There are many who are dissatisfied with conventional treatments for pain and are looking for more natural ways to find relief.  Many use dietary supplements as part of the pain management strategies.

As part of our on-going series of blogs on pain management we would like to introduce to you a few natural remedies for pain.  In a previous blog we explored food which helped pain (see https://patienttalk.org/?p=507). In this blog we are looking at naturally occurring substances which can be used to provide relief from pain.   In this case they may be available either as food or as a dietary supplement.  For most the key issue is that the treatments and products they use are not synthesised chemicals:-

a)      Capsaicin.  Comes from chilli peppers and can be used on the skin to treat pain. Including rheumatoid arthritis and diabetic neuropathy.

b)      Vitamin D.   We covered Vitamin D in an earlier blog this year (https://patienttalk.org/?p=300).  It is available free from the sun as well in “paid for” supplements.

c)       Omega-3s or fish oil. This old favourite seems always to come up when health is discussed.  While an effective anti-inflammatory it now seems to help people with neuropathic and fibromyalgia pains.  It can be taken in concentrated form as a supplement but I still prefer a smoked salmon bagel.

d)      Glucosamine sulphate. This dietary supplement is often recommended for people with osteoarthritis.

e)      Methylsulfonyl-methane.  Also for osteoarthritis it helps reduce joint pain.

Please note that these products are dietary supplements rather than medications. Before using them at all we would recommend you speak with a qualified healthcare professional.

Of course these are only five among many.  This is where you come in. It would be great if you could share your experiences of using dietary supplements to help manage pain. You might like to consider some of the following questions:-

1)      What is the main medical condition which causes you pain?

2)      How do you manage your pain?  What role do dietary supplements play in your pain management?

3)      How successful have they been?

4)      Are there any dietary supplements you would recommend?

Feel free to use the comments box below to share your story and to add any links you think may be of interest.

Many thanks in advance.