids, painkillers can be an effective treatment, but might result in long-term addiction and abuse concerns.

NSAIDs

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the single most popular pain medication that you can purchase over the counter. Depending on the strength of the prescription, you might require a prescription. The main benefit of these medications is that they not only help to combat pain but they are also useful for reducing inflammation.

There are a wide variety of side effects that you’ll experience from consistent use of NSAIDs including upset stomach, gastric ulcers, impaired functioning, and internal bleeding. In most cases you can easily stop using the drugs immediately, but in more chronic cases patients have been known to go through withdrawal symptoms such as headaches. In severe abuse cases, patients will have to lower their daily dosages until the body no longer requires the medication.

Paracetamol/Acetaminophen

As another popular pain medication that you can purchase over the counter, Paracetamol is an ingredient found useful for moderate pain. In most cases it’s the first type of medication that people look for when they’re dealing with acute pain conditions. You might find that some prescribed medications have acetaminophen as well as other painkillers in their formulas.

The largest issue that you’re at risk for with paracetamol is irreversible hepatotoxicity. Unintentional overdoses are incredibly common because most patients assume that even the smallest doses can be mixed with other medications, which is not the case. With consistent use and abuse, you can have vomiting, jaundice, and liver damage.

Opioids

Typically prescribed to patients for  severe types of pain, opioids are extremely effective and include medications such as dihydrocodeine. You will only be able to get these painkillers through a prescription, and in many countries you cannot buy online due to their status as controlled medications.  In some other countries, such as the UK, you can buy co-codamol and codeine and similar opioids from an internet pharmacy but only in restricted amounts from special sites.  Even though they are incredibly effective, long-term use can present a long list of side effects that can be quite damaging to your body. Most patients experience swelling, itching, cognitive impairment, opioid induced hyperalgesia, changes in sex drive, tiredness, and urinary retention.

Adjuvant Analgesics

In most cases these medications will be prescribed along with other pain medications, though they are non-opioids. You may be prescribed adjuvant analgesics when you have neuropathic pain as they typically come in the form of topical creams or gels that you apply to the affected area. There are relatively few side effects with these pain relievers though sedation can be a typical concern.

Natural pain relief is accessed without surgery or lab-created pain relievers, such as OTC remedies and prescription painkillers. If you prefer a holistic approach to health, you’ll benefit from our quick guide. We’ve gathered information about the most popular and holistic natural pain relief strategies and we’re going to share them with you today.

Once you’ve discovered how to relieve pain without surgery or drugs, you’ll be empowered. We know that holistic treatments are all about whole-body wellness and we want to give you the option of trying alternative health treatments with a mind to relieving pain…

Consider Natural Supplements for Pain

If you want to relieve pain which is associated with Sciatica or Arthritis, you may want to consider St. John’s Wort. While this natural plant extract supplement is perhaps best-known for relieving the symptoms of depression, it also offers significant pain relief to some users.

When you take this supplement, follow the directions on the bottle and then track your results. Any kind of nerve pain may be minimized via this natural formula, although results will vary.

St. John’s Wort is degraded by light, so keep your bottle of this supplement in a darker place as its active ingredients will remain intact and effective. Only take the recommended dosage.

Try Traditional Chinese Acupuncture

If you want premium pain relief without pills, another alternative treatment option is traditional Chinese acupuncture. This treatment is quite effective for a range of pain types and it is ideal for those who suffer from frequent headaches, lower back pain and arthritic conditions.

During acupuncture, a practitioner will put small needles into the body’s pressure points, depending on where trouble spots are. This stimulation of pressure points may relieve pain. It’s important to find an experienced and well-trained practitioner. However, this shouldn’t be too hard. Customer reviews of acupuncturists should assist you with finding someone impressive who is skilled and caring.

Book a Therapeutic Massage

If you experience a lot of soreness and tightness in your muscles, booking a deep-tissue massage may be a smart way to relieve pain without medication. During this form of massage, underlying layers of muscles are realigned in order to relieve discomfort. During deep tissue massage, pressure is stronger than it is with many other forms of massage. This concentrated pressure helps to alleviate tension and soothe discomfort.

Hopefully, this trio of tips will help you to experience pain relief without the medication downside. Try one or all of them in order to get the help that you need.