No one likes pain, especially me, so if this works it may be a welcome addition in some cases, such as undergoing surgery without being completely unconscious, or offer pain relief without losing mobility during childbirth, for example.

But pain typically serves a very useful purpose, reminding us that something is not right -- prompting us to seek expert attention to resolve the problem at its root level. Unfortunately, most are brainwashed and resort to a drug model to cover the problem up. So I take the position of embracing and loving pain for the important warning signal it can provide. Once you understand what is causing your pain you can start using natural therapies to address the underlying cause.

Pain itself may actually cause your adrenals to worsen, so putting a lid on your pain can be very important. However, any drug therapy is fraught with potential complications, and some may actually kill you, so be careful. (Just remember, over 60,000 people died from taking Vioxx.)

Safer Pain Management Options

One option is to consider selecting one or more natural anti-inflammatory supplements as a safer alternative to painkillers, such as:

• Ginger
• Boswellia
• Fish oils
• Bromelain
• Evening primrose, black currant, or borage oils

While there are scenarios where this is absolutely appropriate it should not be the reflex first choice, because even if you use natural ways to relieve the pain, unless you are addressing the underlying cause, you could be causing even more damage by covering up this useful signal.

Even though natural treatments, and even drugs, can be effective in managing your pain while you heal, in my opinion, pain management treatment protocols are incomplete if they do not address your emotional well-being. As Dr. Cope stated, therapies addressing psychological issues in a case of chronic pain may be vital in providing relief.

A classic example of the power of emotions in pain is the work of Dr. John Sarno, a physician who focuses on treating patients with severe recalcitrant low back pain. Their pains were so severe they went for surgery. But the patients he saw not only had had surgery, their surgeries didn’t remove their pain. So his entire population was the worst of the worst low back pain patients. 

And, in this very difficult group, he got over 80 percent improvements, simply by addressing the emotional element of the pain only. 

The tool that works best in my experience is energy psychology, which is quite simply the most amazing tool I have ever seen to improve -- if not eliminate -- many types of pain.  This tool has produced more miracles that I have witnessed than any other approach, and many of them have occurred after very brief interventions. 

There are many types of energy psychology techniques but the one used the most is The Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), which is currently being used by more than 15,000 psychologists. 

It borrows from the principles of acupuncture in that it helps you balance your subtle energy system, and it helps resolve underlying, often subconscious, negative emotions that may be exacerbating your physical pain.

By stimulating (tapping) well-established acupuncture points with your fingertips, you re-balance your energy system, which tends to dissipate pain. EFT can therefore be a vital, drug-free component of your pain management program.

However, if your pain is truly severe you may want to seek a highly trained EFT expert, rather than trying to treat yourself. Gary Craig has published a list of EFT therapists throughout the United States and the world.