Chronic Pain – Causes, Symptoms and Treatments

All the pains that affect different parts of our body whether it is head or toe or anywhere in the body that exists for a long period of time is known as chronic pain that infact leads to ruining a person’s life. The pain further leads to other sufferings like anxiety, depression, anger etc.

CAUSES:

• The pain occurs when a nerve fibre ending senses a source of distress and sends signal to the brain and can become chronic if the pain persists.
• Arthritis.
• Poorly healing injuries.
• Irritated nerve.
• Underlying disorder like cancer.

SYMPTOMS:

• Continuous or recurring pain.
• Over a long period of time muscles, bones, joints etc., get affected.
• Pain which is acute at once and later radiates and becomes chronic.
• Insomnia.
• Depression.
• Fatigue during daytime.

TREATMENTS:

• White willow bark – 1 or 2 pills 3 times a day as needed for pain. It must be standardised to contain 15% salicin.
• Bromelain – 500mg 3 times a day on an empty stomach. It is naturally present in pineapples.
• Cayenne cream – Apply cream thinly to painful areas many times a day. The cream must be standardised to contain 0.025 – 0.075% capsaicin.
• Ginger – 100mg 3 times a day. It must be standardised to contain gingerols. For massaging purpose in the pain causing areas oil of ginger can be used.
• Peppermint oil – Add few drops of the oil to 15ml neutral oil. Apply to the painful areas 4 times a day.
• St John’s wort – 300mg 3 times a day. It must be standardised to contain about 0.3% hypericin.
• Kava – 250mg 3 times a day. It must be standardised to contain at least 3.5% kavapyrones.
• Melatonin – 1-3mg at bedtime. Start with lower dose and increase as needed.

OTHER REMEDIES:

• Acupuncture is advised by many doctors.
• Hypnosis.
• Meditation.
• Biofeedback.