Holistic Chronic Pain Management: Natural Therapies and Supplements

Hamstring Stretches

Posted by Penny (USA) on 02/03/2006
★★★★★

I was handicapped and not able to walk much for 12 years until I found out that my hamstrings needed stretching. Doesn't matter how messed up the back is, it will not refer pain to back of knees or bottoms of feet or likely even to sciatica, if the hamstrings are super stretched. So now I dance! No more crutches and wheelchairs and pain meds! Yogis don't get strokes and high blood pressure and all this other nonsense, but then they also probably don't take in any partially hydrogenated oils (i.e. plastic sticking to arteries) or MSG (poison that makes you fat) or NutraSweet and sucralose (poisons) either..

One kind of hamstring stretch that should not harm the back is when you are on a curb outside and you hang off it from the front part of the foot, or when you lie on your back with a towel around your feet (these are lower back protective). I wake up and throw my leg on the back of the couch or a high bar stool or bathroom counter and begin stretching all kinds of ways from that position, but I have been doing it for a long time, and also stretch the inner thing that way. When I sit here at the desk, I throw one leg at a time up on the desk and reach for my feet, but people need to work up to what works for lower back support in each case. and YES yoga!!!

If we can merely stretch the back the six directions any way we can (rest always between the twist directions), then put some traction (I'm thinking of buying a swing to hang from the hips, but now I get traction from back of couch (breathing deeply) with palms on it after stretching, and if we go upside down regularly, even shoulder stand is enough, just think how many pains we will save ourselves! (One stretch is feet together, arms high and straight and hands touching like a steeple and a straight stretch to the side, hold for count of 10 (breathe). It's hard to do much stretching in the morning before movement has taken place or when it's very cold.

No artificial sweeteners (not even splenda) NO trans fats, and no MSG along with stretched hamstrings and lots of water, I doubt people would age badly or lose memory or get strokes, even doing the minimal amount of stretching. Yoga is enough even for osteoporosis, I heard. And it wouldn't hurt to question the calcium rule of thumb, as it appears Magnesium needs to be much higher. I can send the formula, if you like, though it's a matter of opinion. Stores now carry it both ways. I never did the huge calcium to half magnesium ration and my sisters got the arthritis by my age, not me, and I am not active enough, I admit. The extra calcium running around the body is a bad thing. This is something people can research for themselves.

Here's what I was told, 600 elemental magnesium, preferably, if possible, the citrate maleate, 450 elemental calcium citrate, and 400 units of D (not more D than this). Researching the occasional Vit. K once a week for bones might be good to do for oneself too. I take that, but one must research, as I think it thins the blood a little, but is supposed to help with osteoporosis.

One more..... memory is not lost if one does the shoulder stand to replenish the 180,000 miles or so of capillaries in the brain, nor does hair go grey. Some have had it grow back in brown or grow back period, and it's good for wrinkles, organ flushing (due to new positions of organs) and insomnia and constipation.

Master Miracle 2

Posted by Angie (Sparta, MO) on 12/09/2007
★★★★★

My husband & I have been using the master's miracle 2 products. About a week ago I was having a terrible pain in my neck, could hardly move it. I applied the neutralizer gel and the pain went away 90% almost right away. It did come back, but I applied it again and the pain went away again. Also husband has been having terrible stomach pains, I had him start taking the neutralizer liquid a dropper full underneath the tongue and his pain has went away. Also for about 2-3 months I was having a pain on the bottom of my foot that was especially noticable when walking. I applied the gel 2 times and the pain has completely went away.

Dietary Suggestions

Posted by Netta (acupuncturist) (Greenland, NH)
★★★★★

The dietary factors which most negatively impact Rheumatoid and Osteoarthritis are coffee and caffeine, refined sugar and milk products. I've seen significant improvement in my patients who are willing to alter their diets alone. Acupuncture, Chinese Herbs and JMT treatment can greatly help, even alleviate the symptoms.

Dietary Suggestions

Posted by Chris (Atlanta) on 02/18/2007
★★★★★

Had crazy making lower back pain from age 14(!) to 25 when finally my new therapist told me to go off dairy and give it a chance for only 3 weeks.i gave it a chance although my "diet" up to then was probably made out of up to 60% dairy products. after 3 weeks my back pain was COMPLETELY GONE! dairy sucks!!

Dietary Suggestions

Posted by Tina (Loveland, OH) on 12/07/2006
★★★★★

Starting a few weeks ago I went on a diet ..eliminating sugars, cookies, candies, pop, breads...i noticed than my pains got alot less....for the last few days i have went off the diet and have been eating sugars and breads...MY PAIN IS BACK!!! worse than ever.... Tomorrow I'm going to cut out the sugars and carbs and start on the cider and baking soda...will let you know the results.

Vitamin C

Posted by Barbara (Portland, OR) on 12/06/2006
★★★★★

I started taking high doses of Vitamin C to help ward off a cold virus. For the past several weeks I took 5-10 grams of Vitamin C. I noticed my knee pain disappeared. I am a runner/cross country skier who has virtually stopped these activities due to pain in my right knee. For 7 years I have tried glucosamine, calcium, MSM, and NSAIDs. I don't like taking NSAIDS. However, the other remedies did not relieve the pain and inflammation .Therefore, I have been tolerating the pain and have discontinued using NSAIDS. I was very surprised to find that the Vitamin C use correlated with complete pain relief and reduction of inflammation. So I stopped the C for a week and the pain returned. I have resumed the C and the pain is gone again.

