Pain Control

A panorama of pain
Pain is the frequent accompaniment of disease, accidents, operations, and one of the most damaging agents to mood and wellbeing. It is a highly complex phenomenon involving both physical and psychological aspects. Common options for the treatment of pain are arresting its beginning, reducing its magnitude, hindering its transmission, curtailing its perception, or regulating its experience. But pain is a significant symptom of injury or disorder, and its cause should be understood before any treatment is tried.

Medically, pain is almost invariably treated by pharmacological ways and means, most of which are not free of side effects. There are other methods of dealing with pain, and a few of these are associated with foods and dietary supplements and free of damaging side effects. This is particularly true of the most frequent and persistent source of pain in our society, the various forms of arthritis. Today over 40 million Americans suffer from arthritis. Relatively few are aware of the extent nutrition can help reduce pain.

The dietary connection
A lot of pain is the result of inflammation. Now we understand this process and know that it is largely caused by the metabolic products of arachidonic fatty acid, consisting of the Series 2 prostaglandins, thromboxanes, leucotrienes and lipoxins. Since generally humans do not possess the enzyme for the production of arachidonic acid, this can only come from our diet. By carefully planning a nutritional regimen, one can reduce inflammation. But often things are far more complex. Take for example the most widespread hot beverage in the civilized world: coffee.

Because coffee has certain vasodilating (vein-enlarging) properties, it helps the circulation of the blood and in some cases it helps reduce pain. But coffee also blocks the endorphin receptors in the brain. Endorphins reduce substance P across the synapses of nerves, thus making the body less receptive to pain. By blocking endorphin receptors, coffee increases pain in some other cases. Knowing how to reduce pain through nutrition is feasible, but it is not simple.

At the same time, the production of Series 3 prostanglandins can reduce arachidonic acid activity and limit the formation of inflammation mediators. Thus eicosapentanoic acid, usually known as EPA, which is the precursor of Series 3 prostaglandins, can further reduce the magnitude of pain. These simple examples are to show that there are indeed other methods of dealing with pain, than the customary chemical painkillers.

Nutrient supplementation
A number of nutrients appear to have a moderating effect on pain. Some seem to work in ways similar to aspirin and to potentiate the effects of the latter. Others appear to have vasodilatory properties, counteracting the effects of the Series 2 prostaglandins, which often restrict the width of blood vessels and obstruct blood flow. Still others work in ways little understood, which may have to do with an increase in pain tolerance, or other ways of decreasing the perception of pain.

Traditionally too, a large variety of herbs has been successfully used for the treatment of pain. The difference with the painkillers of commerce is that these are free of side effects. For example, painkillers often reduce the level of prostaglandins that protect the stomach lining and can result in ulcers. No such problems are encountered with nutrition and nutritional supplements.

Our program
Our nutrition program is designed to lessen the pain you may feel as a result of disease, accidents, injuries or operations without the side effects of commercial pain killers. Less pain often means greater mobility, and greater mobility may be the most effective first step to recovery. The program aims to moderate the magnitude of pain, check its transmission, and control its perception.

1. Comprehensive measures. The identification of the best ways to reduce your pain through natural and essentially nutritional means.
   
2. Diet. What foods to eat, how to eat them, and what to cut down or eliminate at least for a while, in order to reduce or eliminate pain, and to help with the recovery from injuries or operations.
   
3. Nutritional supplements. What vitamins, minerals, trace elements, amino acids, fatty acids, enzymes, etc, you may need to enhance the above comprehensive measures, when and how to take them in order to avoid nutrient interactions.
   
4. Botanical support. Which standardized herbal preparations may be of direct or indirect assistance for your condition, their dosages and contraindications, etc.
5. Lifestyle changes. Significant changes in lifestyle that may help reduce or eliminate the causes or sources of pain.
6. Topical treatment. For conditions that may be also treated externally, what natural treatments to use and how to apply them.
   
7. Exercise. What type of exercises may help your condition, and what may make it worse.
   
8. Physical therapies. What other forms of treatment may be of help for your condition, such as acupuncture, homeopathy, hydrotherapy, etc.