Alternative Medicine And Therapies For Pain
Published Oct 19, 2018 • By Louise Bollecker
To control chronic pain, our members use alternative therapies and medicine in addition to his or her medical treatments.
Discover the results of our survey on this subject and share your own recommendations and tips!
45% of respondents use meditation
Meditation allows one to better observe their pain and combat it more effectively. Recognized as an effective way to fight against anxiety and depression, meditation also helps to control pain. Clinical psychologist and psychotherapist Christian Hoenner and Phanie Ridel advocate focusing on a part of the body that does not hurt to understand the functioning of the area, and then to compare it with a painful area. They also suggest counting the phases of pain flares and then counting backwards when the pain subsides. This slows down the frequency and intensity of the pain, after repeated efforts of concentration.
37% of respondents use pet therapy
Pet therapy (aka Animal-Assisted Therapy) is another alternative therapy used in the health sector. Without replacing the medications, it is practiced in small groups of up to three people under the responsibility of a professional, in the presence of those coping with health problems The principle is to awaken, through the presence of animals educated in this sense, reactions that maintain or improve the cognitive, physical, psychosocial or emotional potential of those coping with health problems. This practice helps to increase self-esteem, calm psychological and emotional distress, reduce stress, and overcome negative emotions.
11% of respondents use art therapy
If, according to the Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky, "art will save the world", it seems to be the same for some of our members! For 11% of our respondents, art therapy is the means chosen to fight against chronic pain. The principle is simple: use the creativity of patients for therapeutic purposes, without aesthetic judgment. Mainly used in psychotherapy, for mental illnesses or behavioral disorders, art therapy allows one to express himself or herself in ways other than words and to let his or her emotions rise to the surface. Painting and drawing are the main methods of art therapy; however, theater and dance also work.
4% of respondents favor acupuncture
According to the definition given by UNESCO, "traditional acupuncture forms a therapeutic art that elaborates its diagnostic and therapeutic reasoning on a Taoist energy vision of Man and the Universe". Without going into the details of Taoism, patients can benefit from this practice based on the control of energies. There are other related methods to the traditional accupunture: needles acting on meridians and corresponding organs, such as moxa (heat stimulation), cupping, massage, and advice on healthy living and diet. This treatment is particularly found beneficial for locomotor problems, tendonitis, arthritis, osteoarthritis, and migraines.
2% of respondents attend hypnosis sessions
Therapeutic hypnosis is the attainment of a state of modified consciousness where we perceive things differently, in the same way as when we escape by watching a film or when we feel "in the clouds". The pain can be reduced during a hypnosis session by stimulating scarce resources of the brain and by activating its powers of self-healing. Those undergoing hypnosis also manage to distance the cause of his or her suffering, especially when it is psychological, to be better apt at being able to solve it.
1% of respondents prefer sophrology
Designed to harmonize the body and mind, sophrology is a synthesis of oriental techniques (dynamic yoga, Buddhist meditation, and Zen ...) and Western relaxation (Schultz autogenous training, Vittoz method, Jacobson's progressive relaxation ... ). Existing in a state between awakening and sleep, one will be able to mobilize unsuspected resources. Respiratory, mental and relaxation exercises will help one to feel the body in a positive way and better manage his or her pain.
And how about yourself? What alternative therapies have you tried? Which do you recommend?
Are you looking to try any of these above-mentioned therapies?
Survey conducted on the Carenity site from October 12 to 18, 2018.
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21 comments
Hydro therapy is therapy in water. I am doing some of the same exercises you would typically do during Physical Therapy. It takes a lot of the pressure usually felt during normal therapy sessions,in order to make it easier to do the exercises. I have done 5 sessions and have had a very small improvement in my range in my neck area but worsening range in my back area.
What do I think is causing the chronic pain....
I think several issues are causing pain. The S shaped scolisis which is two curves in thoracic and one curve in lumbar area. Also have herniated disk in neck area and bulging disk in lumbar area. Have sever degenerated disk disease in very low lumbar area. The bulging disk is pinching a nerve at the L4-L5 area which is causing the pain that runs down my leg. Your spine is your core and with all of those issues it is going to cause pain as your body is trying to stabilize itself . What has caused this???? I think several things. I was always extremely skinnny way to skinny even though I would eat. After three kids I have put on more weight. I am stubborn I try and do way to much. Lifting items, pulling items and pushing items weighing over 100 pounds. Showing off on a balance beem doing flips and landing on it sideways. Being involved in 5 accidents over 22 years of driving ( 4 which were from people not paying attention and hitting my car when I was at a complete stop. 1 was from someone flying through the parking lot spaces and hitting the driver side door at 45 mph.)
The only thing what works for me, is oxy garber, and motrin. My ankel are totally destroyed, the pain can be so bad,the the oxy is the only thing what gives me some relief. FOR MY BACK it is the garba and motrin. The worst thing for me is the fatigue, there is nothing I can do about it. So so frustrating.
@Cdh1455 hey y'all I have had Lupus since the mid 1980's and have been on about every drug imaginable. I have had 2 strokes, broken my back, have dexter scoliosis, degenerate disc disease from my neck all the way down my spine and other issues like migraines, spastisity, neuropathy and narcolepsy. I finally said no more and started looking into different methods of healing. I felt like I had nothing to loose. I have lived with pain for so long that at times I really just wanted to give up. It was more meds more tests and I just wanted to feel better and have a better quality of life as mine was pretty much non existent. Acupuncture along with changes in my diet and natural supplements helped to start me on a better road, I was able to start on a new path. I really wanted to only put good things in my body and wanted to take care of my entire well being. It was not easy but between the acupuncture and the changes to my diet I was able to get off all narcotic pain medication. I personally don't want to be on man made medication as we have a plethera of natural medicine that can and does help. I have found CBD oil and medical marijuana to be much more effective. My quality of life is better and I feel better both mentally and physically. My only regret is that I didn't look into other avenues sooner. I know not everything is going to work exactly the same for each person but I do believe in being a better person and for me this was a much needed change. Believe it or not but the fatigue I feel daily is helped by the CBD and the medical marijuana. I hope you are able to find what works for you and that you feel better soon.
God bless,
I have focal dystonia. I have had good luck with Kratom. Have used it for years... you need to watch the tolerance too not get Kratom headaches.
I recommend green or red, if severe pain.
Looking into this Kratom since I continue to see it around... I tried marijuana, but was unable to see if it really worked because I guess I get freaked out and react really anxiety with it. I do not know how people can maintain calm with it.
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