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 rheumatoid arthritis, migraines or gout are troubling you. However, it can't hurt to learn what food might be able to do for your pain.
Cherries
Anthocyanins give cherries their pigment. They also have anti-inflammatory properties that may ease the painful symptoms of arthritis, according to Michigan State University food safety researcher Muraleedharan Nair. Cherries also contain the anti-inflammatory property cyanidin, which a report in the "Clinical Journal of Pain" speculated could help sufferers of gout as well as arthritis.
Fish and Fish Oil
Omega-3 fatty acids have well-known benefits for your brain, but they also ease the pain of rheumatoid arthritis and irritable bowel syndrome, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center's website. Albacore tuna, mackerel, salmon, lake trout and herring are the best fish sources of omega-3.
Olive Oil and Peppermint Oil
Season your food with olive oil to enjoy the benefits of its oleocanthal, an ingredient that has many of the same pain-relieving properties as anti-inflammatory medications, but without the side effects. If you suffer irritable bowel syndrome, consider peppermint oil or peppermint supplements; researchers at Australia's University of Adelaide found in a 2011 study that it contains a compound called icilin that inhibits pain in the colon.
Healthy Pain-Relieving Snacks
The tryptophan in nuts and seeds helps make you less sensitive to pain, so it's a good idea to have some on hand for day-to-day snacking. Consumed in excess, chocolate can cause more problems than it relieves, but a small daily dose of dark chocolate -- which contains anti-inflammatory flavonoids -- could provide some measure of relief.
