Embrace natural alternatives for chronic pain

There are several alternative natural methods that can assist with the treatment of chronic pain other than taking medication, which, in the long-term, can cause damage to the body.

This was said during a medical panel discussion organised by Namibia Media Holdings (NMH) that focused on chronic pain.

Dr Neels de Villiers, a spinal orthopaedical surgeon and pain interventionist, explained that there are two types of pain – acute pain and chronic pain.

Short and long

Acute pain happens quickly and goes away when there is no cause, but chronic pain lasts longer than four months, and when this happens, a doctor must be consulted.

He explained that chronic pain should be addressed through a multidisciplinary approach, which consists of treating the physical, psychosocial, medical, vocational and social aspects of chronic pain.

"We are sitting with a 21st-century pain epidemic because we do not exercise enough, we are getting overweight, and we do not walk barefoot anymore."

Biokineticist Jackie Retief agreed and said that it is time to get back to the basics for better overall health.

Touch the ground

This means sleeping more, drinking more water and walking barefoot or grounding yourself.

Grounding, also called earthing, is a therapeutic technique that involves doing activities that “ground” or electrically reconnect you to the earth.

This practice relies on earthing science and grounding physics to explain how electrical charges from the earth can have positive effects on the body.

It refers to the discovery that bodily contact with the Earth's natural electric charge stabilises the physiology at the deepest levels, reduces inflammation, pain, and stress, improves blood flow, energy, and sleep, and generates greater well-being.

Retief added that exercise and nutrition are vital to prevent chronic pain.

Stay calm

Angela Prusa, founder of the Cannabis and Hemp Association of Namibia, spoke to the panel from London and said that cannabis can work very effectively across the board in treating pain.

She said not only can it help lower and calm the nerves, but it also helps against inflammation.

"The body often gets stuck in a pain loop even though there is no pain."

Prusa added that cannabis is a much safer option to treat pain in the long-term than opium, which is very addictive.

She said that when treating a patient with cannabis, she considers certain factors such as their lifestyle, medications they use such as blood thinners, anti-depressants and anti-epileptics, as well as their blood pressure.

"It is really about fining the least amount for the optimal outcome. Addiction is not so much an illness, but an emotional response to trauma. That is why it is key to help look where the trauma."

Acceptance

Prusa said the fact that cannabis is a powerful medicinal plant should be more widely known.

"There are a lot of alternatives to work with to treat pain, such as aquapuncture and cannabis, that can take pressure off the health system, and instead of using pills, which can cause negative effects, we should embrace natural alternatives."

Psychologist Iani de Kock said that when people try to push away pain, which can make it worse, it is possible to develop chronic pain.

The acceptance-based approach is therefore an important coping skill for pain management.