Chronic pain can have an incredibly detrimental effect on not only your day to day life, but also your mental health. If you know my full story,you know due to a congenital hip disorder, I know plenty about long-term chronic pain. Thankfully my hip (along with most of the pain) was corrected through surgery, but the road to recovery was NOT an easy one. The chronic pain affected every single area of my life and led me down a deep, dark hole that was incredibly difficult to climb out of.
Following a 7-hour surgery (a derotational femoral osteotamy), where my femur was literally broken in half, I was in excruciating pain. I wasn’t prepared at all for the post-operative pain, which might have been part of why I had such a difficult time dealing with it. Prior to the surgery I was in constant pain no matter what I did—I couldn’t find a single comfortable position, even sitting and lying down was terribly painful. For some (ridiculous) reason I believed I would be pain-free after the surgery. I wasn’t prepared for the pain to be magnified 30 fold. Pain is both a sensory and an emotional experience that is felt differently by everybody, and some people experience pain more intensely than others. I believe I fit that category (as a side note, my dad is extremely sensitive to pain like me, but my mom is not.)
Following my surgery I was on heavy dose narcotics for my week long stay at the hospital. After being discharged I was sent to a pain management doctor while I underwent an arduous 6-month recovery process. As grateful as I was for anything that could reduce the pain, my pain management doctor had just one thing to offer: a less powerful narcotic prescription. Unfortunately there is tremendous stigma to pain management, but the reality is if you are suffering with pain it is essential to get it under control. I don’t have anything but sympathy for the people who have chronic pain and take narcotics for pain management, because I know how debilitating pain can be. Having said that, from my own experience I now also have tremendous understanding for the risks and side benefits associated with narcotics(and even over the counter pain relievers) and I now know there are safe natural pain relievers (that really work!) that can be taken instead.
The Importance of (Safe) Pain Management
One of the biggest complications associated with long term pain is how it negatively impacts almost all areas of the brain, including mood, concentration, motivation, interest in life, etc. It is imperative to control the pain in order to maintain healthy brain function. My hip ordeal taught me a great deal about about pain management, from both a prescription medicine standpoint and a natural standpoint and I will just say this, I SO wish I had known how powerful natural pain relievers can be prior to my surgery. It is beyond the scope of this blog post to go into great detail, but I will just say that narcotics have serious side effects and, had I known about ALL of the alternative natural pain relievers (listed below) I believe I would have been able to get off the narcotics once I was discharged from the hospital. The combination of natural pain relievers can potentially be so powerful that I might have been able to avoid all post-operative prescription medication.
What About Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers?
If you are wondering about over-the-counter pain relievers, such as Advil or Tylenol, those too come with very serious side effects. Approximately 23 percent of American adults (about 52 million people) use a medicine containing acetaminophen each week.It’s the most common drug ingredient in the United States, found in more than six hundred medications. “Just take a Tylenol” is the American way. And yet if you were to add up the injuries and deaths linked to acetaminophen it would result in a total of a little over 110,000 incidents annually.
Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers Can Deplete Your Body’s Natural Antioxidants
The toxicity of Tylenol likely stems from its depletion of glutathione, the body’s most vital antioxidant. Glutathione may well be the most important molecule you need to stay healthy and prevent disease. It’s key for preventing premature aging, cancer, heart disease, dementia, and a number of other chronic diseases. It’s also essential for treating everything from autism to Alzheimer’s disease to multiple sclerosis and much more. If you know my story, you know I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1998 but I didn’t learn about glutathione until 2005.
Now a famous and bestselling author, I went to see my neurologist, Dr. David Perlmutterin his Naples office thirteen years ago when I was returning from my first book tour and feeling incredibly drained. We were sure that it was MS-related fatigue. Dr. Perlmutter gave me an intravenous glutathione injection right there in his office that made me feel like a completely new person in less than half an hour. People who have neurological conditions, like I do, need to be VERY CAREFUL with over the counter pain medications that deplete glutathione. To see how powerful glutathione is, just watch this video below of Dr. Perlmutter with a patient who has Parkinson’s disease and notice the difference before and after his glutathione injection. Watching this, and knowing that many over-the-counter pain relievers deplete glutathione should make you think twice next time someone suggests you “Just take a Tylenol” for pain.
