The way humans think about pain has varied across time. Pain is something that affects our physical ability to do things, but what many people fail to understand is how strong of a connection our mind and body have and the importance of this in the way we decide to approach healing.
The Greek goddess of revenge, Pointe gave us the word “pain” through her effort to punish the mortal fools who angered the gods. This idea that pain is a punishment for human foolishness has been widely agreed upon throughout history. Many ancient cultures tried to appease the gods with rituals like animal sacrifices that were thought to carry the sins out of the people out into the wilderness. Some cultures have used rattles, gongs, and other devices in an attempt to frighten painful devils out of a person’s body. Amerindian healers sucked on a pain pipe held against a person’s skin to “pull” out the pain or illness.
“Ancient people saw pain more accurately – pain not only as a physical condition but as an emotional and spiritual condition,” said Dr. Doris K. Cope, Director of the Pain Medicine Division at the University of Pittsburg Medical Center. People seem to have forgot importance of the spiritual and emotional components of health and fail to see their connection. Modern pharmaceutical medicine has a big part to play in this. Medicine has gotten to a point where it can treat the physical effects of pain this faster and more successfully than ever before.
This is great for those who suffer bodily torment that keeps them from functioning properly, but it is also a concern when considering the brain’s system of emotions and rewards. Many factors can affect our brain chemistry, even the things we eat. We must stress awareness of the things we subject our body to as there are always deeper consequences under the surface.
The main two neurotransmitters that effect our emotions are dopamine and serotonin. Dopamine’s original use was a survival function. It gives the human brain signals of pleasure in order to reward motivated behavior and give off an intense drive. Serotonin is responsible for states of emotion such as stress levels and depression. When we talk about the different options available for pain treatment this is important to know.
Our brain chemistry can be thrown off by much simpler things such as exercise, the food we put in our bodies or the amount of sleep we get. Pharmaceutical pain medication, especially that which requires a prescription can also have an impact on brain chemistry. These types of medications are expertly developed to relive even the most intense and excruciating pain as quickly as possible. This instant relief has a great potential of disrupting the chemical reward systems in the brain which can often lead to addiction, especially in pharmaceuticals that require a prescription.
This is why it is so important to consider what other options are out there. The holistic approach to pain relief provides some of the safest and most healthy options. Unlike strong pharmaceutical drugs, holistic options pay respect to the mind body connection. These options are less toxic to our physical, mental, and emotional health.
One of the first things someone who suffers from chronic pain should consider is their nutrition. The things we consume can directly and instantly affect our body chemistry. Pain is often accompanied by inflammation which is a natural process the body uses to heal wounds and defend against disease. Chronic inflammation however can leader to conditions such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and even depression. To avoid inflammation, it is best to stay away from processed foods and meats. Sugary refined foods should be replaced with nutrient rich options. To be frank, the anti-inflammation diet really consists of anything a mainstream nutrition expert would encourage you to eat. It eliminates simple carbs like sugars, most grains (including rice, corn, and wheat), dairy, and red meat. It instead offsets those calories with fruit, vegetables and animal protein. The strictness of following this diet should be based on the severity of pain and overall health.
There are also holistic dietary supplements for chronic pain. Turmeric is a root that is part of the ginger family. It is great for treating back or joint pain and it is recommended to start doses at about 500 milligrams per day. Glucosamine and chondroitin are structural elements that make up cartilage in the body, so they are also helpful supplements to consider. Vitamin D in great for relieving pain from injuries because of its ability to put a lid on inflammation. DHA/EPA are fish oils that promote compounds called resolvents which restore nerve and immune cell function to normal. CBD oil can be helpful because it helps regulate functions such as sleep and immune system response that can be factors in healing. CBD also has a direct impact on the body’s regulation of pain sensations and inflammation.
Even if you must use prescription pain treatment options, you can use these holistic options as well. It is important to pay attention to the things we put in our body and consider they’re effects on both the mind and body.