Although most cases of back pain are “uncomplicated” and should be able to heal with the treatments mentioned above, sometimes in severe cases other interventions are necessary. Speak to your doctor if you experience lower back pain that does not get better in a few days or weeks. If back pain starts suddenly, look out for other symptoms that may point to a more serious condition, such as a fever, chills, dizziness, numbness or unexplained weight loss.
Although it is normal to experience some pain and soreness when running or while engaging in similarly intense forms of physical activity, pain that persists long after you exercise is usually indicative of a greater problem. Be sure to consult with a medical professional before turning to any topical creams and gels; they can help you diagnose the source of your pain and may recommend alternate treatment options.
A 2015 Cochrane review of 61 studies involving nearly 8,400 people found that topical NSAIDs relieved pain from strains, sprains, and overuse injuries, but with less side effects than oral NSAIDs. Similarly, a 2006 review of four randomized trials found that topical diclofenac reduced knee pain due to osteoarthritis and was generally well tolerated.
One reviewer describes the Penetrex cream as “magic in a jar,” saying that it helps her cope with back discomfort that doesn’t respond to other pain-treatment methods, whether massage or physical therapy. People say that the Penetrex cream has helped them while recovering from injury or surgery, but many also use it on a daily basis to alleviate arthritis pain as well as the normal but nagging aches that can spring up later in life.
Since herbal therapies for pain management have yet to be thoroughly studied, be careful when embarking on this treatment path. Regardless of the herb you try, remember that they're not benign. Research into their safety and efficacy is still limited, and the government doesn't regulate herbal products for quality. The best course is to talk to a health-care professional before testing out a herbal remedy.
Customers attest to the fact that it relieves pain immediately, and say it’s a good staple to have in your medicine cabinet to treat all kinds of aches and pains beyond arthritis as well. They like that it’s not greasy, doesn’t burn and rubs in easily. Some say it works better than pills because you can apply it directly to the areas that are experiencing pain, and they love that it doesn’t have the medicinal smell of some other pain-relief creams.
Direct from the Kalahari Desert comes devil’s claw, a claw-shaped fruit that has been used for centuries by the South African tribes as a natural remedy for inflammation and to treat arthritis pain. Numerous studies carried out on devil’s claw show it to have powerful natural NSAID-like properties. In fact, the journal Phytomedicine reported that it is just as effective as the osteoarthritis medication Diacerein. What’s more, studies carried out in both France and Germany pointed to devil claw’s effects being similar to cortisone.
Break out that bag of frozen peas (or an ice pack, if you want to get fancy) for the first 48 hours after the pain sets in, and put it to use for 20 minutes a session, several sessions per day. After those two days are behind you, switch to 20-minute intervals with a heating pad. Localized cooling shuts down capillaries and reduces blood flow to the area, which helps ease the swelling, says Lisa DeStefano, an associate professor at Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine in East Lansing. Cold also thwarts your nerves' ability to conduct pain signals. Heat, on the other hand, loosens tight muscles and increases circulation, bringing extra oxygen to the rescue.
“I had sciatic pain so bad that I went to a doctor for a 'series of three shots' (or so he said) for the pain, yet ten shots later the pain was still there. When a friend of mine gave me a tube of Relief pain cream that had a little left in it so I could give it a try I was so amazed at how effective it was in relieving my pain that I immediately called and ordered two tubes, and I will be asking my doctor to stock it—because I absolutely love this stuff!" *
The usual dosage of standardized turmeric powder is 400–600 mg taken three times per day.[13] Side effects are few, but with extended use, this agent can cause stomach upset, and in extreme cases gastric ulcers may occur at very high doses. Caution should be used if the patient is taking anticoagulant medications or high doses of nonsteroidal drugs. Studies have shown that curcumin may be used in combination with lower doses of nonsteroidal medications.[7–9,11,21,40,87,111,121]
“I am a musician and have been one for almost 40 years. With practice and performance comes pain, which sometimes becomes chronic. I manage it with body work and adjustments but I can’t always be around practitioners, especially when I am traveling. These pain relieving patches fill the void extremely well providing relief, very quickly without chemicals or drugs. Kudos to Luminas for developing them. Highly recommended!” – Rafe S.
Curcumin is a naturally occurring yellow pigment derived from turmeric (Curcuma longa), a flowering plant of the ginger family. It has traditionally been used as a coloring and flavoring spice in food products. Curcumin has long been used in both Ayurvedic and Chinese medicines as an anti-inflammatory agent, a treatment for digestive disorders, and to enhance wound healing. Several clinical trials have demonstrated curcumin’s antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antineoplastic effects. Results of a study by Zandi and Karin suggested that curcumin might be efficacious in the treatment of cystic fibrosis because of its anti-inflammatory effect.[121] Curcumin is known to inhibit inflammation by suppressing NF-kB, restricting various activators of NF-kB as well as stemming its expression.