6 Natural Pain Relievers (that REALLY work!)
Thankfully nature has supplied a number of highly effective natural pain relievers. Whether you currently have pain or simply want to stock a natural medicine cabinet, these are the natural pain remedies listed below that really work. Some are more powerful than others, and the ones highlighted in red are the ones I take every day because they are highly anti-inflammatory and also have numerous health benefits. Keep in mind, if you are in serious pain, such as chronic pain or post-operative pain, you will most likely need a combination of natural pain relievers. But I believe that with the right combination you can avoid narcotics. And you can definitely avoid the dangerous over-the-counter pain relievers using natural pain remedies.
- EPA & DHA (from fish oil) (these omega-3 fats are one of the most powerful anti-inflammatory substances you can take without a prescription. You want to look for superior quality pharmaceutical-grade fish oil and make sure you are getting enough–2000 to 4000 mg is about right for pain. Nordic Naturalsis a great brand)
- Turmeric (if you have tried turmeric without good results chances are you either did not get a high enough dose or it wasn’t absorbed properly. I talk more about the highly absorbable brand I take, Amare Relief+, below—this is the one we are featuring for the GIVEAWAY contest too, by the way!)
- Boswellia (a large branching tree native to India, Northern Africa and the Middle East, boswellia has been shown in clinical trials to have an anti-inflammatory action similar to that of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), minus the nasty side effects. I talk more about boswellia below as it is one of the active ingredients in the Amare Relief+supplement that I take daily.)
- Kratom (this one has been very controversial lately and the FDA has even tried to ban it, but it is one of the very best natural pain killers that exist. Kratom also has a number of side “benefits”—including being an anti-inflammatory and anti-depressant. Related to the coffee plant, the controversy with kratom is that it is potentially addictive. One day I will do a bigger blog post on this, but for now I will just say that in my personal experience kratom was incredibly helpful at alleviating pain and it’s what enabled me to get off the prescription narcotics without withdrawal. During the time I used kratom I rotated the strains daily–using red, white and green strains—and when it was time to stop I was able to just lower the dose and ease off. I know all about the negative stories circulating online about kratom addiction, but in my personal experience and after talking to MANY people who have used kratom for chronic pain, I would not hesitate to use it again as a natural alternative to narcotics. I would not suggest taking kratom daily unless you have pain, but if you have serious pain, this is one to have in your natural medicine cabinet. It is far safer than narcotics.)
- CBD oil (derived from the hemp plant, a member of the cannabis family along with marijuana, CBD oil is a NON-PSYCHOACTIVE cannabinoid. Unlike marijuana, CBD oil DOES NOT cause a euphoria or “high”. Instead, it influences the body to use its own endocannabinoids more effectively. CBD is highly effective for pain management. It stops the body from absorbing anandamide, one compound associated with regulating pain, and also helps lower inflammation in both the brain and nervous system, which affects how people experience pain. CBD oil has a number of additional benefits beyond the scope of this blog post, but I have recently started taking it daily as part of my overall multiple sclerosis natural treatment regimen. The chemicals in CBD have been shown to help protect the nervous system by reducing inflammation
- Medical Marijuana (Like kratom, I realize this is another highly controversial substance. I didn’t know very much about it until recently when my 91-year old dad hurt his back pretty bad. When he went to the doctor he was given a narcotic prescription for Oxycodone and told to come back in a month. The LAST thing we wanted to get him started on was narcotics, but the pain was so bad he could not sleep or function well. My husband is a surgeon and around the time my dad hurt his back a doctor who was licensed to prescribe medical marijuana went to his office to introduce herself and explain the potential pain management benefits of medical marijuana for my husbands patients. After considerable research we suggested my dad give the medical marijuana a try. Long story short, he started on a “non-euphoric” medical marijuana in a ratio of 1:1 CBD/ THC oil that, along with EPA/ DHA, the turmeric/ boswellia supplement (Amare Relief) has eliminated the pain and kept him off narcotics and over the counter pain relievers. Not only has dad not been “stoned” on his CBD/ THC oil, his cognitive function is as sharp as ever. Even his mood has improved. It’s beyond the scope of this blog post to go into any more detail about medical marijuana here, but if I had serious or chronic pain I would definitely look into this. Contrary to what most of us have been brought up to believe, marijuana actually has neuroprotective benefits, which is one of the reasons it is approved for the management of neurological conditions like multiple sclerosis. The chemicals in marijuana have even been shown to help protect brain cells from Alzheimers and there is considerable research showing cannabis can actually help people who suffer from strokes and traumatic brain injury (TBI) recover faster. Trust me, this is all BRAND NEW information to me and not at all what I had believed about medical marijuana. I remember when our first book came out we were on the Montel Williams Show to promote the book and he announced on air that he used marijuana for the management of his own multiple sclerosis. I remember thinking that maybe if I needed it I would one day look into using it myself for controlling symptoms, but I never in a million years thought marijuanas could actually protect your brain until hearing so from my dad’s doctor and starting to do my own research just recently. It is important to note there are MANY different strains of marijuana and the ratio of CBD to THC directly impacts whether or not you will get “high” —you can still reap benefits of medical marijuana without getting “high”, but I would NOT advice buying it off the street because you have no idea what you are getting. Different ratios of CBD to THC work for different conditions, so if you have chronic pain and are interested in going this route you really need to talk to a doctor who specializes in it. To sum it up, I will just say this, if it were a question of managing serious chronic (or short term) pain with narcotics verse medical marijuana, I would not hesitate to use the medical marijuana knowing what I now know. The stigma associated with medical marijuana is due to people who are uniformed and sadly, spreading fear about the use of this natural pain remedy can be very deleterious to the people who are suffering and need it most.
***It doesn’t fit in with the content of this blog post, but one other thing I would absolutely look into for chronic pain management is meditation. I only recently learned how to meditate, but I SO wish I known how to do it when trying to manage my hip pain. Meditation can be an extremely powerful pain management tool.***
Pain-Free Enough….
As for me, if you knew the kind of pain I was in prior to the surgery (not to mention after!) along with the severity of the surgery, which involved breaking my leg in half and rotating the femoral head in my hip socket into the “normal” position, it is a miracle that I am able to run, dance…and even leap. I was told by my surgeon that after the surgery I would definitely be able to sit without pain and probably walk pain free too—I didn’t dare ask if I would ever run, dance or leap again. The photo of me above was taken several weeks ago on a family vacation, I admit I was not leaping 100% pain free, BUT the fact I can even do it is more than I ever dreamed. I don’t think I would have made such a full recovery had it not been for strictly adhering to an anti-inflammatory diet and continuously supplementing with anti-inflammatory natural pain remedies. Today, I avoid all narcotics and over-the-counter pain medications like the plague.
Bella Dushnersays
Hi Mom here, I have a son who’s been diagnosed with childhood epilepsy syndrome, this means their epilepsy has specific characteristics. These can include the type of seizure or seizures they have, the age when the seizures started and the specific results of an electroencephalogram (EEG).An EEG test is painless, and it records the electrical activity of the brain. In my son’s case, he has “benign” which means they usually have a good outcome and usually go away once the child reaches a certain age. And as a mom, I don’t want my son to suffer this kind of illness for a very long time. He’s 5 yrs old now and he is doing great in school. That’s why I am searching the best solution for my son and as along the way, I read this https://www.worldwide-marijuana-seeds.com/blogs/marijuana-news/cannabis-as-medicine that cannabis can be the solution to my problem. But I did not try it yet. So am just asking if it safe for my son? Any reply will highly appreciate. Thanks in advance.
