Non-pharmacological Pain Management Therapies For Adults

GENERAL INFORMATION:

What are non-pharmacological (far-muh-ko-LAW-ji-kull) therapies? Non-pharmacological or natural therapies are things you can do or think about that help decrease your pain. These therapies do not involve taking medicines, but work along with your medicines. People have used "natural" ways to help with pain and healing from the very beginning of time.

• A long time ago, the Chinese learned that putting special needles in areas of the body could decrease pain. Music has also a very important part of healing the sick over time. Scientists are learning that common things like music, laughter, exercise and good smells cause our brains to make special chemicals. These special chemicals may help us to feel less pain.
  
  
• Also, being tense and upset causes pain to become worse. When you are tense, your muscles get tight which decreases blood flow in your body. Your heart beats faster and your blood pressure goes higher. Your breathing also gets faster and more shallow. Your brain begins to make chemicals, including ones that may cause pain. This stress and upset cycle causes you more pain. Certain ways to relax help loosen muscles. This breaks the whole cycle and may decrease your pain.
  
  
• There are many different ways you can work with your mind and your body to help decrease your pain. A natural therapy that works for you may not work well for another person. This is because people are all different. It may take a little time and practice to find a therapy that works well for you. And, you may find that using several therapies together works even better. Taking a warm bath with scented oil and playing soft music uses 3 natural therapies.

Why is pain control important? Pain can affect your appetite (ability or desire to eat), how well you sleep, your energy and your ability to do things. Pain can also affect your mood (how you feel about things) and relationships with others. Using natural therapies with your medicines to help your pain may let you feel more in control of your life. This control may help you suffer less, find hope, and even heal faster.

Care: Almost all types of pain, including cancer pain, can be controlled with medicine and are helped by using natural therapies. It may be hard to get your pain to go away completely. But, it is possible to lower your pain level so you can live and be comfortable doing everyday things. Work with your caregiver to find out what pain control treatments and therapies are best for you. Always tell your caregiver if the pain gets worse. Ask your caregiver if you want more information on any of the following non-drug pain control treatments.

• Acupuncture (AH-q-punk-sher) is based on the belief that life forces or energy move through the body in specific paths. These paths are called meridians (mer-IH-d-uns). With acupuncture, a needle is put into the meridian that runs to the area where you have pain. This needle blocks the meridian which stops or decreases the pain.
  
  
• Aromatherapy (uh-ro-muh-THAIR-uh-p) is a way of using good smells to help you relax and decrease pain. Candles, massage oils, scented bubble baths and even baking cookies are all ways that smells are used. Scientists are learning that good smells may change your mood and help you relax. It may also help your brain makes special chemicals like endorphins (n-DOOR-fins). Endorphins are a natural body chemical like morphine that decrease pain.
  
  
• Biofeedback teaches your body to respond in a different way to the stress of being in pain. Teaching your body to relax helps make the pain less. Caregivers may use a biofeedback machine so that you know right away when your body is relaxed. But, often you may not need any machines. Learn to take your pulse. Then take it while making your mind think about "slowing down" your pulse. This can work with breathing, temperature, and blood pressure too.
  
  
• Breathing exercises are another physical way to help your body relax. Teaching your body to relax helps make the pain less. Breathing in and out very slowly is all you do. Women have used breathing exercise for many years to decrease the pain of childbirth. A fun way to practice breathing slowly is to blow soap bubbles. You know you are doing a good job when you get very large bubbles. Remember to practice when you are not having pain. This helps it work better when you are having pain.
  
  
• Distraction (dih-STRAK-shun) teaches you to focus your attention on something other than pain. Try playing cards or games, watching TV, or taking a walk. You can also visit with friends, paint, pet animals, and write out your feelings. Using planned activities helps to manage the boredom that chronic pain and illness can cause. It may also cause you to relax and keep you from thinking about the pain.
  
  
• Environment (your surroundings) - Being in a quiet place may make it easier for you to deal with the pain. Avoiding bright lights or loud noisy places can also help control your pain. Making sure your home is not too hot or too cold may also decrease pain.
  
  
• Guided imagery (IH-mij-ree) teaches you to put pictures in your mind that will make the pain less intense. With guided imagery, you learn how to change the way your body senses and responds to pain. Imagine floating in the clouds or remembering favorite place. Guided imagery seems to especially help people with chronic lower back pain.
  
  
• Heat and cold can help decrease pain. Some types of pain improve best using heat while other types of pain improve most with cold. Caregivers will tell you if hot and/or cold packs will help your pain. Also, remember that a long warm bath may help calm you and let your muscles relax. A cool shower on a very hot summer day may do the same thing.
  
  
• Laughter - It has been said that "10 minutes of belly laughter gives 2 hours of pain-free sleep!" Laughter helps you breathe deeper and your stomach digest (break down) food. It lowers blood pressure and may cause your brain to make endorphins. Laughter can also help change your moods. It helps you relax and let go of stress, anger, fear, depression, and hopelessness. These are all parts of chronic pain.
  
  
• Massage is often used to help a person become more relaxed. Have someone gently massage your back, shoulders, and neck. Massage can be even more effective if you also use guided imagery, breathing exercises, or music.
  
  
• Music - It does not matter whether you listen to it, sing, hum or play an instrument. Music increases blood flow to the brain and helps you take in more air. Scientists are learning that it increases energy and helps change your mood. Music also may cause your brain to make special chemicals like endorphins. Endorphins are a natural body chemical like morphine that decrease pain. People who use music often say it decreases their need of medicines for pain and anxiety.
  
  
• Physical therapy can be helpful with pain that was caused by not moving one part of your body. Stretching the muscles and making them stronger around the injured area can help the pain go away.
  
  
• Radiation can be used to decrease the size of a cancer tumor that is pressing on nerves and causing pain. Radiation can also help decrease bone pain.
  
  
• Self-hypnosis is a way to change your level of awareness. This means that by focusing your attention you can move away from your pain. You make yourself open to suggestions like ignoring the pain or seeing the pain in a positive way. It is not known exactly how hypnosis helps pain. But, hypnosis can give long-lasting relief of pain without affecting your normal activities. Self-hypnosis gives you better control of your body. You may feel less hopeless and helpless because you are doing something to decrease the pain.
  
  
• Spinal cord stimulation is a nerve stimulation technique that is similar to TENS. The difference is that in SCS an electrode (a metal wire) is put near the spinal cord during surgery. SCS also uses mild, safe electrical signals to help control pain.
  
  
• TENS is short for transcutaneous (trans-q-TAIN-e-us) electrical nerve stimulation (stih-mew-LA-shun). A TENS unit is a portable, pocket-sized, battery-powered device which attaches to the skin. The TENS unit uses mild, safe electrical signals to help control pain.
  
  
• Touch energy therapies come from very old beliefs that life forces or energy move through the body in specific paths. Touch therapies believe disease may cause these paths to become blocked. The therapies use touch to help unblock these paths, and allow the energy to flow normally. Unblocking the paths may help you relax and decrease pain.

• National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, NIH
  Information Clearinghouse
  PO Box 7923
  Gaithersburg, MD 20898
  Phone: 1-301-5193153
  Phone: 1-888-6446226
  Web Address: http://nccam.nih.gov
  

• You have a new pain or the pain seems different than before.
  
  

CARE AGREEMENT:

You have the right to help plan your care. To help with this plan, you must learn how natural non-drug pain therapies can help decrease your pain. You can then discuss treatment options with your caregivers. Work with them to decide what care will be used to treat you. You always have the right to refuse treatment.

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