Pain

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Best pain relief for sciatica
Treatment

Best pain relief for sciatica

Sciatica is the sensation of pain, tingling, or burning running along the course of the sciatic nerve. This is a large nerve that emerges from the spine, in the lower part of the back, and extends across each buttock to the back of the thigh, the outside edge of the lower leg, and to the foot. You have two sciatic nerves, one coming out from each side of the spine. Sciatic pain occurs due to compression or inflammation of the sciatic nerve. This may be in response to a sporting or lifting injury to the lower back, prolonged sitting, or sometimes it's caused by a slipped disc. The specific location of the pain or altered sensation depends on where the nerve is irritated or compressed. Sciatica often resolves on its own, and pain can vary, but it's usually worse in the first few days, and this can be managed with non-drug treatments and painkillers. The best painkillers for your sciatica will often depend on the severity and intensity of the pain, as well as any other health conditions you have and preferences for types of treatment.

Best medicines for back pain: a comprehensive guide
Treatment

Best medicines for back pain: a comprehensive guide

Back pain is a common ailment that can sometimes require medication for effective relief. In this detailed article, we will explore different types of back pain and discuss the most suitable medicines for each case. It is crucial to understand that the strongest treatment is not always the best option, and milder approaches can be equally effective, such as stretching exercises.

CBD oil
Treatment

CBD oil

CBD oil, also known as cannabis oil or cannabidiol oil, is formed by extracting cannabidiol from the cannabis or hemp plant and putting this chemical into the oil. It has recently become well known, with many health companies advertising it and selling it legally as a health supplement; however, the legality of cannabis-based vs. hemp-based CBD oil varies at both the federal and state level, making it very confusing for purchasers. Non-prescription CBD oil available to buy is not FDA-approved, and so these products undergo lower levels of scrutiny than medications. Because of this, there remain questions over the quality of these "health supplements" with potential variations in quality. There is not a huge amount of research on CBD but it has been shown that in some people it can help in the treatment of severe epilepsy that doesn’t respond to standard treatments. It is also thought to have some anti-inflammatory properties and may help reduce anxiety and chronic pain. CBD oil has also been studied for severe sickness due to chemotherapy and severe muscle problems in a condition called multiple sclerosis. Some of these studies included a combination of both CBD and THC. Potential side effects of taking CBD oil are sleepiness, dizziness, and bowel symptoms. It can also affect your liver and may interact with medications, including painkillers and anti-epileptic medication.

Back pain relief
Treatment

Back pain relief

Back pain will affect most of us at some time, but it usually improves on its own within a few days or weeks. Musculoskeletal back pain is the most common type, and it typically occurs in the lower back. This is the most vulnerable area to injury, and it can arise when you have lifted something heavy with incorrect positioning, or over time from overuse or incorrect posture. Doctors call this injury mechanical back pain. It mostly affects those aged between 40 and 60 years, and it can affect work and usual activities while you recover. Most cases are managed without seeing your doctor. It’s best to avoid strenuous activity and treat yourself with gentle stretches or hot and cold compresses, plus painkillers if needed. Here at Healthwords, we will always tell you that prevention is better than cure. But once you have a musculoskeletal back injury, you will want to do all you can to quickly get back on your feet and be free from pain. We’ve got some suggestions for you.

Ibuprofen
Treatment

Ibuprofen

Ibuprofen is an anti-inflammatory painkiller. It comes in many different forms, including tablets, liquigels, chewables, and syrup. It can start to work within 20 - 30 minutes. It is important that it is taken with food, as the medication alone can cause stomach irritation. It is suitable for ages 6 months onward, which means it is a great option for children.

Nerve pain medication
Treatment

Nerve pain medication

Nerve pain occurs when a nerve becomes pinched, inflamed, or damaged. It alerts your brain that there is a problem in a part of the body, which is helpful at the beginning of an injury to get you to rest up and recover. But over time, it continues to fire even without an injury, and it becomes unhelpful. Depending on the cause, it can take some time to recover, or it may develop into a longstanding condition you must learn to manage. Also known as neuropathic pain, it’s usually more complex in its nature than muscle or joint pain. Therefore, it’s more difficult to treat effectively.

Natural pain relief
Treatment

Natural pain relief

You find yourself suffering pain but are hesitant to take the usual painkillers your doctor or pharmacist suggests for whatever reason – perhaps the experience of side effects or fear of addiction, or you're trying to cut down on your regular pain medications. You may wonder what forms of natural, alternative or herbal pain relief are available. Our resident pharmacist will take you through alternative types of pain relief, and they will seek to dispel any myths or misinformation regarding pain medications.

Muscle pain relief
Treatment

Muscle pain relief

We’ve all been there – the day after a heavy workout, a twisted ankle or an accidental bang or bruise to one of the many muscles in our body. Muscles and the pain they produce can cause a great deal of torment! Here at Healthwords we have recommendations for a sensible pain relief ladder to follow, along with some top tips to soothe those painful symptoms.

Treating mild and simple pain
Treatment

Treating mild and simple pain

Everyone will experience some form of physical pain from time to time. Pain can be short-term like a simple headache, cuts and bruises, or long-term due to a condition like arthritis. It is our body’s way of signaling injury, or that something isn't quite right, and tells us to protect the injured area to allow recovery. We feel pain when our pain receptors (called nociceptors) detect tissue damage and send a signal along your nervous system to the brain, which then translates this signal to the sensation of pain. There are different types of pain, some of which respond better to specific treatments. Below we have outlined some of the most common types of pain and the best way to treat them.

Strongest painkillers over-the-counter
Treatment

Strongest painkillers over-the-counter

When wandering around the pharmacy and faced with a multitude of choices, how do we know what's going to be most effective? What's the strongest painkiller? Here at Healthwords, we'd usually say the right painkiller is the lowest-strength painkiller that can relieve the pain, hopefully reducing the risk of side effects from stronger medications. But we've also all been there with a nasty toothache and just wanting it to go away – so tell me what the strongest one is! Below we'll discuss options from strongest to weakest, although normally, we'd say it is best to start with the mildest pain relief (acetaminophen and work your way upwards to the strongest. It's worth knowing the different classes of painkiller, as some treat certain pains better than others. And within each class, there are options in how you take your pain relief, from a cream or gel to tablets or dispersible solutions. It's also good to be aware of side effects, and if these are intolerable, there may be other medications, such as ones to treat nausea with opioid medications, that help you feel more comfortable. The following relates to tablets or oral medications: we discuss gels, creams, patches, and other modes of pain relief in other articles. You may also need medications to reduce risks if you're taking them for a long time, such as protecting against excess stomach acid caused by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories. Let's start with the science behind the main classes of pain relievers, or analgesics, as we call them.

Migraine pain relief
Treatment

Migraine pain relief

Migraines can be extremely painful and can last hours to days. Unfortunately, there is no cure, but there are ways to help manage migraines and their symptoms. The best pain relief for a migraine starts with simple over-the-counter medications and decreasing stimuli or triggers (just a medical term for things that make the symptoms worse!) by lying in a dark, quiet room. Further options are a group of prescription medications known as triptans, along with using ice or cold treatment to ease the pain.

Pregnancy pain relief
Treatment

Pregnancy pain relief

Not all medications are safe in pregnancy. This is because some medication can cross the placenta and reach the baby. This makes it important to ensure that the medication you are taking doesn’t harm your unborn child and it is always best to speak to your doctor or pharmacist. All painkillers should be taken at the lowest dose necessary, striking a balance between harm to baby and effect on mother. Painkillers are a common medication needed through the many stages of pregnancy, and the Healthwords medical team are here to talk you through the options.

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