Fighting Pain
Have you woken up in the middle of the night with a toothache or curled up in bed with PMS cramps? Pain is an essential part of life, but can be reduced. Here are some easy ways to ease your aches, soothe your muscles, and feel better. Whether it’s a splitting headache, an aching neck, stiff joints, or a sprained ankle, there’s a way of getting relief. Of course, there’s good old aspirin that we all reach out for before seeing a doctor. Download this info to know what else you can do. Make sure you keep your doctor informed about any treatment you may try.
Headaches:
For most of us a headache is just one of those things we have learnt to live with. Various forms of headaches are among the most common disorders of the nervous system. They are pandemic and, in many cases, life-long conditions. Occasional headaches can be caused by a number of things – stress, strain, fatigue, lack of sleep, eyesight problems, even acidity. If you get Tension-Type Headache (TTH), understand that it is the result of taut muscles. According to World Health Organization, TTH affects 1 to 3% of adults. Try stress-busters like a short walk, deep breathing exercises or muscle-relaxing exercises like rotating your shoulders. In a month-long study of 260 chronic tension-headache sufferers, about 22% of those who listened to guided imagery tapes 20 minutes a day, reported that their aches were “much better” than before the treatment, compared with only 8% of the control group. For immediate relief doctors recommended an OTC pain reliever like ibuprofen or aspirin. If you suffer from chronic headaches, see a doctor.
Stomach Ache:
The digestive tract is geared to handle foods of different types, chemical compositions and temperatures. So, when you feel your insides gripe, it could be an indication of things going wrong: indigestion, infection or even ulcers. Pain could be your stomach’s way of protesting a food binge. Go easy on the next meal or wait till you feel hungry. Most of the time, over the counter antacids and painkillers can provide relief. Home remedies like chewing a few mint (pudina) leaves or ajwain also help. For menstrual cramps, you could take 400 mg Vitamin E once a day for three months. Or, try a few cycles of oral contraceptive pills. And yes, stop caffeine and cut back on salt intake. Chronic pain should be reported to the doctor.
Tip: Some foods are difficult to digest and can give you a stomach ache. Go easy on spicy and oily stuff. Drinking cumin water for severe stomach pain is good.
Sore Throat:
Most sore throats hit you first thing in the morning and especially during a change of season. There are several OTC drugs available to ease discomfort, but you simply have to wait for your immune system to fight the virus. Meanwhile, gargle with tepid water and a pinch of salt. Make sure the water is not too warm, since that can harm the throat. Or try sipping herbal tea made with tulsi (holy basil) and ginger. Sixty adults with inflamed throats drank either a tea containing herbs or a placebo beverage four to six times a day for about a week. Those who downed the brew reported 48% less pain than the placebo group.
Tip: Brew a broth with a piece of ginger, a few pepper corns and a few drops of lime juice. Sip the broth three times a day.
