By Thomas S. Lee, NMD, APH |
Pain, anxiety and depression can be problems for anyone and many resort to prescription medications to alleviate their symptoms. All time high pharmaceutical sales and profits bear witness to this.
It’s important to remember that prescription drugs have a downside – especially their habitual use for chronic pain, depression, and anxiety. Moreover, the long-term or uninformed use of such pharmaceuticals can involve huge risks: high costs, dangerous side-effects, complex interactions with other drugs, depletion of vital nutrient reserves, buildup of metabolic toxins, lack of appropriate medical treatment due to misdiagnosis because drugs mask symptoms – and, of course, addiction.
If a patient is taking several medications for various physical complaints, the possible interactions and complications between these drugs can be confusing to the most experienced pharmacists and specialists. If your doctor claims to understand these biochemical and physiological complexities completely, it might be worth a second or third opinion.
Naturopathic medicine teaches that our bodies are designed to become healthy if basic laws of health and healing are followed. Rather than using painkillers or anti-depressives to mask symptoms, you are asked to find and heal or restore balance to the root cause of your chronic pain, depression, or anxiety.
Pain relievers tend to stop working over time; worse, their chronic use decreases the body’s ability to heal and restore balance. Most pain-relievers work by stimulating the opiate receptor in the brain and adding an anti-inflammatory to decrease swelling and stiffness that comes with an injury or a wound. Inflammation can also be treated with natural medicines and nutrients. Medication and/or surgery are not your only options.
To learn about your options, search the internet for information on Bromelain, Papain, Serrapeptase, Traumeel, Boswellia, Turmeric, Aloe Vera, Willow Bark, Proteolytic Enzymes, Polyunsaturated Oils, Natural Anti-inflammatories, Vitamin D3 and MSM. Discuss these with your health care professional for guidance.
Alkalize your body with foods, nutrients, and hygiene. Cider vinegar diluted with water, alkalizing fruits and vegetables, far-infrared saunas, cleanses, fasts and mono-diets, Himalayan crystal salt, hot springs hydrotherapy, enemas, colonic irrigations, herbal bathing, and various bowel tonics and cleansers are all available in this increasingly health-conscious and well-informed world. Exercise, bodywork and stretching may also help for pain. Most important, become proactive to eliminate the source of your pain, rather than taking drugs to shut the pain off.
Depression and anxiety drugs can be short-term lifesavers but long-term nightmares. Before taking them, search the following list for natural medicines that might help treat anxiety and depression naturally: L-Theanine, Bacopa, DL-Phenylalanine, St. John’s Wort (Hypericum), Passion Flower (Passiflora incarnate), L-Tyrosine, Omega-3 Oils, and Sam-E. Take time to learn about natural remedies and obtain direction from a trusted healthcare provider. If your problems are of long duration, work with an experienced physician or specialist medically trained in the use of natural medicines. If you are already taking prescription anti-depressants, do not combine these with natural remedies; moreover, NEVER modify your dosage, or stop taking your prescription without professional supervision.
Finally, prayer, meditation, inner reflection, and the worlds of artistic expression also offer tools you can use to address pain, anxiety and depression. Do not underestimate their potent power.
To turn around chronic pain and psychological suffering, you need to know and care for yourself better than you do now. Inner growth and expanding awareness can result from your persistent efforts and courage, and those simply don’t come in pill form.
References:
1. Hochschuler, Stephen and Reznik, Bob. Treat Your Back Without Surgery: The Best Nonsurgical Alternatives for Eliminating Back and Neck Pain. Hunter House, 2002.
2. Lee, Thomas S., NMD. Tough Love for the Lover of Hydrocodone: Natural Options for Controlling Pain. Online at www.naturodoc.com, 2007.
3. Murray, Michael T, ND. Natural Alternatives to Over-The-Counter and Prescription Drugs. William Morrow & Co, 1999.
For more info, call Optimal Health Associates of Reno, 775-284-4700.
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