April 14, 2014
After some telling studies were published, many of us are hesitant to pop an Advil or Tylenol after we start feeling the pain. Ibuprofen has long been linked to a rise in blood pressure, but acetaminophen was discovered by a Brigham and Women's Hospital study to be riskier than previously believed. High doses of acetaminophen have been associated with liver and kidney damage, but the new study found double the risk of hypertension among women who took the equivalent of one Tylenol extra-strength pill daily compared to women who didn't take the pills, which could lead to complications such as heart attacks and stroke. Other, more intensive painkillers can be just as serious, such as narcotic painkillers and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) that may cause gastrointestinal bleeding, heart attack, and stroke.
Taking Advil every now and then isn’t such a bad thing, so long as it’s not every day and in high doses. But if there is a natural alternative that can ease the piercing, shooting, burning, stabbing, or chronic pain, why not reach for Mother Nature’ relief? Some of these solutions also work preventatively, helping cure your pain at the root with holistic health solutions. Here are six that you can start with for various troubles:
1. Lower Backache
Natural Remedy: Devil's Claw
This is a time-honored herb used by the Khoisan tribes of the Kalahari Desert for thousands of years before it was introduced to Europe in the early 1900s. One study found that devil's claw—which contains an anti-inflammatory agent called harpagoside—was just as effective as the prescription NSAID Vioxx, which was immensely popular before it was withdrawn from the market due to its cardiovascular side effects. Try an extract that provides 50 to 100 milligrams of harpagoside daily for as long as your back pain lasts.
2. Migraine
Natural Remedy: Butterbur Root
Migraines are nasty business. When you start feeling the signs in your head, cells in the brain are releasing chemicals that cause inflammation. The trick is to interfere with some of those chemicals, which is exactly what butterbur can do to provide relief. In a study of migraine patients, 68 percent of those who took butterbur root reduced their number of attacks by at least 50 percent. Do you get chronic migraines? Take 75 to 100 milligrams twice a day on an ongoing basis to help prevent them.
3. Arthritis
Natural Remedy: Fish Oil
A 2009 study on osteoarthritis showed that people who regularly took a supplement rich in fish oil were able to reduce their use of pain meds by half. The oil's omega-3s help decrease the production of various chemicals that cause inflammation and pain in the joints. The best supplement to alleviate the pain is one that contains both EPA and DHA omega-3s. Take four to six grams a day.
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