Managing pain with minimal medication

My second total knee replacement is now behind me, whew! I am still engaged in a rigorous rehabilitation schedule and glad to be out of the acute recovery phase. I so appreciate living in our Minneapolis community with excellent health care systems and providers. 

As a pharmacist, I am grateful for the medications I needed before, during and after this surgery. With the opioid crisis pervasive in our community and across our nation, alternatives for pain management are essential. As a nationally board-certified health and wellness coach, I have also engaged in many nonpharmaceutical interventions ways to reduce my pain and enhance my body’s innate ability to heal itself. 

What self-care practices do you include in your daily routine? Have you explored integrative therapies to support your well-being? As these are top of mind this month, I wanted to share some self-care and practitioner supported options not only for acute pain and recovery, but to maintain wellness and balance.

 

 

Part of my training is through the Center for Mind-Body Medicine. Research indicates meditation, biofeedback, mindfulness, soothing music, and breathing exercises activate the relaxation response.  This turns down the “fight or flight” response, which can worsen chronic muscle tension and pain. These techniques are free and accessible to you every day!

Gentle movement

Slow movements such as yoga and tai chi stretch and strengthen muscles. My home exercise program designed by my physical therapist has been important in my recovery. Many studies have shown that gentle movement helps people manage pain caused by a host of conditions, from headaches to arthritis to lingering injuries. 

I was gifted a diffuser with various essential oils during my recovery and I’m using it daily. The research on inhalation of essential oils, called aromatherapy, shows the oils communicate signals to the olfactory system and stimulate the brain to exert neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine. Aromatherapy is used in a wide range of healthcare settings to relieve pain, as well.

What you eat and drink supports or diminishes your health. There is a proven correlation between inflammation and pain. Reducing ultra-processed foods, deep fried food, artificial additives, and sweetened drinks decreases inflammation.  Increasing anti-inflammatory foods such as nuts, vegetables, garlic, fruits, unprocessed olive oil, whole grains, and green tea accelerates healing. 

Interacting with animals can increase your level of the hormone oxytocin, which can increase pain thresholds and promote healing. Spending time with your pets has been proven to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, ease loneliness, encourage exercise and playfulness. Make a bit of extra time to enjoy the animals in your life.

 

In addition to these self-care techniques, utilizing practitioners trained in pain reducing modalities can be supportive. Here are several I have seen to support me as I prepared for surgery and during my recovery.

Healing Touch

Healing Touch is a gentle biofield therapy recognized by the National Institute of Health which promotes the healing process. It is often helpful in reducing pain, diminishing nausea and stimulates wound healing. I leave my sessions with a deep sense of calm and peace.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture involves inserting needles into specific points along meridians in your body to stimulate the central nervous system. This process releases chemicals into the muscles, spinal cord, and brain, and these changes stimulate the body’s natural healing abilities. Research has shown that acupuncture is helpful for back or neck pain, knee pain associated with osteoarthritis, and postoperative pain. My acupuncturist is speeding my recovery.

Massage

My massage therapist has been instrumental in my healing process. As I was doing a bit of research, I came across this information on the American Message Therapy Association website. So true! 

“According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 50 million Americans suffer from chronic pain. For pain relief, many people have turned to prescription opioids, which carry a serious risk of addiction, abuse, and overdose, in addition to several side effects. For this reason, health organizations and governmental agencies are looking at integrative health care approaches that can relieve pain but won’t create new challenges. Massage therapy is one of the safe and effective options.”

Make your health and well-being a priority during this holiday season.