Natural Remedies for Sore Throat

Sore throat is probably one of the most common and irritating conditions. It is not a serious condition, but it can be not only a discomfort but also a hassle especially when you are using your voice for your work. But fret not – there are some easy natural cures for sore throat.

Below are some natural cures for your sore throat:

• Garlic. This is actually the number one natural antibiotic for many illnesses, and that includes sore throat. Take two cloves a day and your throat will improve in no time! Raw garlic may be difficult for you to take in every day, so you can actually toast them or bake them. There are also toasted garlic chips as well as garlic capsules for sale. Toasted garlic chips are actually delicious and crunchy and can be fun to eat. This is definitely one of the best – if not the best – natural cures.
• Fresh juice. If you have a juicer, all the better. The fresher the juice, the greater its curative properties. Juice at least three rings of pineapple and with a quarter-inch thick ginger. The juice is deliciously sweet with a tang, and one of the natural cures that is delicious to take every day!
• Turmeric. Good for you if you have this among your herbs and spices in your kitchen as this is a good sore throat cure according to ayurvedic medicine. Just mix one teaspoon of this spice with half a teaspoon of salt in a cup of hot water. Gargle with this solution before you go to bed. This among the effective natural cures using spice.
• Essential oils. Aromatherapy is among the popular natural cures that is also a treat for the senses. Apply sandalwood and carrier oil on your throat. Not only is it soothing, it smells wonderful too! If you want to relax your sore throat from the inside, you can gargle with a mixture of tea tree, sandalwood, ginger and geranium essential oil diluted in half an ounce of lukewarm water.
• Activated charcoal. Buy charcoal powder from your nearby health food store. Prepare a paste of this charcoal by mixing it with a little cold water. Roll it into a ball then suck on the ball until you feel relief. This is one of the more unconventional but effective natural cures.

With these natural cures for sore throat, you certainly can’t miss! And if you have more to add to the list, we would be happy to research about it and include it. Share your natural pain remedies by commenting below. :)

Natural Pain Remedies for a Toothache

It is a searing, throbbing pain you wouldn’t wish on anyone. Your appointment with the dentist seems like light years away as you endure your toothache every minute – now it becomes every second. Not to worry – while you still haven’t met your dentist, you can give your aching tooth quick relief.

Below are some ways to give you guaranteed relief from that toothache:

• Visualization. Yes, this really helps neutralize the pain! Close your eyes, breathe deeply a few times, then imagine yourself swimming or floating in ice-cold water. Or if you live in a country  with four seasons, imagine yourself playing in the snow. Feel – really feel – the sensations of that moment. Let the cold of the water or the water pierce your skin and your muscles until you feel them numbing. Then feel this extreme cold rubbing your tooth and giving it relief. That should lessen your toothache. Repeat it as often as necessary.
• Cloves. If you are at home and you have these as one of the spices in your kitchen, you’re in luck! Place a few cloves between your tooth and your cheek. This is one of the very effective ways to give your toothache natural relief. Just chew the cloves a little to release their juice and leave them in your mouth for around 30 minutes. You will start feeling the pain lessen soon. As a variation, you can use clove oil if you have it but mix with a little water as it is quite strong. Rub the oil in the affected area.
• Activated charcoal. This is an arguably all-around natural relief for many pains and ailments, so best to stock up on this in your kitchen. Anyway, you can get this in a health food store. Mix a tablespoonful of activated charcoal powder with water until you form a paste. Apply the paste on a bit of gauze then bite down on the gauze using your affected tooth. Bite hard enough so that the paste will go around your tooth. Your toothache should diminish in around ten minutes.

So there you have it, some simple remedies that will certainly give you relief from that toothache!

If your toothache is really starting to bother you, it may be best to visit your dentist. Even if dentists do use drugs to make you feel better, they may also suggest other help suggest some natural pain remedies other than those in this article.