Ivy Larsonsays
Hi Bella,
First of all, I am so sorry to hear about your son. But if it helps you decide, my husband is a surgeon and we would not hesitate to give our son medical marijuana if he had seizures. Although I am not totally up on all of the science, I do know the THC in marijuana controls seizures by binding to the brain cells responsible for controlling excitability and regulating relaxation. Also, obviously you do not want a child to experience the psychoactive effects of marijuana, but those can easily be avoided by increasing the CBD (CBD is a highly anti-inflammatory substance in marijuana but it is not psychoactive—some parents are worried to give their children THC and so only give CBD, and even just the CBD has been shown to help!) However, if it were my son, I would give him both the THC and CBD — it’s actually neuroprotective (which is why it is approved for Multiple Sclerosis, which I have.) Anyway, I hope this helps? I’m not trying to give medical advice, I am just trying to say what I would do as a mom. Wishing you the best of luck.
Yvonne Andrewssays
My husband will be 85 years old next month and was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease 16 months ago. his main symptom were and rigidity or stiffness of his right-hand side.he also had some difficulty writing. The original diagnosis was confirmed three months later by a second neurologist. He was on one tablet of pramipexole (Sifrol), 0.25 mg three times a day. Four months ago his neurologist added Biperiden, 2 mg. he takes half a tablet of Biperiden three times a day. He still didn’t feel any better, Since the original diagnosis, his stiffness has slowly increased. He lost touch with reality suspecting it was the medication I took him off the Siferol (with the doctor’s knowledge) and started him on PD natural herbal formula we ordered from NATURAL HERBAL GARDENS, I spoke to few people who used the treatment here in Canada and they all gave a positive response, his symptoms totally declined over a 7 weeks use of the Natural Herbal Gardens Parkinson’s disease natural herbal formula. He is now almost 85 and doing very well, the disease is totally reversed! (Visit their website naturalherbalgardens . c om) I am thankful to nature, herbs are truly gift from God. Share with friends!!
Ivy Larsonsays
Hi Yvonne, thank you so much for sharing your husband’s story. I know Parkinson’s can be a debilitating and potentially devastating disease. I am so happy to know he is doing so well! I will definitely check out the website. Many thanks again for sharing.
Laurasays
What is your opinion on Pasture-Raised Bovine Hide Collagen Peptides? They are touted as a way to help with inflammation and pain.
Sandra S.says
I want to try Cool Azul for my back pain. Where can I buy it? Thank you.
Ivy Larsonsays
Hi Sandra, I know you need to buy Young Living essential oils directly from a distributor. You can email Erin at erin@rhizomecontent.com and order from her!
Jeremy McLaughlinsays
My wife would love to try this to see if if works for her migraines.
Kimmy Rsays
I would love to try this. I do like kratom. Have not tried CBD. This sure sounds wonderful though. Would love to give it a whirl!
Stacie Kohlssays
I would love to try this, I have degenerative disc disease in both my neck & lower back. I currently take turmeric pills, go to Chiropratic, do traction once a month, & try to eat healthy natural foods. I have a lot of issues with inflammation & muscle tension.
Susan van der Rasselsays
I have been working on an anti-inflammatory diet (keto and paleo) for almost one year with good results. However, I find that my knee joints and leg bone muscle tissue (tibia and fibula) are often quite tender and still inflame. They are painful to touch. I am looking for a natural product such as this to test in order to consider taking long term. I love the newsletters.
Valeriesays
I often get headaches, so would love to try if for that. Thanks for the giveaway.
LaShelesays
I have spinal stenosis in my back and neck. From the back injury I also have atheists in my back and all over. I’m supposed to have surgery but can’t afford it, not to mention it scares me. I don’t like to take pills so I rarely take my pain pills until I have to. I’d rather manage my pain naturally if possible.
