NSAIDs can be obtained with a prescription or purchased over-the-counter (OTC).<\/p>\n
NSAIDs include many common household drugs such as:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Ibuprofen (Advil and Motrin)<\/li>\n
- Naproxen (Aleve and Naprosyn)<\/li>\n
- Diclofenac<\/li>\n
- Celecoxib<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Risks<\/h3>\n
Patients taking NSAIDs should immediately consult their physician if they begin experiencing any symptoms associated with heart attacks such as chest pains, shortness of breath, slurred speech or weakness in one side of their body. The Cleveland Clinic<\/a> also recommends that NSAID use not continue for more than three days for a fever, or more than ten days for pain, without talking to your healthcare provider (3<\/a>).<\/p>\n
An expansive cohort study published in The BMJ<\/a> in April, 2017 looked at NSAID use across over 440,000 individuals and found that \u201ctaking any dose of NSAIDs for one week, one month, or more than a month was associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction.\u201d Acute myocardial infarctions are otherwise known as heart attacks (2<\/a>).<\/p>\n
People with kidney disease, liver disease, high blood pressure, asthma, Crohn\u2019s disease, and diabetes are particularly at risk if taking NSAIDs. Also ask your physician about any other medications you\u2019re taking that may interact adversely with NSAIDs. Please note that aspirin can also relieve pain, but it can cause unwanted side effects, including bleeding into the brain or stomach. The FDA recommends you talk to a health professional before taking aspirin as well.<\/p>\n
Label Warnings<\/h3>\n
Compliant with new FDA labeling guidelines, updated labels will reflect the new findings with regard to the cardiovascular and stroke risks of taking NSAIDs (4<\/a>). The FDA also recommends keeping your dose as low as possible and duration of use as short as possible, especially in people with a history of heart disease or stroke (4<\/a>).<\/p>\n
How Do You Relieve Pain Without Medicine?<\/h3>\n
In light of these guidelines, and an overwhelming body of research indicating the need for safe anti-inflammatory medication, it appears now is a timely moment to answer the question \u201chow do you relieve pain without medicine?\u201d<\/p>\n
Below is a guideline to help you explore several natural and healthy alternatives to reducing pain and inflammation that don\u2019t involve the use of NSAIDs.<\/p>\n
1. Massage therapy<\/strong> is a great alternative to NSAIDs, and offers natural muscle pain relief. It can release the muscle tension that restricts blood flow and causes many headaches. Massage therapy has been proven to not only relieve muscle tension, but to also reduce pain from many chronic conditions.<\/p>\n
![\"Massage](\"https:\/\/www.naturalwellness.com\/nwupdate\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/massage-techniques-to-destress3.jpg\")
<\/p>\n2. CBD products<\/strong> \u2013 Cannabidiol (CBD) products such as infused tinctures and topical CBD creams are gaining popularity for those seeking safe alternatives to NSAIDs.<\/p>\n
In addition to CBD tinctures which you ingest, you can also use CBD topically as a cream. It is a quick and cost-effective way to manage inflammation in your body by providing natural chronic pain relief.<\/p>\n
3. If you\u2019re asking yourself \u201chow do you relieve pain without medicine?\u201d look no further than heat and cold applications (hot and cold packs)<\/strong>. Cold applications can reduce inflammation<\/a> in muscle tissue and in joints, while heat increases blood flow to provide natural muscle pain relief. They\u2019re also extremely inexpensive and most hot and cold packs are reusable.<\/p>\n
4. Practicing Tai Chi or Yoga<\/strong> offers natural chronic pain relief by maintaining flexibility in muscles, joints and other soft tissue through regular range-of-motion movements. Both traditions have been shown to assist in chronic pain management brought on by a variety of conditions. One study published by Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity<\/a> found that prolonged yoga practice literally slowed oxidative stress and cellular aging (5<\/a>).<\/p>\n
![\"Yoga](\"https:\/\/www.naturalwellness.com\/nwupdate\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/child-pose2-1024x657.jpg\")
<\/p>\n5. Many herbs and supplements<\/strong>, such as Willow Bark<\/a>, have been used in traditional medicine to relieve inflammation and other causes of pain in the body. Many conditions can be relieved with herbal remedies including constipation, headaches and premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Further, turmeric is a spice that has anti-inflammatory properties. Natural Wellness’s Turmeric 95<\/a> is a great source in capsule form.<\/p>\n
![\"Acupuncture](\"https:\/\/www.naturalwellness.com\/nwupdate\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/acupuncture-for-hip-pain.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Meditaiton](\"https:\/\/www.naturalwellness.com\/nwupdate\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/stress-relief.jpg\")
<\/p>\n