Holistic Treatment Options for Pain Management

Holistic treatment aims to treat a person as a whole, not just a few symptoms they are experiencing. A holistic approach means addressing other aspects of your life that affect your health and wellness. These aspects are still important even if they might not seem to be directly related to your problems. Holistic treatment methods usually complement traditional medical approaches for pain management.

What Is A Holistic Approach?

Treating simply the symptoms is not a good way to achieve good health. A holistic approach means examining all aspects of your health. These aspects may be directly or indirectly related to your pain. For example, you may have nutritional problems that worsen your condition. Or you may have another health condition that impacts the problem causing pain symptoms.

In many cases, medication to treat one condition can cause side effects, one of which could be pain. For many people, pain is caused by issues that are not easy to detect. By reviewing a person’s overall health, you are more likely to find the true cause of the symptoms. When you examine and try to improve overall health, the benefits are much better than simply masking symptoms with temporary relief.

Ideally, holistic treatment options go hand-in-hand with conventional treatments, such as medication.

Holistic Treatment Options

Physical Therapy

Physical therapists help with pain management by speeding up your recovery from injury. Your physical therapist will design a treatment plan specific to your condition. For example, if you have lower back pain, your therapist will devise back movements that aim to relieve pressure on affected areas.

These exercises might include:

• Stretching
• Repeated motion
• Mobility exercises
• Strengthening exercises

Therapy is often used in sports medicine and recovery after surgery. Still, doctors can also use it to help manage chronic pain.

Nutrition

The food you eat also plays a part in pain management. But first, you must understand what inflammation is.

Inflammation is your body’s response to problems. It’s what your body does when it detects toxins, bacteria, or viruses. As you might already know, inflammation usually results in redness and swelling. Some specific foods can trigger this response, even if they’re not toxic or poisonous. Examples include:

• Grains
• Simple carbohydrates
• Refined sugar
• Red meat
• Dairy products

These foods aren’t necessarily bad for you, so make sure you consult your doctor before removing them from your diet. However, switching to a diet more focused on vegetables and complex grains like oats, buckwheat, or barley might help with your chronic joint pain.

Exercise Routines

Your body requires regular activity to get stronger. Exercise routines might not seem like they would be part of pain management — after all, doesn’t your body hurt after an intense workout? However, a rippling physique isn’t the goal of an exercise routine for pain management, although it might be a welcome side effect!

Strengthening your muscles help stabilize your body — including critical parts like your spine and hips. Regular exercise also improves your flexibility and range of motion, which can help “loosen” your joints. If the cause of your pain was an injury, an exercise routine could help ensure you don’t get injured again.

Pain Management In St. Peters And O’Fallon, MO

These holistic techniques usually go alongside typical treatments such as surgery or medication. Figuring out the best approach for alleviating symptoms of chronic pain is crucial to pain management. A holistic approach offers a well-rounded solution for your condition and helps improve your quality of life.

At the Advanced Bone & Joint, we have a team of licensed and skilled pain management doctors. We’re always ready to answer your queries and provide you with excellent care and service. Call us now at (636) 229-4222 and schedule a visit at one of our two offices in Missouri. You can also conveniently request an appointment online. We look forward to serving you!