Relieve Numbness in the Hands, Feet, Arms, and Legs

A sudden attack of numbness can be crippling. I once woke up with an arm that was so numb that I thought it was dead. I thought that somehow I had tangled my arm under me in the middle of the night and cut off all circulation. It turns out that my arm recovered within 20 minutes, which is why I am able to type right now with the speed that I am typing. But numbness can be the result of more serious diseases like a damaged nerve, a stroke, toxicity, or severe deficiency in one or more vitamins or minerals. There are some ways to treat numbness and restore feeling in your arms and legs.

Most of the time, numbness is caused by a part of your body losing circulation. This can occur after you slept on your arm wrong or sat on your leg wrong. When this happens, one of your first instincts is probably to try to move the numb limb and try to regain feeling in that limb. You might also try to massage the limb and rework the muscles. In addition to massaging, you might want to try heat therapy. Increasing the temperature of certain parts of your body can speed up blood flow and help you recover your loss of feeling.

If your numbness is not caused by poor circulation, you will probably need to discover the underlying cause. Research numbness and try to see if you can pinpoint the source of the disease.

If your numbness is caused by a more serious condition like nerve damage, you might need certain herbal supplements in order to repair the damaged nerve. Herbs like ferrum phosphoricum, magnesium phosphate and kalium phosphate help in providing your nerves with the nutrients that they need in order to heal. Since your body is capable of healing every part of the body, including your damaged nerves. All you really have to do is figure out which nutrients your body needs in order to heal.

There are also herbs like ginkgo biloba, rosemary, and matricaria recutita. These herbs promote an all around healthy nervous system.

Do you suffer from chronic pain?  Do you also enjoy music?  If you answered, “yes,” to both of those questions, there may be good news for you.  A study published in the June issue of the Journal of Advanced Nursing indicates music may effectively help lower pain, allowing you to achieve natural relief for your pain. 

Chronic Pain

Unfortunately, it seems chronic pain is becoming more and more common among Americans in today’s society.  Some of the causes of chronic pain include, but are not limited to:

· Arthritis
· Lupus
· Lyme Disease
· Fibromyalgia
· Injuries
· Spinal stenosis

While prescription painkillers are one option for pain relief, many individuals choose to try to relieve their pain naturally through the use of one or more of the following: acupuncture, physical therapy, massage therapy, reflexology, herbal therapy, and heat therapy.  A new study indicates listening to music may be another type of natural pain relief individuals may use to relieve chronic pain.

Music for Chronic Pain

The researchers of the study wanted to determine not only if listening to music would lessen pain, depression, feelings of powerlessness, and disability, but they also wanted to determine if it mattered what type of music individuals with chronic pain listened to in order to achieve less pain.  The study included 60 individuals who suffered from chronic pain, and were recruited from a chiropractic office and pain clinics in Ohio. 

All of the participants in the study had suffered from chronic pain for at least six months or longer.  More than half of the participants had not received any pain-related diagnosis; however, of those who did, osteoarthritis was the most commonly received pain-related diagnosis among individuals in the study. 

The participants were divided into three different groups.  One group acted as a control group and was not asked to listen to music during the study period.  Another group was asked to choose their favorite music or nature sounds and to listen to it for one hour each day.  The third group was asked to choose instrumental music provided by the researchers and told to listen to it one hour each day.  The study lasted for one week.  Participants were also asked to fill out surveys regarding their pain, disability, depression, and how powerful they felt to make changes in their lives both before and after the study.

Participants in both groups that listened to music for an hour each day for a week had less pain, disability, and depression and felt they had more ability to make changes in their lives at the end of the research study.  More specifically, on average, depression decreased by up to 25%, self-rated disability decreased by up to 18%, pain decreased by up to 20%, and feelings of empowerment in one’s life increased by up to 8 percent.  In addition, the type of music one listened to did not appear to make a difference as there were no statistically significant differences found among individuals who listened to their favorite music versus those who listened to music provided by the researchers.

