Being in pain or living with chronic pain is no joke, yet chronic pain is a fact of life for many people living with invisible illnesses, autoimmune diseases, recovering from injury or surgery, and much more. I’ve lived with the chronic pain associated with two autoimmune diseases for over ten years now, but I know that it could be so much worse. So, I’ve used myself as a guinea pig, trying out things I hear or read about, in pursuit of anything that will help my body heal itself or improve my quality of life.
Over the years, I’ve written a lot of posts about my journey and many readers have messaged me to share their own experiences. Something I get asked a lot is, “How do you live with the never-ending pain?” The good news is that I have a lot of natural pain relief remedies that I use to reduce my pain levels as much as possible, and this in turn makes any other needed medical interventions much more effective, too.
And, beyond that, I think it needs to be said that there is some work we have to do on our thoughts and our mindset when we get the bad news that we’re stuck with something for life, or even the foresseable future. There is a real grieving process there to accepting that our bodies are on the struggle bus. But, we can also continue to advocate for ourselves, try new things to see if something will help, and prioritize our health. In addition, meditation, creative distractions, and trying suggestions on this list can be really helpful in managing chronic pain as well.
Natural Pain Relief Alternatives:
These are things I’ve bought and tried, with positive results. I have to tell you that I’m not a doctor and this should not replace medical advice. I’m just a regular person living with ADs and I use myself as my test subject. I also check with my rheumatologist if I’m concerned about trying something new. They’ll usually tell me if it’s safe/not safe for me. I hope some of my ideas provide you with relief, but with anything, there is no guarantee that it will. Affiliate links are used below, which means if you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no cost to you.
1. Saje Extra Strength Pain Relieving Roll-On Blend:
I ordered this last year after hearing about it online. It was on the pricier side for an essential oil roller, especially since I haven’t found a lot of success with essential oil type remedies in the past, so I tend to be skeptical. Yet, the reviews kept beckoning to me. Finally, I tried it, and let me tell you, this puppy is powerful. I would say this is similar, but more effective, than Tiger Balm, which is also good and affordable.
Still, if you can afford this one, or even wait for it to go on sale, then it might be worthwhile. I like to roll this on specific areas where inflammation builds up. For me, that tends to be on my right shoulder, upper back, as well as some new, nagging hip pain flare-ups that are super fun. I roll this on, cover it with clothes, and then wait for it to work its magic. The cooling smell is strong, but not unpleasant. Be careful not to get it on your fingers, because if you touch your face or eyes, it won’t feel good. For this reason, I always cover it in a light layer of clothes. If I have it on my shoulder and one of my kids comes to hug me, they are not going to like getting this on their face.
To learn more about this pain relief roller, find it here.
2. Turmeric Blend Supplement:
I’ve shared about turmeric before. I’ve taken it as a supplement for years. Some supplements seem to work better than others, but after years and years of taking it, I started to notice it was upsetting my stomach a little bit and not working as well. I switched to this turmeric blend supplement, which also has reservatrol and boswellia, both known for fighting inflammation, too.
Let me tell you, friends: I notice a difference when I take this. I usually use one pill a day, but if I’m feeling particularly achy or inflamed in certain areas, I’ll up it to two capsules. I feel it working in about the same amount of time as ibuprofen. I recently learned that Now Foods has a similar blend, for a better price, and theirs has a lot of other powerful additions, too. I plan to try that when I run out of this one. Check it out here.
3. Castor Oil Packs:
I’ve written about these before and I’m sure I’ll write about them again. These work. They’re not as immediate as the pain roller and the turmeric complex, but long-term, they will really help the body heal. I upgraded my setup recently by grabbing a wrap and a rollerball castor oil, and it makes it so much easier and less messy to do the castor oil packs quickly.
Just roll the castor oil over the area, I mostly use mine over my digestive area/liver. Then, wrap the pack around you to keep the castor oil from rubbing off, apply a heat pad and relax. I’ve also seen people apply it to the bottom of their feet and then apply thick socks when they go to bed. I can’t sleep in socks, but I like the idea of applying it to the feet.
Kind note: castor oil stains. Make sure you have old clothes on and you put old towels underneath you.
You’ll need a few things – but check what you have first, before buying anything:
- Castor Oil – I like this liquid version in the glass bottle. I also like this rollerball version, because it’s so easy.
- Fabric – Wool Flannel to lay over the area, or you can use one of these wraps that straps around you. Very convenient.
- Heat Pad – I have several different sized heat pads depending on where I’m using it. You probably already have a heat pad and can use that. Here’s a good one, if you need one.
If you’re interested in trying out castor oil packs, you can read a lot more about castor oil packs in this post.
