Millions of Americans suffer from pain. To manage it, they rely on medications, including opioids that can lead to addiction and death.
Not all alternative therapies qualify as alternative treatments; their definition varies. Exercise, massage therapy, acupuncture and cognitive-behavioral therapy all may offer some form of relief; so what exactly counts as alternative therapies? The answer to this question varies accordingly.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese health practice which uses thin needles to treat various health issues, from back pain, osteoarthritis and neck pain, headaches due to cancer treatments or stress related problems, nausea/vomiting etc. Studies have demonstrated its efficacy. Acupuncture may reduce back, osteoarthritis and neck pain through various studies conducted worldwide, while helping relieve headaches caused by cancer treatments or headaches due to stress-related disorders.
How acupuncture works remains unclear. But its mechanism may involve stimulating nerves near acupuncture points to encourage endorphin release, blocking pain signals. Acupuncture may also increase blood flow and speed the healing process in your body.
At its core, acupuncture uses disposable stainless steel needles to stimulate specific points on your body’s 14 major energy-carrying pathways (meridians). This practice stems from traditional Chinese medicine’s theory that illness results from an imbalance of energy; by restoring that balance through acupuncture therapy, health is improved and overall well-being enhanced. Acupuncture should only be performed by trained, licensed practitioners who adhere to stringent standards of clean needle technique – though it can often be combined with relaxation techniques or exercise.
Massage therapy
Massage therapy entails employing different pressure, movements and techniques to manipulate muscles and other soft tissues in your body in order to relax its nervous system, alleviate pain and promote healing. The goal is to promote relaxation while relieving tension.
Massage can provide relief from back, neck and headache pain as well as increase white blood cell counts that fight viruses. Massage also can decrease nausea, fatigue and depression from cancer treatment and has even shown to improve quality of life among those living with fibromyalgia — an affliction which causes muscle and joint discomfort and fatigue.
Massage can take many forms, from gentle stroking to applying deep pressure in specific areas that need it. A trigger point massage involves directly applying pressure on knotted areas in your muscles or tendons such as knots in your neck or shoulders that cause you pain; your massage therapist may use fingers, knuckles, or elbows to do this effectively. A lymphatic massage employs light pressure in order to move lymph fluid faster through your body and decrease inflammation.
Yoga
Yoga is an ancient mind-body practice that can help manage pain and increase strength. Yoga involves breathing exercises, meditation and poses that stretch and strengthen muscles while simultaneously relaxing the mind and promoting mental wellbeing. This makes yoga an excellent holistic choice for managing chronic pain symptoms.
Recent studies suggest that yoga may help decrease pain intensity and enhance function for those living with fibromyalgia, although more rigorous clinical trials must be completed to verify these results.
There are various styles of yoga, including restorative, hatha, yin and Kundalini practices. These may be taught one-on-one or in group classes with long holds while props assist people to reach proper posture and alignment.
Yoga not only stretches muscles but can also improve lymphatic movement and inflammation levels, helping reduce osteoarthritis pain relief. A 2022 study indicated that yoga was associated with short-term improvements in pain, disability, but not depression or anxiety levels.
Meditation
Meditation is a collection of mental and physical techniques designed to help you focus inward, relax your mind, and reduce stress. Meditation may also be used as part of complementary medicine treatments for cancer or lupus patients; healthcare providers generally refer to it as such.
Some forms of meditation involve sitting quietly while focusing inward, such as mindfulness or transcendental meditation. Other types of meditation may involve guided imagery, breath work or repeating words, phrases or images aloud. Prayer is another form of meditation practiced across most religions and faith traditions.
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to meditation; if you’re new to it, guided meditation can be helpful as a gateway. Listening to an authoritative voice guide you through the process may make meditation less intimidating; even starting small — such as five minutes daily — can have lasting benefits. As your confidence and skill grow over time, so can your sessions’ durations.