This study indicates listening to music may help reduce pain, depression, and disability and improve feelings of empowerment over one’s life.  The researchers note music is not necessarily meant to replace other types of pain therapy, but rather to supplement other types of pain treatment. 

Source:

Fox News: Music May Ease Chronic Pain

Do you suffer from lower back pain?  If you do, you are certainly not alone.  In fact, the National Institute of Health asserts eight out of ten Americans will suffer from some type of lower back pain, either acute or chronic, in their lifetime.  While medication is available for the treatment of lower back pain, this may not always be a viable option.  A new study indicates active physical therapy can help individuals attain natural pain relief for lower back pain. 

Back Pain and Conventional Treatment

Chronic and acute lower back pain may be caused by several conditions or injuries.  Some of the conditions, which may cause lower back pain include:

· Fibromyalgia
· Osteomyelitis
· Spinal degeneration
· Injury
· Herniated disc
· Cauda Equina Syndrome
· Myofascial Pain
· Spinal Stenosis
· Tumors
· Sacroilliitis

While prescription and/or over-the-counter pain medication may be taken for some back conditions causing lower back pain, sometimes individuals either do not respond to such treatment or the medication’s side effects are too much for individuals to handle.  Thus, as a new study shows, physical therapy may be a good alternative or additional therapy to conventional treatment.

Physical Therapy for Lower Back Pain

The researchers of the study wanted to determine if individuals who previously participated in active physical therapy benefited more than those who had participated in non-active (passive) physical therapy for lower back pain.  Active physical therapy was constituted by active exercising while passive physical therapy was constituted by electrical stimulation, hot/cold treatment, and ultrasound greater than 25% of the time spent in physical therapy sessions. 

Four hundred seventy-one individuals took part in the study ranging from age 18-80 years old.  One hundred thirty-two patients had received active physical therapy while 339 patients had received passive physical therapy for the treatment of lower back pain. 

The researchers discovered patients who had received active physical therapy experienced more successful physical therapy outcomes, fewer physical therapy sessions, lower costs from physical therapy, decreased pain, increased ability to function, and shorter duration of care than those who had undergone passive physical therapy.  In addition, the researchers noted those who had passive physical therapy utilized more healthcare services, including office visits, prescription medications, diagnostic procedures, surgical procedures, inpatient hospital stays, and emergency room visits than those who underwent active physical therapy sessions. 

It appears that active exercising of the lower back during physical therapy sessions is important in relieving lower back pain.  However, it should be noted that this study was a retrospective study, and other studies may need to be conducted in order to further support the benefits of active versus passive physical therapy treatment for lower back pain. 

Sources:

National Institute of Health: Medline Plus: Back Pain

Medical News Today: Physical Therapists Offer Low-Cost Solution to High-Cost Expenditures for Acute Lower Back Pain

Web MD: Causes of Lower Back Pain

Ulcers Happen in More Places Than the Stomach

Are your legs worried? Leg ulcers are not caused by worrying too much, but rather by a lack of blood supply to the skin on your legs. Poor circulation can cause cracks, pain, swelling and redness on the skin of your legs. These ulcers can form into very painful, open wounds that are not only unattractive, but can easily become infected. You should immediately do whatever you can to treat leg ulcers on your legs. Restore nutrients to your legs and find pain relief.

Leg ulcers are caused by poor circulation to your legs. The lack of circulation can be worsened if you are experiencing an infection or other problems that can reduce blood circulation. Leg ulcers also occur when the immune system is weakened.

Though leg ulcers can be treated directly, the best way to treat a leg ulcer is to treat the underlying causes associated with poor immune system function. Weight loss and detoxification programs are recommended for those suffering from leg ulcers.

While the underlying causes of leg ulcers are being treated, you should treat the wound itself. Make sure to sterilize the ulcer  and use non-adhering dressing.

There are also many herbs that are good for treating the underlying causes of leg ulcers. Ginko biloba can improve circulation to your legs. Rosemary and zingiber officinalis can reduce inflammation that can accompany leg ulcers. Kalium muriaticum and sulphate can cleanse the blood and help eliminate wastes. These herbs are also great for strengthening the lymph.