4. Magnesium Salt Baths:
*This idea is best if you do not have any open wounds. If you’ve undergone surgery, etc., follow your doctor’s instructions for bathing until the wound is healed* When I feel allover fatigue and achiness, I turn to magnesium salt baths. I’ll be honest: I’m not a huge fan of taking baths. This is pretty much the only time when I make an exception. I run water as hot as I can stand so it will dissolve the magnesium salts, add a generous amount of bath salts, and then after they’re dissolved, I soak as long as I can stand it. I get bored pretty quickly, so sometimes it takes a little planning to have a show or movie queued up on my laptop. Someday, I’d like to grab one of these rolling monitors. That would be perfect for bath time. Until then, I make it work with what I have.
I wrote a whole post on detox baths that goes into more detail, if you’re interested.
5. Handheld Percussion Massager:
This percussion massager is amazing. The handle is long and curved, so I can reach my own back. Plus, the different options and settings make it easy to customize for the area of pain. This is the exact one that I have, but there are so many options.
It doesn’t always feel very good to massage an area that is inflamed. But, if I know there is no injury there, it can really help accelerate the healing process. Heat it to loosen it up, then massage, followed by the Suja roller or Tiger Balm. That’s my 3-part plan and it seems to be helping vs. allowing things to heal on their own without any intervention.
6. Heat Pads:
I have a few different sizes of heat pads and I stash them all over the house. I think I have one in my office, one in my bedroom, one in the kitchen where I usually sit at my laptop at work, maybe another one in the hall closet. Basically, anywhere I’m hanging out, I’ve got a heat pad somewhere close. I’ve picked them up over the years for different reasons. The one in the picture above is one of my favorites, it’s by Pure Enrichment. It’s super easy to control the temperature settings, it warms up quickly, and it’s comfortable to use. I’m not sure that you can go wrong with any heat pad, though.
For the heat pad by Pure, click on this link.
7. Heated Blanket:
I’m also a big fan of a heated blanket. I get cold really easily and so I love having a heated blanket that I can lay over me while working or when I’m relaxing. I feel it really helps with reducing stress and releasing tension in the body. That alone can really help with easing aches and pains. Sometimes, what I think is chronic pain, is just chronic exhaustion from pushing myself too hard. When I give myself permission to lay down, cozy up with a heated blanket, and rest, I feel a lot better very quickly.
Here’s a pro tip, though: check the size of the blanket before purchasing. If it’s throw size, you’re not going to be able to cover yourself completely unless your 5’2 or under. It’ll work fine over your lap while in a desk chair, but that’s it. You’ll need the twin bed size blanket if you want to lay down with it, which is usually around 84 inches long. Thank me later.
For the heated blanket I love right now, click on this link.
8. Ice Packs:
I use ice packs for a lot of things: headaches, injuries (kids), areas where I feel inflamed, etc. So, I have ice packs in all sorts of shapes and sizes. You can buy specific ice packs for areas of the body, like shoulders, knees, and more. After my c-sections, the nurse brought me ice packs in the hospital. It helped so much with the itching and burning pain of the wound, that we got more ice packs for me to use at home while I was recovering. I’ve recommended this to so many women who have had abdominal surgery or hysterectomies and it’s a gamechanger. Get two, in a pack like this, so you can use one/freeze one, and that way you’ll always have one on hand.
Another one of my favorite ice packs is my Manta eye mask with ice and heat eye pads. I use it for headaches, but also eye pain associated with Sjogren’s. It has velcro to attach the ice packs or I can swap them out for the warming eye pads that can be microwaved. I keep the eye ice packs in the freezer at all times, so they’re ready to pop in as soon as I notice an ocular migraine coming or increased eye inflammation.
I also love having mini ice packs ready for if the kids fall or get hurt. They are so used to icing their booboos, they go and get the ice packs themselves now. Ice is great for reducing inflammation, which helps the body heal an injury faster.
Find the ice pack that fits your need and watch it freeze the pain away. I feel like I should note that using ice packs with a thin cover is ideal, such as with all the ice packs I’ve recommended here.
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I hope you found some new ideas here. I’d like to mention that I’ve picked up these items over years and years of trying different things. I added them, one at a time, sometimes even getting them as gifts for birthdays or Christmas. Many of these are also one time purchases, which is really nice, because you can create your chronic pain relief basket one thing at a time and then replenish the supplements as needed.
If you are a looking for more wellness content, there’s a lot here, especially for autoimmune diseases and inflammation. Check out the tab marked “wellness”.
Also, if you have a tip for a natural pain alternative, share it in the comments below. I know we’d all love some more ideas. As always, spam comments will be deleted.
Take care, friend,
E
