We all have experienced some form of pain in our lives and can find it to be disruptive, unexpected and emotionally upsetting. Acute pain develops quickly, can be severe, but only lasts for a short period of time. Conditions of acute pain include sprains, painful swellings, dislocations, muscle and joint problems. Other conditions include acute exacerbations of disease such as pancreatitis and cholecystitis, but will not be the focus of this article.

Pain is a sensory and emotional experience that is often uncomfortable, debilitating and depressive. It is part of the body’s natural warning response to alert us that the body has become disturbed by excessive force, tissue damage or inflammation.

Arnica when used homeopathically and topically is a wonderful herb to use when the body and mind have experienced traumatic shock and injury. Arnica has been traditionally used throughout Western herbal medicine to treat bruises, sprains, muscle soreness and painful swellings. Do not apply to open wounds.

Bromelain is a dietary proteolytic enzyme derived from pineapples. It is an anti-inflammatory enzyme, which has demonstrated to inhibit and modulate prostaglandins (PGE2) that are responsible for pain. It can be therapeutically used for treating athletic injuries, arthritis, post operative tissue damage, burns, sprains and wound healing.

Pain associated with back aches, arthritis and period pain respond well to heat therapy such as heat packs and hot water bottles. Increasing the body’s temperature enhances circulation, which promotes muscle relaxation, increases mobility and reduces stiffness. 20min after applying heat treatment use a counterirritant such as cayenne cream (capsaicin) to help treat localized pain.

Cold ice and gel packs are help prevent swelling and stop pain associated with sprains, strains and other injuries.  Apply arnica to help prevent bruising and inflammation.

Essential oils such as lavender, rosemary, peppermint and thyme have been used effectively to alleviate pain and some exert mild sedative and anxiolytic properties to aid relaxation.

As stated by Deborah Storer “Laughter is a tranquilizer with no side effects.”

Written by Vanessa Wannenburg

References
1. Bach, P. (2002). Prescription for Nutritional Healing. Avery Publishing Group, New York, USA.
2. Bone, K. (2003). A Clinical Guide to Blending Liquid Herbs. Churchill Livingstone, QLD, Australia
3. Chevallier, A. (2000). Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine. 2nd Edition, Dorling Kindersley Limited, Sydney, Australia.
4. Osiecki, H. (2006). The Physician’s Handbook of Clinical Nutrition. 7th Edition, AG Publishing, Queensland, Australia.
5. Osiecki, H. (2006). The Nutrient Bible.. 7th Edition, AG Publishing, Queensland, Australia.
6. Storer, D. (2007). Motivational Flip Chart. Breakfree Publishing, QLD, Australia.