Tension headaches are the most common type of headache experienced among people who suffer with headache pain.  These headaches are constituted by pain on both sides of the head that is mild to moderate in intensity and tightness in the shoulders, neck, and head.  While there are medications available to help prevent and treat tension headaches, you can also achieve natural pain relief from these types of headaches by utilizing aromatherapy. 

Tension Headaches

Tension headaches may be triggered by a number of things, including, but not limited to the following:

· Smoking or inhaling second-hand smoke
· Clenching your jaw
· Grinding your teeth
· Ingesting alcohol
· Pollution in the air
· Glare from fluorescent lights
· Chemical imbalances
· Low blood pressure
· Getting too little or too much sleep
· Changes in altitude
· Dehydration
· Having the wrong prescription for your eyeglasses or contacts or having eye problems
· Medication side effects
· Overexposure to the sun

As I mentioned earlier, there are both over-the-counter and prescription medications that can help treat tension headaches.  However, some individuals do not react well to prescription medication.  Other times, over-the-counter or prescription medication is ineffective in treating the headaches.  Thus, you may want to consider utilizing aromatherapy to attain natural pain relief for your tension headaches.

Aromatherapy for Tension Headaches

According to Relieving Pain Naturally: Safe and Effective Alternative Approaches to Treating and Overcoming Chronic Pain, the essential oils which are most useful for relieving tension headaches through aromatherapy are:

· Basil
· Peppermint
· Lavender
· Rosemary
· Niaouli
· Cajeput
· Eucalyptus

There are two ways in which aromatherapy may be conducted: through absorption or through inhalation.  I will discuss how to do both types of aromatherapy here.

Absorption

Absorption occurs when your skin absorbs the essential oils and takes them to affected tissues, organs, bones, and muscles via the bloodstream.  You can absorb essential in different ways.  One way you can absorb essential oils is to add them to your bath water.  If you decide to bathe with essential oils, add 3-6 drops of each essential oil you want to use to a half-tub full of water and soak in it for at least 15 minutes. 

You can also absorb essential oils through massage.  Add 2-4 drops of your selected essential oil to two teaspoons of carrier oil, rub a small amount of the mixed oils together in your hands, and apply to the painful area.  If you decide to massage essential oils into your head for tension headache, wait at least two hours before you take a bath or a shower in order to give the oils time to absorb completely into the skin.

You can also make a compress out of essential oils to place on your head for tension headache relief.  In order to make the compress, put 2-4 drops of an essential oil into every one cup of warm water you use.  Soak a cloth in the water for a little while.  Place the warm, wet cloth onto your head and cover it with a towel.  Leave the compress on for 30 minutes.

Inhalation

Another way you can conduct aromatherapy is by inhalation.  When you inhale essential oils, they enter the bloodstream through the olfactory nerve and the lungs.  One way you can inhale essential oils for tension headache relief is to add five drops of your selected oil to a small dish of water and place on a heater or radiator.  Alternatively, put two drops of essential oil onto a Kleenex, put the tissue into a plastic sandwich bag, and inhale when you need relief from a headache. 

Warnings

Some individuals should not utilize aromatherapy as natural pain relief.  Sometimes, essential oils may cause irritation if massaged into the skin.  To discover if it is okay to massage any particular essential oil into your body, test it on a small part of the skin first.  If you know you are allergic to a specific plant, do not use essential oils that come from that plant. 

Additionally, you should not use rosemary, sage oil, or thyme oil if you suffer from high blood pressure.  Do not use clary sage oil within several hours of consuming alcohol.  Finally, if you suffer from epilepsy, do not use fennel oil. 

Aromatherapy can help you relieve tension headaches naturally.  Try it.  Then come back and let us know how effective it was for relieving your symptoms.

