Understanding the process of pain & natural pain management

April 30, 2022

Pain is best described as anything that causes physical suffering by illness or injury. Your body responds to pain by activating pain receptors, which release chemicals. These chemicals hold a message that transmits along your spinal cord. The spinal cord takes the pain messages (pain receptors) to your brain, specifically into your thalamus and then to your cerebral cortex, where it processes the message and sends a response back to the area of injury.

The brain reaches into its database of information and determines what response is necessary for the type of pain. It may evoke tears, temporarily increase heart rate, increase adrenalin, generate blood clotting factors, send an inflammatory or any other reaction required to fix the damage. This type of pain response is referred to as the "Acute Pain Response," which tends to recover within an expected period of time. Acute pain will generally resolve itself with time and proper healing methods, but you can certainly help the healing process with specific herbs, supplements and support to reduce the inflammatory response, such as magnesium and curcumin

Chronic pain is a persistent pain that causes the pain receptors to continue to signal the brain well beyond the expected recovery time. When you have chronic pain, the brain will process pain messages differently. At the cellular level, pain receptors and neurons are altered and are easily activated by inflammation within the body. Even the spinal cord's normal signaling process fails to reduce the pain, making the situation feel dire.

Neuropathic pain is one of the most difficult to diagnose and treat; it usually feels like a burning, tingling or shooting sensation. It is often associated with damage to the nerves, which disrupts normal signals to the spinal cord and can be caused by shingles, diabetic neuropathy, chemotherapy, MS, Amputation, Spinal Injury, etc. Neuropathic pain may cause pain from stimuli that are generally not painful, such as light touch or cold. They can also be more sensitive than usual to stimuli that are usually painful. For example, bedclothes touching the affected area could feel painful, and a pinprick could feel excessively sharp.

Chronic and neuropathic pain requires a more long-term approach, and both require management of the underlying causes to reduce the ongoing pain response.

Natural Chronic Pain Management

Chronic pain can last months or years and affect all parts of the body. There may be obvious reasons for chronic pain, repetitive injury to a part of the body, arthritis, osteoporosis, or other types of disease or illness such as digestive disorders, chronic migraines, back pain, endometriosis or fibromyalgia.

The pain response is very complex, and what is painful to one person may not produces the same pain response in another. Managing chronic pain can be just as diverse and may involve working with your health care provider to find out what prescribed, or over-the-counter medication is best for you. It could include acupuncture, massage or a number of other mind-body techniques. Taking the alternative approach to managing pain is also an option and may be the first step in finding relief before taking a prescribed medication that can sometimes lead to further complications and side effects that cause other complications

Natural supplements are most effective at reducing the inflammatory response to pain which comes hand in hand with the pain response, and the Healthology brand provides a few effective options.

Healthology PAIN-FX Joint Formula provides relief from pain by targeting both the pain itself and the inflammatory component of the pain cycle. It combines herbal supplements such as White Willow Bark, Boswellia and Curcumin to target the pain and inflammatory response to pain. It is an analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, reducing our sensation of pain. At the same time, it blocks the production of inflammatory mediators, and it protects the body from damage caused by inflammation.

White Willow Bark Extract 50% Salicin provides significant analgesic effects, making it effective for reducing the sensation of musculoskeletal pain. It also reduces the amount of pro-inflammatory mediators being made, helping to lower inflammation in the bod

Boswellia Extract blocks the production of inflammatory mediators to reduce overall inflammation and pain in the body. Significantly reduces joint swelling, pain, and stiffness in osteoarthritis

Curcumin reduces inflammation by preventing the production of some of the body's most potent inflammatory mediators^, thereby stopping the cycle of inflammation-induced pain.

Healthology INFLAMMA-MEND targets inflammation by reducing pain and swelling, increasing the production of anti-inflammatory mediators, and preventing the production of pro-inflammatory cells. The combination of OMEGA 3, Curcumin, Bromelain and Magnesium works on the inflammatory signaling systems. They also help block the NDMA pain receptors, which can help lower pain sensation.

EPA and DHA are omega 3 fatty acids that provide building blocks for your body to make anti-inflammatory cells. In doing so, they reduce the formation of pro-inflammatory cells, having a powerful impact on reducing overall levels of inflammation and pain

Curcumin reduces pain and inflammation by preventing the production of some of the body's most potent inflammatory mediators Research shows that curcumin supplementation results in reduced gut lining injury and improvement of bowel symptoms in patients with ulcerative colitis^, and significant improvement in swelling, stiffness and pain scores in arthritis patient

Bromelain relieves pain and swelling by turning off the signals that promote swelling after an injury^.Research shows reduction of pain by 80% and swelling by 72.4% in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Magnesium Relieves both acute and chronic pain by blocking NDMA pain receptors, which lowers our sensation of pain

Salus Nettle Plant Juice has long-term use to alleviate seasonal allergies because of its natural antihistamine properties, but this herb's anti-inflammatory properties also work by blocking the production of the inflammatory mediators in the body and helping to re-balance the immune system. This anti-inflammatory activity is why nettle has been shown to improve symptoms in autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis and reduce symptoms of joint pain, reduce pain medication use, and improve quality of life in people with osteoarthritis

Magnesium may not be the first supplement you consider for pain management, but this mineral plays a pivotal role in managing pain and inflammation. Magnesium can block specific receptors that cause pain and produce an analgesic effect. Salus Magnesium is quickly and effectively absorbed, and it does not cause digestive upset. The liquid formulation is flavoured using whole-food extracts for a delicious and easy-to-dose supplement

Early prevention and management of pain and inflammation can play a significant role in your overall health and wellness. You can use the above supplements as stand-alone supplements or in combination with one another to provide the best outcome for your better health. Traditionally herbal medicine has therapeutic benefits; therefore, research and review any possible interactions with other medications or allergies with your health care provider before use.