One in five Americans is currently living with chronic pain. As the population ages, the prevalence of chronic pain sufferers will increase even further. Many health conditions, including arthritis, nerve damage, and cancer, can cause chronic pain. Persistent pain that won’t go away not only affects your physical well-being, but also negatively impacts your emotional, social, and mental health.
Chronic pain is often difficult to treat. The most common treatment options for chronic pain are prescription opioid and over-the-counter (OTC) pain medications. While medications help relieve the pain and discomfort, they can also trigger many other health conditions. Opioid painkillers often cause addiction, and frequent use of OTC pain medications can lead to gastrointestinal, kidney, and heart disease.
Fortunately, medications are not the only effective solution to relieve chronic pain. Many holistic pain relief methods are research-proven to provide a safe and effective remedy for chronic conditions. In this blog post, SOLIS will discuss the most common chronic pain conditions and offer scientifically-proven, drug-free methods to relieve your discomfort effectively.
Arthritis
Arthritis is one of the most common chronic pain conditions, afflicting more than 23% of the adult American population. The disease causes pain, stiffness, and swelling in the joints, and the symptoms get worse with age. The pain can be excruciating for many people, making arthritis one of the leading causes of disability in the United States. Treatment for arthritis seeks to reduce pain to improve the patient’s quality of life.
Holistic Pain Relief Treatments for Arthritis
There are many effective holistic pain relief treatments arthritic patients can use to alleviate their discomfort and improve mobility.
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) can relieve pain naturally by transmitting mild, noninvasive electrical impulses through your skin to alter nerve activity. Modulating nerve activity reduces pain messaging to the brain, resulting in pain reduction. Plenty of studies have found TENS therapy to be effective for relieving arthritic pain and reducing joint stiffness. TENS devices deliver drug-free pain relief without any adverse health effects.
Besides TENS therapy, exercise and weight loss are also research-proven to relieve arthritic discomfort. Aerobic and muscle-strengthening exercises provide support to the joints, reducing pain and improving physical function. Exercising can also help with weight loss. Being overweight exerts extra strain and pressure on your hip, knee, and ankle joints, worsening your pain and immobility. Weight loss reduces the extra stress on your weight-bearing joints, lessening your discomfort and improving joint function.
Diabetic Neuropathy
The ever-increasing prevalence of diabetes will lead to more people being afflicted with diabetic neuropathy. Diabetic neuropathy is nerve damage that results from years of having high blood sugar. The disease affects more than 50% of diabetic patients. Diabetic neuropathy can cause sharp cramps and pain in the affected areas, which include your hands, arms, legs, and feet. There is no cure for diabetic neuropathy but treatment for the condition focuses on slowing disease progression and reducing chronic pain.
Holistic Pain Relief Treatments for Diabetic Neuropathy
While diabetic nerve damage can’t be cured, you can use holistic pain relief treatments to reduce suffering.
Integrative therapies such as meditation and relaxation techniques can relieve chronic pain in patients suffering from diabetic neuropathy. A study published in the Journal of Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine revealed that mindfulness meditation and progressive relaxation techniques relieved chronic pain, decreased pain medication consumption, treated anxiety and depression, and reduced the risk of drug abuse and addiction in diabetic neuropathy patients.
Other than meditation and relaxation techniques, drug-free pain relief devices have also been found to reduce suffering in diabetic nerve damage patients. Research has found TENS pain relief devices to be a promising treatment for chronic diabetic neuropathic pain. TENS treatments reduce pain intensity and improve sleep quality in patients suffering from painful diabetic neuropathy, improving their quality of life.
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia, a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, is a chronic health condition that affects up to 8% of the population. The disease is caused by genetic or environmental factors, such as physical or emotional trauma, infections, and severe psychological stress. Fibromyalgia triggers mild to severe musculoskeletal pain all over your body. Treatment for fibromyalgia involves pain management strategies to improve the patient’s physical and psychological health.
Holistic Pain Relief Treatments for Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia’s symptoms are commonly treated with an antidepressant, anti-seizure, and pain medications. The good news for fibromyalgia patients is that there are safer alternatives to prescription drugs for relieving your symptoms. Many holistic pain relief treatments have been scientifically proven to improve your condition safely and effectively.
Plenty of studies have found yoga to be effective for relieving the symptoms of fibromyalgia. A study published in the Journal of Pain Research found women with fibromyalgia who practiced yoga twice a week had less pain and reduced stress levels. Yoga promotes relaxation, enhances mood, and improves sleep quality, boosting your overall health.
In addition to yoga, pain relieving TENS devices have also been found to relieve fibromyalgia symptoms. Research conducted by the University of Iowa found that four weeks of using a TENS device significantly reduced movement-evoked pain in patients suffering from fibromyalgia. TENS units activate your body’s own pain-blocking mechanism to bring you natural relief.
Low Back Pain
Low back pain is a common chronic condition that involves the nerves, muscles, and bones of your back. The disorder is caused by injury or degenerative diseases such as arthritis, osteoporosis, or intervertebral disc degeneration. The chronic condition causes constant, dull aches, or sharp, shooting pains in your back.
The pain can be debilitating for many, making the disease one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. Treatment for chronic low back pain includes medications and medical interventions to reduce suffering and improve the patient’s general well-being.
Holistic Pain Relief Treatments for Chronic Low Back Pain
Prescription pain medications and surgery are not your only options for relieving chronic low back pain. Many holistic pain relief solutions can alleviate your condition and help you live a more fulfilling life.
Research has shown acupuncture to be an effective therapy for relieving chronic low back pain. Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese practice that involves inserting fine needles into your body to remedy a variety of health conditions. A study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found acupuncture to be significantly more effective than standard care for relieving chronic back pain.
Other than acupuncture, drug-free pain relief devices that use TENS technology have also been found to be effective for alleviating chronic low back pain. A study published in the Annals of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine revealed TENS treatments to be superior to physical therapy for chronic low back pain relief. TENS units provide a cost-effective way to reduce chronic pain, improving your quality of life safely and naturally.
Adopt Holistic Approaches to Relieve Chronic Pain
The prevalence of chronic pain conditions will increase with an aging population. Treating an ever-growing population of chronic pain patients with opioid and non-opioid medications will result in more health complications, leading to an unhealthier (and unhappier) nation and substantial economic loss. Holistic pain relief solutions that are scientifically proven to be effective are a safer alternative to conventional treatments for remedying your condition.
TENS devices, like the SOLIS Pain Relief System, are scientifically proven by countless research studies to relieve a wide variety of chronic pain conditions. SOLIS’s TENS unit is FDA-cleared for delivering safe, natural, and effective pain relief for diverse health conditions, ranging from arthritis and fibromyalgia to restless legs syndrome and neuropathy. Get your SOLIS TENS device now to relieve chronic pain, protect your health, and improve your quality of life.