Source: 

Relieving Pain Naturally: Safe and Effective Alternative Approaches to Treating and Overcoming Chronic Pain by Sylvia Goldfarb, Ph.D. and Roberta W. Waddell
 

Migraines are headaches constituted by severe, intense pain on one side of the head, commonly lasting anywhere from 4-72 hours.  Some symptoms that may accompany migraines include vomiting, sensitivity to light and/or sound, and nausea.  The cause of migraines is not specifically known, though certain things tend to trigger these headaches.  The usual, medical treatment for migraines is to take prescription medication.  However, a new study indicates magnetic therapy may also be effective for achieving natural pain relief for migraines.

Migraines

Migraines are a relatively common type of headache, in which approximately 30% of sufferers have warning signs, known as auras.  Some warning signs of migraines include seeing flashing lights, wavy lines or dots, experiencing numbness in the face, arms, and hands, and/or experiencing a “pins and needles” sensation up to one half an hour before a migraine appears. 

Magnetic Therapy for Migraines

Magnetic therapy is an alternative therapy, believed to aid in the reduction of certain types of pain.  In a recent study, researchers wanted to determine whether applying a magnetic device to the back of the head would help with migraine pain. 

The current study included 201 participants who suffered from migraines with auras, who were split into two different groups.  One group of migraine sufferers was given a transcranial magnetic stimulation device, which delivers short magnetic impulses to the brain.  The other group of participants was given a trasncranial magnetic stimulation device that did not deliver magnetic impulses to the brain.  The researchers instructed all of the participants to put the magnetic stimulation devices on the back of their heads as soon as they experienced the migraine auras. 

What the study indicated was interesting; while 22% of participants who used the fake magnetic stimulation device experienced relief from migraine pain two hours after using the device, 39% of those who used the active magnetic stimulation device received pain relief from migraines two hours after they utilized it.  In other words, the study indicates the magnetic therapy may be effective for relieving migraine pain.

The potential for magnetic therapy being used for migraine sufferers offers hope to many people.  While medication can be used to prevent or treat migraines, some individuals cannot take the medication due to its side effects.  Other times, medication may not be effective in relieving the pain felt by migraine sufferers. 

The authors of this study acknowledge it is too early to tell if this therapy will be beneficial to the general migraine population, and larger studies need to be done in order to determine this. 

Magnetic therapy may be available in the future for treating migraines for individuals who do not respond to, do not want to take, or have negative side effects to migraine medication. 

Sources:

Wikipedia: Migraines

ABC News: Magnetic Field Device May Zap Away Migraines

All Natural Treatments for Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ)

Temporomandibular joint disorder is a mouthful. Parts of the jaw become stretched or out of alignment. You might have a difficult time opening or closing your mouth. This tension can affect your ability to talk and eat. In some cases, this disorder can cause headaches, earaches, neck pain, stiffness, and  teeth grinding. There are ways to relieve the tension in your jaw and relieve the pain that is caused by jaw tension.

Your dentist might have a mouthpiece that can help put your jaw back into alignment. By wearing this, your jaw can gradually shift back into alignment. Dentists also often recommend ice packs and heat therapy for natural methods pain relief from TMJ. You can beat him to the punch by applying heating pads to your jaw. This heat should ease the pain and encourage your jaw to loosen up.

Stress management can also play an important role approaches including stress support groups and psychological counseling can assist in reducing muscle tension. Biofeedback helps patients recognize times of increased muscle activity and spasm and provides methods to help control them.

There are also a large variety of herbs that can help your condition. The following herbs listed below can help loosen joints:

• Causticum
• Rhus toxicodendron
• Ruta graveolens
• Kalmia
• Ignatia
• Magnesia phosphorica

In addition to these herbs, there are other herbs that can provide pain relief, such as:

• Cramp bark
• Lobelia
• Passiflora incarnata
• Melissa officinalis

When wearing a mouth piece, you need to give your jaw plenty of time to heal. You should only eat foods that will be easy on your jaw. You might also want to stretch your jaw and apply pressure to the parts of the jaw that are tense. By rubbing that part of the jaw, you can loosen up tension. You can also try to increase your calcium intake.

