Many people seek alternative therapies for pain that are not habit forming and harmful to the back, neck, joints or nerves. The demand for research into alternative medicine prompted the National Institutes of Health to establish the National...
Neck pain usually occurs because of a trigger, which may be precipitated by a history of chronic degeneration or because a new injury has occurred. Many treatments for neck pain exist, including medications and alternative methods. Talking with...
Patients experiencing pain often need medication to relieve their symptoms. However, those who suffer from chronic pain may want to consider taking alternative or holistic pain medication rather than risk the side effects of prescription or...
You know that dietary choices directly affect your health, but it may be that food can also help you manage pain caused by existing health problems. Seek the help of a health care professional if the painful symptoms of such conditions as...
Pineapples contain a secret health weapon in the form of an enzyme known as bromelain. This member of the proteolytic enzyme family is designed to break down proteins during the digestive process. According to James Balch M.D. in his book...
Dimethyl sulfoxide, or DMSO, entered the medical scene during the 1960s when Dr. Stanley Jacob began investigating claims of medicinal properties. Previously known only as an industrial solvent produced during the manufacture of paper, DMSO was...
Muscle soreness following exercise is a common occurrence for beginners and even for advanced athletes after they perform a new workout program. Soreness following exercise can be difficult to avoid entirely. However, there are some ways to reduce...
Acupressure is an alternative medicine technique where pressure is applied to specific points on the body to reduce pain and improve mobility, among other conditions. People with chronic neck pain can benefit from acupressure therapies, but there...
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects the body's joints and surrounding tissue, with the hands and wrists being the focal areas of inflammation and pain. The Johns Hopkins University Health Alert explains that over the long term, RA generally results...
Approximately 50 percent to 80 percent of all pregnant women experience back pain, according to the American Pregnancy Association. Although it usually occurs during the final months of pregnancy, many women experience it at various points...
Aspirin, the most widespread drug in the world, can sometimes cause adverse side effects, such as bleeding ulcers or clotting, according to the book "Herbal Folk Medicine," written by Thomas Broken Bear Squier and Lauren David Peden. The main...
Massage involves the manipulation of skin, muscles, tendons and ligaments. Neck massagers are automated devices designed to focus a massage on common areas of muscle tension in the neck and shoulders. The benefits of a neck massager may include...
Corticosteroids, most often prednisone, are used to treat myositis, a chronic autoimmune inflammatory condition in which your muscles are weakened. Steroid drugs can reduce inflammation throughout your body and slow down your immune system's...
Pain where the bones meet -- in the joints -- can be caused by treadmill use. This pain can be mild to severe and can cause problems with joint function. The treadmill can cause these joint pains because of the constant impacting of the feet...
Pain in the arms and legs can have a number of causes from arthritis to muscle cramps. If you prefer an alternative approach to pain relief, there are a number of herbs that can help, such as, ginger, bromelain and chamomile. You should consult a...
Magnetic therapy has been used to treat everything from arthritis and fibromyalgia to migraines and insomnia. Most drug stores now carry wrist braces and back braces with magnetic inserts. There are even magnetic mattresses that are advertised to...
Pain in the arms and legs can have a number of causes, from arthritis to muscle cramps. There are a number of ways you can relieve arm and leg pain without using prescription medications. If you prefer an alternative approach to pain relief, there...
White willow bark, also referred to as willow bark or white willow, contains salicin, a substance with a similar make up as the primary active ingredient in aspirin. The bark has been used for thousands of years to relive pain and inflammation. It...
Blood pressure refers to the force that blood pumping through your circulatory system exerts on the walls of your arteries and blood vessels. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, may increase the strain on your heart, contributing to...
Many new moms-to-be look forward to their pregnancies with anticipation, but one thing most pregnant women do not welcome is the muscle pain that come with a burgeoning belly. Back aches are common, as is ligament pain around the abdomen. Because...
Morphine is an opioid analgesic drug that is often prescribed in the treatment of severe acute and moderate chronic pain. Many patients develop a tolerance to its effects, become addicted, experience side effects or simply cannot tolerate opioids....
An epidural is used to block pain signals from the body to the brain. An epidural is normally used during childbirth but can be used to treat severe localized pain. A doctor will perform an epidural to relieve pain caused by a herniated disk. The...
Yoga is sometimes described as "new age" because it works both your mind and your body. People participate in yoga as form of physical exercise as well as a time of meditation to escape from hectic daily life. Yoga can also help relieve pain,...
There are a wide variety of natural pain relief herbs and techniques available. When choosing a therapy, keep in mind that many choices such as herbs and aromatherapy can have side effects, but relief can be quickly had. Other techniques such as...
While a pot of aloe vera on the kitchen windowsill is a well known natural treatment for burns and rashes, fewer people have heard of taking aloe internally. Yet, this folk remedy for internal maladies, such as pancreatitis and constipation,...
Cayenne pepper has been used for thousands of years, according to the George Mateljan Foundation's information service World's Healthiest Foods. In the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, black pepper was very costly, and cayenne pepper was often...
If you are looking to relieve pain without the use of prescription medication, traditional Chinese herbal supplements may be an option to consider. Available in most local drug stores and supermarkets, these herbs are often found in the form of...
One of the most common ailments in adults is back pain, which can manifest anywhere from the neck and shoulders to the lower back. Symptoms may include a dull, aching pain, shooting pains, lack of flexibility or a tendency to favor the pain in the...
The longer pain goes untreated, the worse it gets. This is especially true of foot pain, since we spend so much of our lives on our feet. Herbal remedies, which are derived from plants and herbs, and so are found in nature, are sometimes a good...
