Use of Alternative Medicine to Manage Pain

In many illnesses, pain is an uncomfortable sensory and emotional sensation, often

induced by intense or harmful stimuli. The suffering has a detrimental effect on the quality of life

and raises high health costs. Drugs with analgesic properties are usually used to alleviate pain,

but the side-effects such as tolerance and addiction can overcome those Western drugs.

Alternative pain relief strategies can be provided by herbal medicines. Pain is a disagreeable

feeling, but it is also one of the essential warning systems of the human body. It helps to

recognise different intensity stimuli which could potentially affect the tissue. In contrast with

short-term acute pain, often after the resolution of the original cause, chronic pain continues and

sometimes loses its protective benefit rather than causing adverse effects. Pain of any origin may

become immune to conventional therapies if it continues, and adversely affect the quality of life

of patients. It is therefore essential to promote our understanding of chronic pain pathogenesis in

order to identify new therapeutic approaches. There are several treatment methods used to

successfully treat pain, including substance usage and alternative steps. The use of medicinal

plants is as old as man himself in pain treatment. Pain management continues to be a significant

worldwide clinical issue. Different researchers worldwide focus on both chemical and non-

chemical interference to efficiently handle pain in order to comply with the patient. It is also

suggested that combining medicine with other techniques (without drug use) can lead to better

results in painful conditions[ CITATION Har16 \l 1033 ].

The term ''alternative therapy'' generally is used to describe any medical treatment or

intervention that is used in place of conventional medicine. There are different types of medicines

and techniques used to manage pain. Alternative therapy covers many disciplines including

acupuncture, guided imaging, therapy, yoga, hypnosis, biofeedback, aromatherapy, healing, herbal
remedies, massages and more. For example, if we consider chronic pain. It is generally treated by

traditional medicines. Conventional medicines, as prescribed medicines, are also ineffective in

treating chronic pain associated with such medical conditions, such as fibromyalgia and rheumatoid

arthritis. But some patients with chronic pain have relief from traditional and complementary

medication. The alternative medicine or technique used to manage pain can be referred as

Acupuncture. An old Chinese technique, acupuncture uses thin needles, which are placed into

different "acupuncture points" of the body around the width of a hair strand, to relieve the pain.

As the needles are so small, acupuncture is not damaging, but the needles usually last up to 40

minutes. These needles help in the healing process and can give substantial relief of pain to

people having daily acupuncture sessions. Acupuncture works to re-establish a balanced energy

flow called Chi (also known as Qi). This technique frees up the Chi canals of the body so that

energy flows freely through the body and eventually reduces your pain. Acupuncture involves

stimulating certain acupoints on the body using fine needles or other methods. How acupuncture

works is not entirely clear. It is thought that acupoints lie near nerve fibers. When acupoints are

stimulated, the nerve fibers signal the spinal cord and brain to release chemicals that relieve pain.

Acupuncture is an effective means of relieving pain, such as for back pain and headache pain.

Acupuncture may also help relieve pain due to cancer, Musculoskeletal injuries (such as the

neck, shoulder, knee, or elbow), Childbirth (labor), Carpal tunnel syndrome, Osteoarthritis, and

Fibromyalgia[ CITATION Som18 \l 1033 ].

Systematic reviews acknowledged that complementary and alternative medicines

literature is generally limited and of weak methods, often with small samples and difficulties for

generalisation and implementation in clinical practise. In complementary and alternative medical

study, a number of methodological deficiencies have been found, including inadequate

withdrawal during the follow-up period. Additional and alternative medicines, such as chronic

low-back pain, fibromyalgia, and arthritis, have also been well studied in chronic

musculoskeletal disorder. However, its effectiveness has not yet been determined in the

postoperative setting. Orthopedic procedures are among the most common in the USA. Total

joint replacement occurred in >1.5 million patients in 2016. By 2030, total a therapy volume for

hip arthroplasty are expected to increase by 71.2 percent and total knee arthroplasty by 84.9

percent. Given the prevalence and the effects of undertreated post-operative pain, there was little

agreement on optimal post-operative pain care. Opioids are prescribed by suppliers in Canada

and the United States at higher rates than their counterparts worldwide. These countries have the

highest per capita rates of opium use, and clinicians and researchers in Canada and the Americas

have noted that guidelines given by government agencies and medical associations have not

sufficed to resolve opium use and misuse issues. These challenges may be compounded by

preliminary evidence that patient attitudes towards pain and treatment in the United States and

Canada are different to pain in other countries, which aims to assess the effectiveness of

postoperative pain complementary medicinal products following orthopedic procedures as

described by pain measurement and alternative medicinal products[ CITATION Bak20 \l 1033 ].