We all experience occasional aches and pains; these are part of life.  Perhaps we have strained a muscle.  Or perhaps we have overexerted our muscles in working out or moving.  No matter what the ache or pain you are experiencing, you can likely achieve natural pain relief by utilizing herbal treatments.

Bromelain

Bromelain is especially useful for painful muscles caused by overexertion.  Bromelain is an enzyme from the pineapple plant, and contains substances to relieve inflammation.  Taking bromelain on an empty stomach helps your body reabsorb inflammation, promoting the healing process. 

The Doctors Book of Herbal Home Remedies suggests taking one 250mg capsule of bromelain four times each day one hour after eating meals.  This herb is safe to take for long periods of time. 

Willow and Meadowsweet

Willow and Meadowsweet help reduce inflammation and pain in muscles and joints naturally.  These two herbs together act like aspirin, but are easier on the stomach than aspirin.  The Doctors Book of Herbal Home Remedies recommends if your stomach is very sensitive to aspirin, try rubbing 25 milliners of willow and meadowsweet combined right on the painful muscles or joints you have.  If your stomach is not especially sensitive to aspirin, you can try taking 10 drops of combined meadowsweet and willow tincture four times a day. 

You may buy willow and meadowsweet separately and mix equal parts of them together, or you can buy the herbs already combined. 

Cramp Bark

Cramp bark does several things.  It increases blood flow to painful joints and muscles, helps your body reabsorb the by products of inflammation, and relaxes tight muscles.  Take 5 milliliters of 1:5 cramp bark tincture three times each day to help relieve pain. 

Baths With Essential Oils

Not only are essential oils anti-inflammatory, they also help relax tight muscles and increase blood flow and nutrients to painful areas in your body.  You can use 6-10 drops each of lavender, rosemary, peppermint, and/or bergamot in your bath water to help you reduce pain naturally.  Please not that you should not exceed three drops of peppermint in your bath water.  Additionally, you can add ¼ cup of Epsom salt to your bath water in order to help your body absorb these healing essential oils.  Taking baths with peppermint, rosemary, babergamot, and lavender any time you need to for painful muscles and joints is safe.

Alternatively, you could take a bath with lemon, orange, ginger, and cloves.  These herbs relieve pain and relax tight muscles and joints.  To make this solution to put in your bath water, put five whole cloves, one orange peel, one slice of lemon, one cinnamon stick, and ginger that is one-inch long cut into slices into one pint of water and bring it to a boil.  Let this solution simmer for 20 minutes before stringing into your warm bath water.  This solution is safe to put into your bath water as often as you need. 

Guaiacum

Guaiacum is especially good for individuals who experience chronic pain.  Drinking three cups of decoction tea each day helps relieve pain.  It also increases blood flow in the body, which helps reabsorb damaged and dead cells, which are caused by inflammation. 

The Doctors Book of Herbal Home Remedies suggests putting one teaspoon of guaiacum wood chips into one cup of water.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes before straining and drinking.  It is safe to drink this tea until your symptoms go away. 

These herbal treatments should help you relieve the normal aches and pains we experience as a part of life. 

Source:

The Doctors Book of Herbal Home Remedies: Cure Yourself With Nature’s Most Powerful Healing Agents Produced by Varro E. Tyler

Unfortunately, cancer is a relatively common disease in the United States today.  Those with cancer face many challenges during their illness and treatment, including pain.  In fact, according to Cancer Pain, 30-50% of individuals with cancer experience pain while receiving treatment and 70-90% of those suffering with advanced cancer experience pain.  A new study indicates writing, and more specifically, emotional writing, may help cancer patients naturally relieve pain. 

Medical Pain Relief

Many doctors tend to prescribe Morphine or other narcotic pain medications for cancer patients.  However, sometimes, individuals cannot tolerate the side effects of narcotic drugs.  Other times, they are not effective enough on their own.  Regardless of whether or not you are being treated with other medical treatments for your pain, a new study shows that emotional writing can help you achieve pain relief from your cancer naturally. 

