Senior Health - Treating Age-Related Pain using natural alternatives
Pain is something many of us suffer with, yet many suffer in silence. According to The Gallup polling organization, more than half (55%) of Americans aged 65 and older have pain daily, and that forty-six percent of women report experiencing daily pain compared to only 37 percent of men. With so many suffering from the same symptom, you might think that pain is the problem, but it is not. Pain is a symptom, and the problems could be quite varied. The problem is that Traditional Medicine tends to provide treatment for the pain, more often than treatment or investigation into the cause.
But what causes the pain? As stated by the same Gallup data, Americans age 65 and older are more likely to cite getting older (88%) and arthritis (69%) as causes of their pain. While arthritis is a valid cause of pain, and can be directly treated, pain due to aging is a little more vague. Let’s look at a few age related conditions that might be the underlying cause of pain:
Arthritis – Simply defined as “swollen joint,” a disease which occurs in older people as a result of wear of the joints between the bones. Arthritis is normally caused by inflammation in the joint, and can ultimately cause destruction of the joints as well as stiffness and intense, debilitating pain. Solution - remove or reduce the inflammation, which removes the swelling, causing the stiffness and pain. This inflammation can be caused by many things, such as food allergies, environmental conditions (chemical exposure, injury), excessive free radicals, or repetitive use injury. Herbs, homeopathy, or botanicals that heal the causes of inflammation would help alleviate the pain. Internal and topical treatments used together can be the best method of attack, as including a topical application of any healing cream promotes heat, improves circulation and stimulates healing. Try some of these wonderful topical pain applications.
Cervical disc degeneration – This condition can cause neck pain. The disc acts as a shock absorber between the bones in the neck. Adults with cervical disc degeneration suffer when the normal flexible center of the disc degrades and the space between the vertebrae narrows, which in turn can cause nerves to become trapped in between. Bone on bone contact as well as compression of nerves can cause severe pain. Depending on the severity of this condition, Chiropractic and alternative medicines such as essential oil application, nutritional supplements, botanicals and herbs as well as acupuncture could be used to stop further degradation and damage, and release pressure on nerves.
Thyroid problems – All the cells in the body need thyroid hormones to work properly. These hormones control how fast the body uses energy. Adults and children can suffer from underactive thyroid (hypoactive), overactive thyroid (hyperactive), goiter (swelling of the thyroid), Grave’s disease and thyroid nodules. Both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism are known to cause what are called myopathies – the medical term for diseases that affect skeletal muscle. So treating the muscles and joints for the pain in this case, would merely be superficial. If that is what it takes to be up and around, then by all means, treat the joint and muscle pain directly. Although there are many natural supplements and botanicals that support thyroid health, it is difficult to “cure” thyroid problems using home remedies. Your natural health practitioner or naturopath may be able to put you on a natural protocol, and success is definitely possible, however it is a longer path.
Getting older doesn’t have to mean pain, getting to the root of the pain is the key to alleviating the cause along with the pain. Keep in mind that pain relievers are a great way to stay active, while you are getting to the real problem, they shouldn’t be your life’s habit. As alternatives to oral pain relievers (remember that Naproxen is on the Beer’s criteria list as an “always avoid” medication for a seniors over 65), try a light massage with topical creams or oils. So do what it takes to stay active, since better blood flow, deeper breathing and more oxygen will help your overall health, and do what you can to cure the underlying cause of your pain.
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