If you’re experiencing aches and pains, you’re likely seeking relief. The kind of relief you need largely depends on the type of injury you’re experiencing.
Serious injuries or severe pain will always require immediate medical attention, especially if the cause is unknown and you have not been diagnosed with a condition that would cause the pain.
Determining the type of pain is the first step in deciding how that pain is best treated. Some types of pain require a multidisciplinary approach.
Your doctor or specialist may suggest a combination of medications, therapies, and lifestyle changes to provide meaningful long-term relief for your pain.
Acute Pain
Acute pain is the type of pain you experience immediately after an injury. It can resolve before the day is over, or it may require up to several months of healing in order to fully diminish. Athletic injuries or muscle strains are both common examples of acute pain.
Chronic Pain
Chronic pain is pain that persists for longer than six months and may persist indefinitely. Lower back injuries, arthritis, and fibromyalgia are common causes of chronic pain.
Chronic pain does not necessarily need to be constant. It may be one particular type of pain that periodically “flares up” or is aggravated or incited by another factor.
Nociceptive Pain
Nociceptive pain is the sharp pain that occurs when a surface of your body is injured. Stubbing your toe, getting a minor burn, or a papercut would be considered forms of nociceptive pain.
Most nociceptive pain is acute, but in cases where tissue has been significantly damaged, some nociceptive pain may become chronic.
Neuropathic Pain
Neuropathic pain is pain that affects the nerves. People may feel continuous sharp pain or the “static” feeling of pins and needles in their extremities.
Neuropathic pain is often experienced by people living with conditions like peripheral neuropathy, diabetes, and multiple sclerosis.
Radicular Pain
Radicular pain is a common source of chronic or recurring pain. Radicular pain happens when the spinal nerve is inflamed or compressed. Pain often travels throughout the back and travels down the leg. This type of pain is commonly referred to as sciatica.
How Pain is Relieved
Your doctor or specialist should work with you to relieve pain related to a severe injury or medical condition. If your pain is acute or related to a minor injury, your options for pain relief may be limited.
Pharmacotherapy
Acute and chronic pain are usually treated with medication. In many cases, over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen and over-the-counter analgesics like acetaminophen are sufficient in the short term.
For post-surgical pain or pain following a severe injury, doctors may prescribe stronger pain relief medicines. Many people choose to limit or avoid using these medications due to their potential side effects and addictive potential.
Surgical Intervention
Pain relating to some injuries or health conditions may require surgical intervention. For example, a torn ACL ligament may require reconstruction before true relief is achievable.
Surgery comes with a lot of potential benefits, but it also involves a lot of risks.
Before you agree to surgery for pain relief, make sure you understand the full impact of a procedure.
Treatment of Underlying Disease
Obesity, diabetes, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, and peripheral neuropathy often cause chronic pain for people who live with these conditions.
Treating these conditions effectively and losing weight when necessary can help to reduce or fully relieve some of this pain.
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is used to help patients recover and find relief after surgical procedures. It’s also often incorporated into treatment plants for muscular injuries. Physical therapy can help people get their lives back to normal after surgery or an injury. It often relieves pain by encouraging the muscle to return to its natural state.
Massage
Massage is widely recognized as an effective tool for pain management, and it can be used to treat a wide variety of aches and pains. Women seek massages during maternity to cope with the aches and pains that come with a changing body.
People with chronic pain regularly receive massages as a part of their comprehensive treatment program. Athletes use massage to keep their muscles in great shape and help to prevent future injury.
At-Home Methods
Many people use at-home methods as a complementary form of treatment for their pain. If they’re already taking medication or utilizing therapies under the supervision of their doctor, at-home pain treatments may give them an extra boost as needed.
Most of the time, at-home methods won’t interfere with a doctor’s treatment plan. Before incorporating new therapies, supplements, or topical products into your treatment plan, you should always ask your doctor.
Hempvana May Help
If your doctor agrees that you would benefit from natural pain relief topical products, Hempvana has a whole host of gels and creams that perfectly fit the bill.
Our paraben-free, phthalate-free, cruelty-free, gluten-free, vegan pain relief products are a valuable solution for people looking to ease their aches naturally.
All of Hempvana’s topicals are formulated with naturally moisturizing hemp seed oil. They help your skin to retain moisture and provide a protective barrier to seal the moisture in. In addition to finding relief, you’ll also find your skin to be softer and smoother after application.
Hempvana Lidocaine Cream
Hempvana Lidocaine Cream is formulated with 4% lidocaine. The cream is quickly absorbed by the skin when applied, and the lidocaine begins to numb the affected area. Lidocaine is excellent for surface-level injuries or irritations and muscle strain or soreness from overuse or minor injury.
Hempvana Arthritis Pain Relief Gel
Hempvana Arthritis Pain Relief Gel is formulated with menthol. Menthol provides a cooling sensation to tense or inflamed muscles, making it easier to move around. This formula includes glucosamine and chondroitin, two supplements commonly used to support joint health.
Hempvana Pain Relief Cream
Hempvana’s Pain Relief Cream is formulated with trolamine salicylate, a highly effective topical analgesic. This ingredient works to soothe aches and pains from the surface of the skin, providing relief to achy joints and muscles as it penetrates.
Hempvana Platinum Pain Cream Turmeric and Aloe
Hempvana Platinum Pain Cream with Turmeric and Aloe boasts the pain-relieving power of trolamine salicylate. This cream contains 10% of its active ingredient, the maximum allowable for an over-the-counter topical pain relief product.
Hempvana Cold as Ice Gel
Hempvana’s Cold as Ice gel is formulated to take the edge off minor aches and pains related to muscular strain or arthritis. Cooling menthol works to minimize the sensation of pain while providing a soothing icy tingle that helps to promote relaxation.
Hempvana Rocket Relief Pen
The Hempvana Rocket Relief Pen is a portable TENS unit. TENS, or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, is a technology used to promote the release of endorphins that naturally diminish the sensation of pain.
Other TENS units aren’t portable. Since the Rocket Relief pen is compact, it can easily be kept at your desk at work or tossed into your gym or overnight bag.
Hempvana Arrow Posture
Hempvana Arrow Posture is a low-profile, discrete, highly supportive back brace. It works to help correct posture. Poor posture is a major contributor to back pain, and it’s just as likely to affect people who work on their feet as it is to affect people who work at a desk.
Arrow Posture can help to prevent pain by encouraging you to sit with your back properly aligned.
What to Do When You’re in Pain
If you’ve recently become injured or are experiencing a new pain sensation, you need to speak with your doctor. It’s best not to assume you understand the extent of the injury, and you shouldn’t attempt to treat it at home without proper medical supervision.
After you’ve spoken to your doctor, you’ll be able to work towards developing a treatment plan. If you’re interested in topical, non-habit-forming pain relief products that you can use for chronic, acute, or recurrent pain, ask your doctor if Hempvana can become a part of your wellness plan.
Sources:
ACL reconstruction | Mayo Clinic
Diabetic neuropathy – Symptoms and causes | Mayo Clinic
Pain Relief Through Physical Therapy | University of Utah Health
Therapeutic massage for pain relief | Harvard Medical School
Lidocaine (Topical Application Route) Description and Brand Names | Mayo Clinic
Trolamine Salicylate skin cream | Mayo Clinic
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) | Cleveland Clinic
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