Interventions for Pain Relief

Whether you suffer from acute or chronic pain, finding a way to relieve that pain that doesn't involve prescription drugs is desirable. Prescription painkillers can be expensive and often come with uncomfortable or even dangerous side effects. Even over-the-counter painkillers can become dangerous if you take them for more than ten days at time. Fortunately, there are a number of safe, drug-free pain relief methods that you can try.

Massage and Manipulation

• Use massage and spinal manipulation to relieve pain. Both modalities are featured in the Mayo Clinic's top 10 list of alternative therapies. Massage therapy involves a trained professional applying pressure to the muscles and other soft tissues. Massage has several benefits. It's proven to help relieve chronic pain, especially pain in the back. It's also been shown to support the immune system. And it feels good.

  Spinal manipulation involves adjustments to the spine to create spinal alignment. This treatment is performed by a trained chiropractor or osteopath. In people with chronic back pain---one of the most common types of chronic pain---spinal manipulation is an effective treatment.

Herbal Treatments

• Use herbal oils and capsules to effectively relieve pain. Among herbal oils, lavender essential oil is one of the best for pain relief. In a study conducted at the New York University Medical Center, researchers found that lavender oil helps to reduce pain after surgery. In a placebo-controlled trial, some patients had lavender oil rubbed on their oxygen masks while others had baby oil put on their masks. Significantly more patients in the control group who did not get lavender needed pain medication after the operation. In addition, they needed higher doses of morphine than those who needed medication in the lavender group. This study was published in the July 2007 issue of "Obesity Surgery." But you don't have to wait for a surgery to enjoy the benefits of lavender oil. Just add five to ten drops to your next bath, or massage a drop or two diluted in coconut oil into the skin at the area where you have pain.

  Another good herbal pain reliever is white willow bark, which is available at most health food stores. White willow bark contains a natural compound that is similar in its action to aspirin but is gentler to your system. Even though herbs are generally safer than drugs, it's still important to follow the dosage instructions on the package. Essential oils almost always must be diluted before being applied to the skin.

Topical Remedies

• Often pain is associated with an injury, and a topical pain-relieving cream applied at the site of the pain can have a good result. Use creams containing menthol. You can also try a cream containing the homeopathic remedy arnica. In a study published in the April 2007 issue of "Rheumatology International," researchers found that topical arnica was as effective as topical creams containing ibuprofen for relieving pain and improving function in patients with osteoarthritis in their hands.