New Evidence for Emotional Writing

In a new study, researchers at Tuffs-New England Medical Center wanted to determine if individuals suffering with cancer could achieve pain relief through narrative writing.  The researchers divided 234 participants with cancer into three groups.  All participants had at least moderate levels of pain at the start of the research study. 

One group of participants was instructed to remain on their regular regimen of care.  Another group of participants filled out standard questionnaires regarding their pain.  The last group of participants was instructed to engage in narrative writing, where they were asked to write about how their pain affected their lives for 20 minutes every week for a total of three weeks. 

All participants filled out standard questionnaires regarding their pain levels and well-being at the beginning of the study as well as once a week for eight weeks. 

What the researchers discovered was interesting.  They found a difference in pain levels among the narrative writing group.  More specifically, participants who wrote about how their cancer affected their emotions reported less pain and greater well-being than those who did not open up about how their cancer made them feel. 

The researchers acknowledge more research should be done on emotional writing and cancer pain relief to determine if it is a good way to reduce cancer pain naturally.  They also assert it would be interesting to determine if having cancer patients verbally talk about their cancer and how it makes them feel would reduce pain. 

This study seems to indicate writing, especially writing about how a disease affects your emotional well-being is a good way to reduce pain, and perhaps stress as well.  I believe this study provides new hope for individuals who are suffering with cancer and pain, especially those who may not be able to tolerate the side effects of narcotic medication, typically used to treat cancer pain. 

Sources:

Chronic Pain Connection:  “Emotional” Writing May Help Ease Cancer Pain

Cancer-Pain: Understanding Cancer Pain

Do you experience migraine headaches?  If you do, you certainly are not alone!  These headaches are extremely painful, and can even be debilitating.  A new research study, however, shows individuals who experience migraine headaches may be able to achieve natural pain relief through exercise and relaxation.

Migraine Headaches

Migraine headaches are extremely painful, and while some individuals get a warning sign that they are coming, known as an aura, according to Yahoo Health, most individuals get migraine headaches unexpectedly.  Those who do get auras may experience a “pins and needles” sensation or numbness in the face, hands, and arms, and/or see wavy lines, flashes of light, or sports up to 30 minutes before the migraine begins.

Migraine symptoms include the following:

· Nausea and/or vomiting
· Pulsating or throbbing headache on one side of the head
· Sensitivity to sound, light, and sometimes to smells
· Headache intensity ranging from moderate to severe
· Headache may get worse with normal physical activities

New Research

In a recent research study, published in the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine in July researchers wanted to determine if exercise and relaxation would help migraine pain.  In the study the researchers divided a group of 30 women who suffered with migraine headaches into two groups.  In one group, women continued with the migraine treatment they were currently on whereas in the other group, women were instructed to engage in an exercise and relaxation program. 

Women who participated in the exercise and relaxation program did 45 minutes of aerobic exercise and 15 minutes of progressive muscle relaxation twice each week. 

After six weeks, women who participated in the exercise program reported less painful headache intensity than those who did not.  In addition, while the general psychological well-being between women in the exercise program and those who were not was not significantly different, those who exercised reported feeling less symptoms of depression than women who stuck with their usual migraine treatment. 

The authors of the study admit that they do not know which was effective in reducing headache intensity – exercising or progressive muscle relaxation.  More research needs to be done in order to better understand what treatments can naturally relieve migraine headache pain. 

Exercise

If you are interested in trying aerobic exercise for your migraine headaches, check your local gym, health clubs, and/or YMCA.  These places typically have several aerobic exercise classes you can attend as a member of the gym. 

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Progressive muscle relaxation is a common relaxation exercise where you progressively tighten, then relax each muscle group in your body.  For specific instructions on progressive muscle relaxation, please visit About.com: How to Do Progressive Muscle Relaxation.

Sources:

Yahoo Health: Migraine Headaches: Symptoms

My Migraine Connection: Exercise Plus Relaxation May Lessen Migraine Pain

About: How to Do Progressive Muscle Relaxation