Contents
Pain is defined as an unpleasant, subjective sensory and emotional feeling caused by stimuli that damage tissue or threaten to damage it. Acute pain is an important warning factor in recognizing and locating the disease process. It also prevents tissue damage or reduces the risk of tissue damage. However, once we know where this unpleasant feeling comes from, we usually try to get rid of it as soon as possible. See what helps when you don’t want to reach for painkillers.
Acute pain is most often the result of an injury or impact, or an acute infection. Chronic pain accompanying some long-term conditions is no longer just a warning sign and is referred to as pathological pain that destroys vitality and significantly worsens quality of life. It occurs in diseases such as cancer, joint degeneration or inflammation of the bile ducts and pancreas. Chronic pain can occur after surgery or shingles. It also happens that the cause of the pain is unknown, such as in the case of cluster headache.
Pain is common and each of us feels or will feel it in some way, if only because of overwork or unfavorable weather conditions. Every fifth Pole falls asleep and wakes up painfully. We deal with it differently depending on the causes of pain, but most often we use over-the-counter pharmacological painkillers. We very often abuse them without thinking that they can have a negative effect on the digestive system or the liver. So let’s try alternative, non-pharmacological pain relief methods. Especially that many of them, such as the TENS electrostimulation used by the TRU + medical device, can be used at home.
Electrotherapy (TENS)
One of the methods of electrotherapy commonly used in physical therapy is Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS). This non-invasive and non-pharmacological method relies on the electrostimulators to send low-amplitude electrical pulses from electrodes through the skin to the peripheral nerves.
The electrical impulses block the transmission of pain messages to the brain and at the same time stimulate the body to produce natural painkillers, i.e. endorphins. As a result, the perceived pain goes away or decreases significantly. TENS electrotherapy is used to relieve both acute and chronic pains.
Different types of pulses are used in TENS electrotherapy. Low frequency TENS, typically 2-4 Hz, and current up to 100mA with a pulse duration of 200 microseconds. The procedure takes about 25 minutes. using small electrodes typical for acupuncture. High frequency (conventional) TENS has a frequency of 10 to 200 Hz, a low current of 25 to 30 mA and a pulse duration of 50 to 100 microseconds.
The electrodes are placed over the pain area and the treatment time is 30 to 90 minutes. Shock TENS (BURST) uses a series of pulses, most often with a frequency of 200 Hz. It is used in the treatment of deep and chronic pain. Intensive TENS uses 100Hz pulses lasting 200 microseconds. With a modulated TENSE, the frequency or intensity of the pulses is variable, which gives the impression of modulation.
Stimulation with TENS currents is used, among others, in the case of joint and muscle pains, degenerative joints, rheumatic pains, neuralgia, postoperative pains, pains after fractures, sprains and sprains, difficult to heal wounds, migraine headaches, pain in hemiplegia, carpal tunnel syndrome and many other diseases.
One of the advantages of using percutaneous TENS stimulation is the ability to treat back pain at home, thanks to easy-to-use devices such as SLE +. Contraindication to the use of the TRU + device is damage to the heart muscle or an implanted pacemaker, pregnancy, epilepsy, mental diseases, circulatory disorders, and diseases with fever. Particular care should be taken when using the device if the skin on the back is damaged.
Acupuncture and acupressure
This is a very old method of pain relief from China. Acupuncture involves inserting tiny, metal needles into acupuncture sites on the skin, releasing serotonin and endorphins, natural painkillers.
Precise puncture requires a lot of knowledge and skills, so when choosing acupuncture, choose proven pain treatment clinics. The procedure takes 10 to 30 minutes and the number of punctured points is usually between 4 and 10. Acupressure is a method that stimulates acupuncture points by pressure.
Massage
Another non-pharmacological method of pain relief is therapeutic massage. It can take many forms, such as pressure, hitting, patting or stroking. Therapeutic massage works well with back pain caused by posture defects, a sedentary lifestyle or overload.
A point massage based on compressing specific areas effectively relieves toothache or headache migraine. When deciding on a therapeutic massage, for example back pain, let’s use the services of an experienced masseur or physiotherapist. A poorly performed massage can do more harm than good.
Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy is nothing more than cold treatment, often used in physical therapy. We distinguish between general cryotherapy, performed in special chambers, and local cryotherapy, acting selectively on specific places. In physical therapy offices, local cryotherapy is often a way to relieve pain before performing painful rehabilitation exercises.
At home, cold or warm compresses are a simple way to relieve various types of pains. A cold compress on the forehead will relieve a migraine headache, help with knee inflammation, fractures and sprains, or post-traumatic pain. To make a cold compress, special gel compresses can be used, or we can use an ordinary terry towel dipped in cold water.
Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy is the use of essential plant oils to improve mental and physical health, including pain relief. It is used as a form of alternative medicine or as a supplement to conventional medicine. Essential oils stimulate fragrance receptors in the brain, which in turn stimulate the production of analgesic endorphins.
Aromatherapy is an effective method to relieve various types of headaches. In this case, lavender, marjoram and mint oils have been shown to be particularly effective. The essential oil can be used for inhalation, massage, bathing or compresses.
Kinesiotherapy
Kinesitherapy is a method of physical therapy that relies on the treatment of various diseases with the help of movement. And although its main task is to remove or minimize physical disability, it also relieves pain. Kinesiotherapy is indicated, inter alia, in the treatment of back pain or pain in the patellofemoral joint.