Biofeedback
Mind-body techniques teach you to manage various automatic body functions, such as your heart rate, breathing pattern and muscle tension. Furthermore, this practice can reduce stress while simultaneously improving mental performance (sometimes known as peak performance training).
Biofeedback involves noninvasive monitoring equipment and instruments being used by healthcare providers to measure involuntary functions such as heart rate, blood pressure and muscle movement and tension. Once measured, healthcare providers teach clients how to make voluntary changes based on feedback from these instruments in order to produce bodily changes outside of sessions with them.
Biofeedback has been extensively studied in multiple randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and has demonstrated promising effects for treating various conditions, such as headache and chronic spinal pain from disorders like low back, neck and shoulder pain; abdominal discomfort due to TMD disorders or fibromyalgia; however it cannot treat all chronic pain syndromes.
To increase the odds of biofeedback success, be sure to locate a trained therapist. A certified practitioner will ask about your medical history and any prior treatments you have tried for your condition.
Hypnotherapy
Although popular media may portray hypnosis as an almost magical mesmerizing technique that seizes control of one’s mind, clinical hypnotherapy differs significantly; people undergoing hypnotherapy remain fully conscious of what’s happening under its spell and do not fall under another person’s “control.”
Hypnosis has been shown to effectively help manage pain associated with burns, cancer, childbirth, fibromyalgia, TMJ problems, headaches and dental procedures. Furthermore, it may reduce anxiety symptoms like post traumatic stress and reduce hot flashes associated with menopause.
Hypnosis performed by a licensed, trained therapist is safe and poses far fewer risks than taking opioid prescriptions for chronic pain, which may become addictive and have serious side effects. Many hypnotherapists teach their patients self-hypnosis so they can use the process in between sessions; some even create recordings to lead people into the hypnotic state more easily. Hypnosis may help alter perception of pain by relaxing muscles and distracting us – although it doesn’t change physical sensation itself.
Chiropractic care
Chiropractic therapy involves manual manipulation of the spine to restore motion, decrease stiffness and support alignment. Studies show chiropractic’s efficacy at managing back, neck and headache pain; additionally, chiropractors also educate their patients on posture and ergonomic practices to prevent future injuries.
Chiropractic care primarily focuses on the spine, which houses nerves that control every muscle, tissue organ and function in your body. When spinal joints lose their normal motion or alignment (known as vertebral subluxation by chiropractors), nerve signals can become blocked resulting in pain, stiffness or limited mobility.
Chiropractors provide more than spinal adjustments; they use soft-tissue therapies like massage and trigger point therapy to alleviate pain and increase circulation, as well as stretching exercises that improve posture, flexibility and strength. Furthermore, chiropractors may recommend diet changes or stress-reduction techniques that contribute to overall spinal health and wellness. Chiropractic care may be an attractive alternative to medication and other invasive procedures – some patients choose short-term chiropractic treatment while others take an ongoing wellness and preventive approach.
Heat and cold packs
Cold and heat therapy are two effective forms of pain relief. Sometimes a simple heating pad on an aching shoulder or bag of frozen peas on a knee are all you need, while there are many more solutions available such as reusable gel packs, specialty wraps that cater specifically to joints, or sprays which instantly provide cryotherapy when necessary.
Applying a cold pack helps constrict blood vessels and numb the area to reduce swelling and throbbing pain in acute injuries such as pulled muscles or sprained ankles. It’s perfect for acute injuries like muscle pulls or ankle sprains that require treatment immediately.
Warming the body increases circulation and blood flow to an affected area, which can relieve stiff muscles and increase flexibility. Moist heat such as from a hot bath or heated water bottle may be more effective at relieving chronic pain than dry heat in soothing deep muscle aches. When applying heat directly on an injured or sore area it should always be done so in consultation with a healthcare provider, and those suffering from certain preexisting conditions like diabetes, dermatitis, vascular disease or deep vein thrombosis should seek advice prior to applying heat directly.
