In Naturopathic Medicine, our focus is on helping the body achieve balance and therefore to heal itself. We aim to treat acute pain so that symptoms can be resolved and chronic pain avoided, and we also work to bring resolution to any chronic pain that might be present so that relief can be finally obtained.
Naturopathic Modalities for the treatment of Pain:
Naturopaths have many treatment options at hand for dealing with many different types of pain, both acute and chronic, physical and emotional. These may include one or a combination of:
Diet and Lifestyle Recommendations
Proper nutrition and Adequate hydration
helps reduce inflammation, modulate pain and strengthens tissue to help prevent future injury
Stress reduction and Counseling
To help deal with the emotional components that may accompany the pain and impacted quality of life as well as any anxiety or depression that may have resulted from your injury.
Sleep and relaxation
Critical components for both physical and emotional healing, these can become compromised by your pain sensations as well as from the stress you may be feeling.
Supplemental Therapy
Certain vitamins, minerals, cofactors and other medicines are known to be anti-inflammatory, pain modulating and tissue restoring. Additionally, supplements are often very useful for the stress and emotional components (anxiety, depression or fear) that may accompany pain symptoms.
Other Naturopathic Therapies:
Acupuncture
Acupuncture has been used for centuries and is a proven treatment for both acute and chronic pain. It works by rebalancing Qi (energy) so that the body can return to a pain-free, healthy state.
Acupuncture also is extremely beneficial for working on stress reduction and improvement in sleep patterns that are commonly impacted when one is in pain.
Botanical Medicine
There are many herbs that are known for their effects on pain modulation as well as the other symptoms that may accompany pain such as insomnia, stress, depression and anxiety, etc.
Injection Therapies
Depending on your particular situation, options may include Neural therapy, Prolotherapy, Biopuncture, Mistletoe therapy, IV therapy.
Detailed information about each of these can be found on my website (www.DrKatarineND.com)
Physical Activity and Stretching
Individualized exercise and stretching protocols may be beneficial for helping you break free from your pain patterns and re-align your muscle and joints in a safe way.
Pharmaceutical Interventions
Analgesics, while often excellent and often recommended in the short term, don’t address the actual cause of the pain, and are therefore not appropriate for long-term use. They are simply a type of “band-aid” that covers up pain as opposed to actually assisting with tissue healing.
If you or someone you know is suffering from pain, rest assures that there is help available. The keys are persistence and ensuring you work with the correct practitioner who will use the appropriate treatment for you. Naturopaths are knowledgeable, trained and ready to help you achieve complete, permanent pain relief, as well as both physical and emotional balance!
In Health
Dr Katarine Holewa ND RAc