The Five Best Non-Medical Pain Treatments
Pain medications can be incredibly helpful when it comes to both acute and chronic pain - but it often doesn’t solve the problem or even resolve it 100%. So what else can you do? Here are my five favourite ways to manage pain - beyond medication:
Focus on alignment
When our body is out of alignment - our core stabilizers shut off and the major “mover” muscles of the body take over. These muscles aren’t designed to be used this way - they fatigue, fail, and our body gets hurt. To manage pain we need to first, and foremost, start using our muscles correctly and getting into alignment (I love doing this through Pilates 1:1 or group classes) will teach our different muscles how to do their jobs properly - reducing pain and preventing injury.
2. Strengthen Your Core
Speaking of muscles, your deep core muscles (including transversus abdominis, multifidus, internal and external obliques, pelvic floor, and erector spinae) help to stabilize the trunk of the body and support alignment. They’re often weak and working to strengthen these muscles will aid the body in staying alignment, mobile, and pain free.
3. Walk
Walking is affordable, convenient, low-impact, and one of these best forms of exercise. Daily walks help to keep the joints moving, the fascia supple, and offset the many hours we spend sitting in our days.
4. Hydrate
Hydrated fascia is healthy fascia. When our fascia (an incredibly important and active connective tissue in the body) gets dehydrated it becomes stiff and contracted and it prevents the body from moving properly. Drinking water with electrolytes is my favourite way to support fascia and reduce pain. Note: as with all these tips, you should connect with your primary healthcare provider before adding in supplements or therapies.
5. myoActivation
My favourite! myoActivation is a treatment technique that releases dense and contracted tissues that aren’t moving properly and causing pain. Book yourself in today for a free assessment and treatment today!
