Naturopathic Alternatives to Pain Management - Written by Dr. Sherry Chen, Naturopath - Toronto, Canada

Naturopathic Alternatives to Pain Management

In the news recently, the spotlight has been on a class of drugs referred to as the COX-2 Inhibitor Drugs. These drugs target the inflammatory process and are taken by many for the management of pain. Once hailed as the solution to reducing the side effects (gastrointestinal bleeding, destruction of connective tissue etc.) of NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), these drugs have now been associated with an increase in risk for heart attacks and stroke.

With these drugs being pulled from the market, it leaves many going back to NSAIDs and other drugs that also have many side effects. NSAIDs alone causes 16 000 deaths in America associated with gastrointestinal bleeding and other adverse effects. Are there no other options to turn to?

Naturopathic Solutions to Pain management:

Homeopathy: Homeopathic remedies have helped many with their pain, from low back pain to degenerative arthritic conditions. There are no reported adverse effects on renal, hepatic, cardiovascular, nervous, or gastrointestinal systems and they are compatible with other medications.
Remedies such as bryonia, nux vomica, rhus toxicodendron and complex homeopathics such as Zeel comp. are just a few of a wide range of remedies to choose from. Please see a licensed Naturopathic Doctor or a trained homeopath to find the right remedy for you.

Traditional Chinese Medicine: Pain in Chinese medicine is usually associated with a blockage of our Qi (energy). In the traditional medical books it states “if there is pain, there is blockage, if there is no blockage, there is no pain”. This blockage/stagnation maybe caused by several factors such as, an external cold invasion, blood stagnation (maybe from injury or poor blood circulation), dampness/phlegm or damp heat. Different herbs can be used to address the specific symptom picture that you present with and help to remove the blockage. The use of acupuncture is another way of invigorating the body’s Qi to move again and therefore eliminating the blockage along the meridians (the path in which Qi travels). Recent studies it has been demonstrated that acupuncture for arthritic patients does reduce the pain substantially and improve the quality of life of the patient. In 2004, a study done by the National Centre for Complementary and Alternative Medicine showed that acupuncture reduces the pain and functional impairment of osteoarthritis of the knee.

Nutritional Supplements: Devil’s claw, willow bark, gamma linolenic acid (GLA) and other supplements have all demonstrated to play a role in reducing pain.

Please see a Licensed Naturopathic Doctor so they may determine which type of treatment would best suit your needs.

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