In the iconic and extremely quotable 1987 film, The Princess Bride, one of the film’s protagonists remarks, “Life is pain... Anyone who says differently is selling something.” There is a truth to that idea. Whether we’re dealing with chronic headaches, sports injuries, or nursing a stubbed toe, pain comes to us all in some way. But accepting pain’s existence doesn’t mean that there aren’t ways to naturally relieve pain in its various forms.
Heat and Ice
After a long, tough day, many people look forward to taking in a nice hot shower or bath, and there is a reason for that (you know, other than the desire to wash off all the grody sweat). Heat is a natural relaxer that loosens tense muscles and opens blood vessels to improve blood flow. This makes heat a great natural way to relieve pain from stiff joints, muscle tension, or poor circulation. Some say that heat can even relieve some emotional pain, specifically feelings of anxiety, depression, and even loneliness.
Though you can often relieve through an increase in blood flow, there are times when a decrease in blood flow is more beneficial to that end. This is especially true when inflammation or swelling is involved. That’s when you need to head to the other end of the temperature spectrum with cold therapy. Ice packs, cold compresses, and ice baths are especially valuable after an injury or other source of inflammation.
Natural Pain Reducers
When most people think of taking a pain reliever, they tend to think of taking ibuprofen or Tylenol. But for those who want to avoid the potential side effects of over-the-counter medication, there are several natural ingredients that people have utilized for thousands of years to reduce pain. These ingredients include:
- Turmeric
- Cloves
- Peppermint
- Ginger
- Eucalyptus
- Rosemary
- Lavender
CBD may also help provide pain and inflammation relief without many of the unfortunate side effects associated with other types of pain killers. This is because of the way CBD interacts with the endocannabinoid system, which may in part control our body’s response to pain.
Massage
People have used massage to help relieve pain for approximately 5,000 years. Massage helps relieve muscle pain from tension, injuries, poor posture, and even chronic health conditions such as arthritis or fibromyalgia. Massage accomplishes this in several ways. First, it helps reduce muscle tension by breaking up knots and promoting overall relaxation. It also helps promote circulation to these areas and even helps break up scar tissue during the healing process. You can potentially expand upon these health benefits by swapping out your regular massage oils with a CBD topical cream.
Pain is inevitable, and part of accepting that is knowing how you will respond to pain. For life’s painful moments, Cannariver is here to supply all your CBD needs.
