When you see articles about opioids in Inc. Magazine and on the front page of the L.A. Times, you know it’s an epidemic that is impacting lives and businesses all over. According to the November 2017 deaths quadrupled from 2011-2015. The November 8, 2017 L.A. Times article quantifies this to an average of 91 deaths per day. Almost 2 million Americans are addicted to opiates and narcotic painkillers, both illegal and prescription. 

The L.A. Times article featured a report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). It details a study of 416 patients in the Montefiore Medical Center’s emergency department in Brooklyn, NY. This study showed that non-prescription medication can be just as effective at pain management as opioids. 

Natural remedies to relieve pain and heal the body, with no danger of addiction, have been proven effective for centuries. For example, 

1. Chiropractic Care: Used to treat pain related to skeletal injuries. Chiropractors must go through several years of rigorous training to help patients ease immediate pain and start physical relief for long-term wellness. 

2. Acupuncture: Long respected in Asia, acupuncture is known for its effectiveness in pain management and healing. The California State Acupuncture Committee confirms that licensed acupuncturists have had success with a variety of ailments from allergy elimination to tinnitus. 

3. Massage Therapy: Much pain is related to tight muscles and over-worked nerves. Moreover, with stress well-documented as one of the four major factors leading up to heart disease and stroke, a good massage can relieve your pain today as well as improve your health for tomorrow. Additionally, improved blood circulation is a benefit that increases overall physical conditioning, especially for aging adults. 

4. Hypnotherapy: Given the statistics supporting the placebo effect, it is no surprise that much pain is perceived as much as actual. A professional hypnotherapist is trained and skilled in helping people re-focus from pain to gain. 

A variety of other natural therapies are also available. From halotherapy to float therapy and beyond, you may not need a pill at all, and certainly not one that is potentially dangerous and addictive. 

Once the healing and recovery process is initiated, preventive health care to improve overall health and wellness may help reduce pain in the future. Eating healthy foods and getting exercise, as well as techniques relevant to reducing stress and anxiety, can help. 

With all of the options available for recovering from pain these days, there’s no need for the national opioid crisis to become a personal one. If it has, it may be time to open up to the alternatives. 


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