Ginger Root

Posted by Hugo (E Freetown, MA) on 02/27/2006
★★★★★

I WAS ON A DIET SO I MADE LITE CANDIED GINGER SLICES TO SUPRESS APPETITE. I WAS ALSO SUFFERING FROM SEVERE SCIATICA AND BACK SPASMS. AFTER A WEEK BOTH DISAPPEARED. IT WAS BY ACCIDENT THAT I DISCOVERED THE TOTAL RELIEF OF LOWER BACK PROBLEMS. I AM 64 YRS OLD. I HAVE DISCONTINUED GINGER AND MY BACK HAS BEEN PAIN FREE.

Ginger Root

Posted by Richard (USA) on 12/21/2006
★★★★★

Dear Suzanne: Can't thank you enough for the ginger recommendation!! I've only been taking the stuff for a few days....but the results are remarkable. I'm moving around just about pain-free. We leave tomorrow for Viet Nam and I hope to enjoy the walking.......which I was afraid I wasn't going to be able to do.

Ginger Root

Posted by Richard (USA) on 12/15/2006
★★★★★

Dear Suzanne: Thanks for tip. I'm going to the shopping center where the health food store is this afternoon....and I'll get some ginger root. My ankle is in bad shape. If it were a knee or a hip....I'd have a replacement.....but they can't do that very well at this point with ankles. When we return from Viet Nam I'm looking at ankle-fusion surgery. It's not quite as bad as it sounds. One still has some movement where the leg meets the foot......and the pain stops!

Ginger Root

Posted by Suzanne (USA) on 01/18/2006
★★★★★

I recently sent you feedback about ginger. I have been taking it in capsule form daily now for approximately 2 months. It seems to act as a pain-killer. The relief I get is tremendous and most of the time i am completely pain-free from Arthritis and Osteoporosis of the spine. I recommended it to a friend in the US. Here are his replies in two e-mails.

Ginger Root

Posted by Suzanne (London) on 11/15/2006
★★★★★

I have suffered from very bad arthritis for some years and also osteoporosis of the spine. I used to dread winters even though I was prescribed anti-inflamatory pills and painkillers by my doctor. I recently discovered ginger root (I found a newspaper article about ginger that I had put away some years ago) and have been taking it for about 3 weeks now in capsule form from the health food shop. The stiffness has gone from my joints and spine and most of the pain which is gradually disappearing. In fact, the other day I realized that I didn't have any pain or stiffness at all. It is such a great remedy that I am recommending it to everybody I know who has arthritis.

Turmeric

Posted by Bill (Califon, NJ)
★★★★★

I have had severe knee and lower leg pain for over one year. All the doctors say my knees have normal wear and tear but they always hurt and especially at night. I took 1600 mg of turmeric (800 x2 day) and after about six weeks the pain almost all gone and flexibility is returning.

Turmeric

Posted by Reem (Karachi, Pakistan)
★★★★★

I have used turmeric as a joint pain remedy and it has always worked for me. I usually take 1 tsp in hot milk and it relieves all forms of body pains, joint pains.

Turmeric

Posted by Heather (DFS) on 02/15/2007
★★★★★

Ailment: Woke up one morning, my arm was almost limp, it hurt to pick it up, no strength, could not hardly pick up anything, felt like it was swollen inside. Went to doc, he put me on Vioxx, started taking them then heard of all the bad side affects, called a Naturopathic Doc, Doctor Charles Rouse, Columbus GA, he told me about several ingredients, including Turmeric, so I went to the health food store and bought REMEDY: Turmeric Special Formula because it had several of the items he mentioned I needed in it. I then made a tea of it, and put local tupelo honey in it drank it every day and in several days my symptoms were totally gone and has never came back, The only thing about taking a capsule and making in into a tea is there are granules left, you can either drink them or strain them, I drank them for a while, then I started straining them (do not boil the turmeric in the water, or you will lose some of it medicinal effects) boil or heat the water first then put the turmeric special formula in it like you would if you were making a cup of tea, add honey to taste, then drink it while it is warm, You can find the formula I sure several places but this is the brand I used http://vitanetonline.com/description/3802/vitamins/Turmeric-Special-Formula/.

Turmeric

Posted by KATHY (HENDERSONVILLE, NC) on 02/02/2008
★★★★★

I was diagnoised with type 2 diabetes a year ago and heve been taking all kinds of insulin to control it finally i began walking and it began to go down. i cut out all of my shots but my night time one. i started having severe pain in my right foot to the point that i could not hardly walk on it all the doc wanted to do was pain pills well i got on your site and found out about turmeric and began taking three capsules in the morning and three at night within two days my foot pain was gone !! now im having trouble with my carpul tunnel ive been taking ginger root and b 6 and alpha lipoic acid but they dont seem to be working im also still taking the turmeric capsules does anyone have any suggestions