Jennifer Finnsays
I would like to see if it would help with my back pain
Vicki Lederersays
would love to give this a try
Vicki Lederersays
would love to give this product a try for knee pain
Christensays
This is such a helpful article, Ivy! Thank you. My father has been battling Transverse myelitis which has similarities to MS for 15 years and has major heart issues and terrible terrible arthritis in his shoulders and knees. He’s fallen several times as his neuropathy has killed a lot of his feeling and nerves. He cannot tolerate pain pills and I’m unsure I can get him on board for medicinal marijuana as his doctor tried to but I have heard a lot recently about CBD oil and want to order some for him in hopes this helps alleviate some of the pain. Bless his heart he is the sweetest and he’s in so much pain he literally gets no sleep for years now. Wondering if you could recommend a CBD oil company. I know you vet companies and no more than I do. I’m so sorry about your father by so grateful you all were able to alleviate much of his pain!!! What a blessing for him.
Ivy Larsonsays
Hi Christen, Oh I am so terribly sorry to hear about your poor dad. I know how incredibly difficult it is to watch your parents suffer and to feel so helpless. I also know how awful it is to live in chronic pain. My dad was very hesitant to try the medical marijuana also but he was more on board once he heard you can get a “non euphoric” version that has a ratio of 1:1 CBD/ THC—maybe your dad might be willing to try it if he had the reassurance he wasn’t going to get “high” (my dad was terribly afraid of falling!) However, even just the CBD oil can do WONDERS! You definitely need to get a reputable company though. The one his doctor recommended was from Kannaway—he takes Kannaway Gold. We bought his directly from the doctor office but they said you can also order it from the company website. I am keeping your dad in my prayers. Please let me know if you try the CBD oil how it works.
Carolyn Goodlingsays
I’m 80 years old and occasionally have low back pain for which I take Tylenol. I know the untoward effects of Tylenol and would be interested in trying the AMARE.
Victoria Yanniesays
Great info! I’m always interested in learning about ways to live with natural products. I would add essential oils to your list! Young Living has an FDA-approved OTC pain relief cream called Cool Azul. Many therapeutic essential oils support the body systems to help restore balance – physically, emotionally and spiritually!
Ivy Larsonsays
I LOVE Cool Azul Victoria! That was one of the things we used for my dad’s back that definitely helped—I didn’t include it in the article because you can’t eat it, but I can definitely say it works =)
Laurie Bakersays
My daughter has headaches/migraines daily and stomachaches almost daily. She takes ibuprofen almost daily, or Excedrin, with a caffeinated drink. She is in pain daily and nothing seems to help!
Sharonsays
I’ve had back pain for years, hip pain for close to a year and now shoulder pain the last few months and nothing seems to help. I don’t use any over the counter pain meds because I just don’t feel safe using them. I’ve only tried natural things but am never consistent. I’d love to try the Amare relief+ to see if it could help. Thanks
Sherry Scoffieldsays
I forgot to mention why I’d like my husband to try the Amare. He’s a farmer who has driven tractor and other machinery for almost 65 years. His shoulders are so painful he has trouble sleeping and, of course, lying on either side is not comfortable at all. He has tried many remedies (short of surgery) that just don’t work. He will try the Amare.
Terri Willoughbysays
I would love to try Amare Relief as I’ve had digestive issues this past year as well as chronic back & neck pain which I try to manage with chiropractic care. I like you, Ivy, stay FAR away from any type of medication be it prescription or over the counter.Any medicine makes me SICK (literally) so I am always looking for a natural pain reliever! Thanks for sharing these great alternatives!
Sherry Scoffieldsays
I love your blog, Ivy, and have been subscribed since you started. I met you in person the year you both spoke at a JP+ conference. I will be trying the pain med and more importantly my husband will.
John Larsonsays
Hello Ivy,
Always enjoy your informative letters. I want to enter the contest for Relief+ for my husband’s arthritis. We were just doing research on turmeric, when your letter came! Thank you for continuing to bring natural,
health information to the masses. We appreciate it.