Given the wide-ranging use of CAM for pain relief and the value of clinical evidence to

guide the public on the use of CAM, policy making and research direction, it is vital that the

extent of CAM pain research in Australia is recognized. CAM is referred to as "medical and

healthcare schemes, procedures and non-conceptual products" and is comprised of a broad

variety of therapies. The CAM meaning is changing and smooth. Acupuncture, for example, is

regarded as a form of CAM in Australia, but acupuncture is a mainstream practice for many
physicians even though the NHMRC considers acupuncture to be a form of CAM. Spinal

manipulation is a major treatment for physiotherapists, chiropractors, and osteopathists. The first

is a kind of ally health, while the latter are CAMs. This analysis focused on widely used CAMs

for pain relief and the nationally licensed professions by 2012, chiropractic, osteopathy, and

Chinese medicine, including Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture and t'ai chi. The objective

was to classify types of CAM pain research in Australia, the history of researchers and the

sources of funding by systematically examining the existing data. The goal of this review was

not to evaluate the effectiveness or efficiency of various CAM therapies, nor to investigate other

areas of CAM research in this country, such as hay fever, cancer, or the health of

women[ CITATION Zhe13 \l 1033 ].

A variety of conventional, alternative, or complementary therapies that employ essential

oil and other aromatic plant compounds are referred to as aromatherapy or essential oleo therapy.

For about 6,000 years essential oils have been used to boost a person's health or mood. The

NAHA describes aromatherapy as "therapeutic use or medicinal use of aromatic substances

(essential oils) for holistic treatment." Aromatherapy is usually used inhaled or as a topical

treatment. For example, the oils evaporate into the air with a bottle diffuser, spray or oil droplets

or breathe in the steam bath. Aromatherapy oils offer not only a soothing fragrance but also

breathing disinfection, decongestants, and psychological benefit. Inhalation of essential oils

activates the olfactory system and the brain part, including the nose and the brain, linked to the

smell. Nose- or mouth-entreating molecules migrate to and from the lungs into other areas of the

body. The molecules enter the brain and have an effect on the limbic system connected to

emotions, heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, memory, stress, and hormonal balance.

Essential oils may also have a subtle yet holistic impact on the body. Aromatherapy is a holistic
cure that uses natural extracts of plants to encourage well-being and fitness. It is often referred to

as essential oil therapy. Aromatherapy uses herbal essential oils to enhance body, mind, and

spirit health medicinally. It improves physical and mental health. Aromatherapy is considered an

art and a science. Aromatherapy has recently gained greater recognition in science and medicine[

CITATION Emi19 \l 1033 ].

References
Bakker Caitlin J., W. K. (2020, May 20). Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Postoperative Pain.
Retrieved from JB & JS:
https://journals.lww.com/jbjsjournal/fulltext/2020/05201/complementary_and_alternative_me
dicine_for.8.aspx

Cronkleton, E. (2019, March 08). Aromatherapy Uses and Benefits. Retrieved from Health line:
https://www.healthline.com/health/what-is-aromatherapy

Haroon Khan, V. D. (2016, September 25). Evidence Based Alternative Medicines in Pain Management.
Retrieved from PMC: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5046000/

Sahai-Srivastava, S. (2018, July 07). Common Alternative Treatments for Chronic Pain. Retrieved from
Practical Pain Management: https://www.practicalpainmanagement.com/common-alternative-
treatments-chronic-pain

Zhen Zheng, C. C. (2013, February). Pain Research in Complementary and Alternative Medicine in
Australia: A Critical Review. Retrieved from PMC:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3576897/