Journal of Pain & Relief
Open Access

When you’re in pain, you might be tempted to take it easy until the soreness goes away. That’s why doctors used to recommend rest for people experiencing pain. Cold therapy narrows blood vessels. This relaxes tight muscles. It comes in two forms: dry heat from a heating pad or pack, or moist heat from a warm wet washcloth or bath. Use heat for pain that’s lasting more than a few weeks [1]. Apply heat or cold for about ten to fifteen minutes at a time, several times per day. Use caution if you have diabetes or another condition that affects your circulation or ability to feel pain. Yet newer research suggests otherwise. Studies suggest exercise is an effective way to ease pain. It may also improve physical function and quality of life. Moreover, exercise causes only a few side effects, aside from muscle soreness. Researchers replied that many of the studies on exercise for chronic pain are poor quality, but they say the overall research suggests physical activity can reduce the severity of pain. Aerobic exercise also promotes weight loss. This could take some strain off painful joints if you have osteoarthritis. Resistance training might help your body heal injured spinal discs. Physical therapy combines exercise with hands on manipulation and education [2]. Experts prefer Physical Therapy over prescription pain pills. This is because it can reduce pain without medication side effects and the potential for addiction. A physical therapist will work with you to improve your strength and flexibility, so you can move more easily. Physical Therapy sessions can also help relax tight muscles and improve your tolerance to pain. Yoga combines poses with deep breathing and meditation [3]. It’s been practiced for thousands of years. But only recently have researchers begun to discover yoga’s full potential as a health intervention. In addition to improving strength, balance, and flexibility, yoga improves posture. Better posture can bring relief from many of the aches and pains linked to muscle tension. Yoga can also relieve pain and improve function in people with chronic conditions like arthritis, back pain, and fibromyalgia. How exactly it helps with pain isn’t clear. It may work by triggering the release of natural pain relieving chemicals called endorphins or by promoting a state of relaxation. Yoga comes in many styles and intensities. Music has the power to move you and transport you back in time. Listening to music could also help relieve pain in part by reducing stress and helping you cope more effectively with discomfort. In one small study of people with pain caused by nerve damage, listening to classical music reduced pain scores. The longer participants listened, the more their pain receded [4]. The review of more than limited studies found that listening to music eases anxiety and pain before, during, and after surgery. Listening to music every day could help people with chronic pain conditions, like fibromyalgia or arthritis; feel more comfortable and less anxious. During a massage, a therapist uses rubbing and pressure to loosen up tight muscles and tendons and help you relax [5]. The practice could help ease aches by blocking pain signals and relieving stress. Massage generally also soothes tight muscles by improving blood flow to them. Another upside to massage is its lack of side effects. There are virtually no risks, unless you have skin rash, certain vascular disease and infection.

Acknowledgement

Conflict of Interest

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