Verna
Robyn FORMICAsays
I would like to get this product for my daughter who has been diagnosed with Ankylosing Sponylitis and is having problems with swollen, painful toes.
Melaniesays
Ivy, Which CBD oil do you use? I have been researching CBD oils & haven’t been able to make a decision ( I’m a retired pharmaceutical rep so that might be part of my problem of wanting to much information—lol!). Whiplash resulting in a cervical fusion 30 years ago has left me with a cranky neck, headaches & trap spasms. I haven’t tried kratom but have tried the other supps you mentioned but would like to try your brands as I wasn’t impressed with what I chose. Love your book & have been using & following for many years now. Thank you!! Also swear by my TM (I learned it in my 20s thank goodness!) and am glad you find it helpful too! Thank you ? ?
michellesays
I would love to try the Amar’e+ because I take Ibuprofen to manage headaches and inflammation caused from severe seasonal and contact allergies. I would love to see if a natural product could help me!
Jennifer Bonechisays
I’d love to try this for IBS pain as well as liver pain. My liver enzymes keep fluctuating even though I don’t drink alcohol and I’ve had a EUS done with normal results. This seems so much more helpful then having to take an Antacid.
Denise Nassettasays
I too would like to try the Relief for headaches. Also, my elderly mother has been having recurring inflammation (gout) and back spasms. I think natural anti-inflammatories may be the answer.
Nancy Lopez-Ibanezsays
I work in my garden a lot, and now that it’s spring, I can plant all the wonderful things I love to make my new house garden! While I was digging holes for my plants last week (100 hostas and ferns) I think I overdid the digging and ended up with a very painful knee.
I would love to try the RELIEF+ to see if it will help with this pain.
Thanks so much
Ellen Gibsonsays
I have been going for years to pain management and different doctors for a autoimmune disease I live with called Scleroderma which causes chronic daily pain which I cannot work anymore or do the things I always enjoyed doing . I am tired of taking drugs from the doctors that doesn’t work and worse makes me sick with terrible side effects. I would love to be pain free like many others here and all over the world looking for some relief.
Thank You
Barriesays
I’d like Relief+ for my husband. He is recovering from a Frozen Shoulder and takes advil daily! I HATE that he takes this but it’s the only way for him to survive right now.
Cherithsays
I’d love to see if it would work well for headache relief!
Lisa Romfhsays
So I really love your turmeric latte recipe and I was just wondering if it was a once a day thing or if you can drink it twice? Is there such a thing as too much turmeric? And if you were to use the RELIEF+ should you not be drinking turmeric as well? The latte does seem to help with my general, getting older joint pain, so this article about RELIEF+ caught my eye. Thanks! (Also, I still get your email from signing up for your original challenge a few years back, so do i need to sign up again?)
Ivy Larsonsays
Hi Lisa,
I am so happy to hear the turmeric latte helps you! It definitely helps me. One of the reasons it works so well is because it is mixed with some fat (which helps your body absorb the turmeric). You could definitely take the latte twice a day. However, as for getting too much turmeric, I don’t specifically know of any studies showing a problem with too much, BUT having said that I do know from my experience with other natural foods that too much of a good thing is not always good. So, if you were to take the RELIEF+ I would then just treat that like the turmeric latte —I would have 1 dose of turmeric twice a day and I would either make my dose the turmeric latte OR the Relief+, but not both at the same time. for example, you could have the turmeric latte in the morning and the Relief+ at night. Relief+ is super easy to absorb so it definitely works too, by the way. Hope this all makes sense?
Cherithsays
I also already get your emails, so would also like to know about signing up again?
Ivy Larsonsays
Hi Cherith, no not to worry! If you already get the emails you should be all set =)
Lisa Romfhsays
Thank you!
Renee wsays
I would love to try this product on my husband who has RA. Thank you!