All of us, at some point in our lives, have encountered pain in one form or the other. According to a study, 1 in 5 adults suffer from aches and pains in a year, while 1 in 10 adults are diagnosed with chronic pain every year. Pain is more than a feeling of discomfort, as it may impact you physically and mentally. Depending on the severity of the pain, it may also put a wrench in your day-to-day activities and affect your overall health.
Though pain can be treated quite easily and effectively, it may become a lifelong burden if left untreated and uncared for. Pain that lasts for a longer period may also impact the quality of life, which is why it is important to diagnose the root cause of the pain and treat it immediately. Pain lets us know when something is wrong with our body so that it can be treated in a timely manner. Some types of pain are easy to diagnose and can be treated at home, while others can indicate serious health conditions and require medical attention.
Before we look at treatment and relief techniques for pain management, let us understand the various types and possible causes of pain.
Types of Pain:
Acute Pain:
This type of pain develops over a short period of time and occurs suddenly. In most cases, acute pain can be the result of an injury or illness. Acute pain tends to be sharp and fades away within a few days or weeks, after the root cause is addressed.
Chronic Pain:
Chronic pain lasts for over multiple months or even years. It is usually the result of an underlying health condition such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, cancer, or migraine. In some cases, people experience chronic pain following an injury.
Neuropathic Pain:
This type of pain is the result of nerve damage caused by an injury or illness. For example, you may experience neuropathic pain due to conditions such as slip disc, shingles, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and others.
Nociceptive Pain:
Nociceptive pain occurs when there is a tissue damage in the body. It may be the result of injuries such as cuts, burns, and fractures. It may also result from health conditions such as arthritis, osteoporosis, and other conditions that cause tissue inflammation.
Functional Pain:
This type of pain is caused by no obvious damage or injury to the body. In other words, functional pain has no obvious causes or is difficult to identify. In most cases, functional pain tends to be chronic. This type of pain is caused by health conditions such as fibromyalgia, , irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and more.
Causes of Pain:
Stress: When you are under stress, the immune system becomes weak, due to which it cannot control its response to inflammation and fight off illnesses. As a result, the body becomes prone to inflammation and infection, which in turn leads to body ache, soreness, and stiffness.
Injury: Our body is often vulnerable to injuries, be it a fall, car accident, or sports injuries. Accidentally spraining a muscle or ligament, indulging in strenuous exercises, or even moving your joints and limbs the wrong way, can cause pains and aches.
Bad Posture: Sitting or sleeping in the wrong posture is one of the most common causes of muscle pain, especially among youngsters, as their jobs might require them to sit on their desks all day long, leading to postures such as slouching or slumping, which in turn leads to pain.
Health Conditions: As mentioned earlier, different health conditions such as fibromyalgia, cancer, arthritis, migraine, and slip disc can cause pain. Nerve damage in the body can also cause immense pain.
Other causes of pain might include, anaemia/weakness, lack of sleep, nutritional deficiency, and more. Now that we have seen the various possible causes of pain, let us take a look at different treatment methods and pain relief techniques.
Pain Relief Treatment and Techniques:
While some pains can be treated at home through home remedies and over-the-counter medications, some cases require medical attention, depending on the cause and severity of pain. Some of the most common pain relief treatments for quick pain relief include:
Hot & Cold Therapy:
As the name itself suggests, hot and cold therapy involves applying heat and ice to the affected area to relieve pain. It is one of the safest and most effective pain relief technique. Heat helps relax the muscles and dilate the blood vessels, and it can be applied through hot water bottles or heating pads. Cold therapy works by reducing blood flow to the area of inflammation, thus preventing it from getting worse.
Massage:
Massage for pain relief is most effective when used with other relief and pain management techniques such as physical therapy or pain relief medications. Massage helps relax the muscles, increase flexibility, improve blood circulation, and reduce stiffness in the affected area.
Pain Relief Pills:
When you are under-going unbearable pain, your first instinct might be turning to pain relief pills. Depending on the nature or severity of the pain, you can either opt for an over-the-counter pain medication or go to a doctor for stronger, prescribed medication. However, pain relief pills come with certain side effects such as fatigue, heartburn, addiction/abuse, ulcer, nausea, and more. This is why, it is important to consult a doctor and do thorough research about the pain relief pill before you consume it.
Topical Relief:
When you do not want to get affected by the side effects of pills or do not have the time to indulge in home remedies, topical relief techniques are the best way to get rid of pain. Topical pain relief solutions such as pain relief sprays and gels provide long-lasting pain relief. These topical quick relief gels and sprays are also easily accessible and affordable. Let us take a look at the various benefits of topical pain relief solutions:
- Precisely targets the affected area for relief
- does not affect internal organs
- No side effects
- Instant pain relief
- Treats different types of pain
- No risk of abuse
- Can be carried on-the-go
If you are wary of using pain relief pills due its various side effects, and cannot turn to home remedies due to lack of time, using a topical pain relief gel for muscle pain and other types of pain is the best solution. Omnigel is one such neck pain relief gel, formulated with an active ingredient – Diclofenac, that is known for its pain relieving and anti-inflammatory properties. Omnigel instantly relieves pain while also reducing inflammation. It provides a warm and soothing sensation to the body, and gets easily absorbed into the skin, enabling quick action. Omnigel muscle pain relief spray is also available for instant relief. Just apply the pain-relief gel or spray on the affected area for quick and long-lasting relief!
