1. Acupuncture
This ancient Chinese medical practice has been used for thousands of years as a way to treat myriad conditions, including both acute and chronic pain. Researchers at the National Institutes of Health are researching the pain-reducing effects that acupuncture can have on postoperative pain and nausea after chemotherapy. Acupuncture is often used to also treat back pain, menstrual cramping, headaches and nerve conditions like fibromyalgia.
By inserting slender metallic needles into certain trigger points in the skin, acupuncture works to release blocked areas in the body. It is believed that by stimulating these certain points, the stagnant energy is then released in the body, allowing it to flow smoothly and properly. Ask your medical or health are provider for a referral to a qualified acupuncturist, or contact a national acupuncture organization to locate a trained acupuncturist in your area.
2. Exercise
We've all heard of "runner's high" and some of us may have even experienced it. Characterized by a feeling of euphoria or bliss during or following a run, ski or even a football game, a team of researchers in Germany recently proved that running does incite a high. In the journal "Cerebral Cortex," the study showed that feel-good hormones called endorphins are released in people's bodies as they exercise. The more endorphins the body creates, the greater the effect in emotional state.
You don't have to go out and train for a marathon to capitalize on this phenomenon: Research has shown us time and time again that even moderate exercise produces an endorphin release. Endorphins are responsible for blocking pain signals from reaching the brain. Exercise also lifts the mood, releases tension in the joints and muscles and promotes flexibility. These physical side effects of exercise help to make your body feel better as your joints are able to extend to their full range of motion.
3. Biofeedback
The goal of biofeedback is to retrain your mind to be more relaxed when reacting to pain. According to the Mayo Clinic, biofeedback is used to control stress-related pain as well as headaches, lower back pain, irritable bowel syndrome and a host of other conditions. It is based upon the notion that we have the power to control our minds and many of the automatic functions of our bodies. During biofeedback, the individual has a heightened awareness of the pain signals in his or her body and uses relaxation techniques to quell them.
During a typical session, electrodes or sensors are placed on different parts of the body. These sensors then measure the body's response to stress and a signal is given to you that allows you to associate this response with the stress that you feel. The goal is to get you more in tune with the initial signs of your body responding to pain so that you can invoke certain techniques, such as deep breathing or relaxing the tightened muscles, when your body becomes stressed either physically or mentally.