One other natural pain remedy for toothaches is a cold compress. Did you know that both pain and temperature are transmitted by the same type of nerves, which explains why using a cold compress helps stop the transmission of pain? Read more on cold therapy.

Any reactions? Please share your thoughts and post a comment.

Stomach Ache: Natural Pain Remedies

After you ate those chips, pizza and cake and other stuff last night that you don’t remember any  more, you feel like your stomach is now brewing up a storm. Don’t worry – your stomach can still get relief after that food party. Stomach aches are a breeze to cure.

The following tips will give you sure relief from that stomach ache:

• Fresh juice. Whip up this delicious and healthy – and yes, effective! – drink of fresh apples. Put a twist to that apple juice with mint, ginger and fennel. All of these ingredients for the fresh juice are carminatives, which help remove gas and make digestion easier. This is definitely a soothing and delicious relief from that stomach ache!
• Herbal tea. Peppermint and chamomile are the most popular in this category. The two effectively soothes the stomach, stop the spasms and dispel the gas. Drink around three or four cups of any of these two teas and you will surely get a relief from that stomach ache. And you will feel relaxed as well – these two herbal teas have that effect!
• Activated charcoal. Stock up on this from your local health food store as this gives relief for many pains and ailments. For your stomach ache, mix two to three tablespoons of charcoal powder with a small amount of water at the bottom of a tall glass. Add portions of water a little at a time until the glass is filled. Drink your concoction with a straw.
• Ginger. This is well-known as one of the best stomach relaxants. You can suck on a slice of fresh ginger and get sure relief from that stomach ache. You can also make ginger tea from fresh ginger and drink it.

The above are easy tips for relief, so do not fret in case you get a stomach ache.

Of course, not all types of stomach ache should be treated through self imposed natural pain remedies. You may need to seek the help of a doctor, especially if your stomach ache is accompanied by other symptoms or if it persists.

Any reactions to this article? Feel free to speak up by posting a comment below! :)

Natural Pain Remedies: Neck Pain

Some people are just a pain in the neck, as you would say. But what to do if you start suffering literally from neck pain, whether because of these people or other circumstances? Don’t worry. Relief is at hand.

Most likely your neck pain is caused by tension or poor posture. Have you held that posture far too long in front of your laptop? Identify the cause. If you gauge it as just minor neck pain and not caused by a serious condition like a fracture, you can use the following tips for natural pain relief:

• Ice. You may know this already, but do you know there is a more ingenious and relaxing way to go about this? Pour water into a plastic cup, place it in the freezer then remove the ice later on. With the ice cube, rub your neck for at least five minutes. How’s that for a variation of the good old ice pack? You will feel relief soon and your neck pain will be a thing of the past.
• Visualizing through meditation. This is ideal especially for minor neck pains. Just close your eyes, breathe deeply for about five seconds, then imagine that your neck pain is a ball. See its shape, color and size in your mind’s eye. See this ball grow bigger and bigger. You may feel the pain increase for a moment, but just allow this to happen. Then see the ball shrink gradually until it is smaller than the size you first imagined it. as the pain changes, see the ball change in color as well. Then imagine the ball transforming and dissolving into liquid dripping down your body until it forms into a ball again on the floor. Finally, kick the ball or hurl it far away. See it disappear. By this time you should feel considerable relief. Repeat this imagery as needed.
• Posture change and exercises. Your neck pain might just be caused by poor posture, so be conscious of your posture especially if you are working at your desk for a long time. Periodically change your posture. Also, you can move your neck up and down and side to side to let the muscles move at least. This method is definitely useful for long-term relief.

With these simple methods, you will get the relief you need. No need for medication, unless your neck pain is serious and a doctor advises it.

Of course, there are other ways to deal with neck pain, such as through massage therapy. Modern medicine has backed the well accepted opinion that massage is indeed therapeutic for pain. Read on how effective massage is as a natural pain remedy here.

Have you been suffering from neck pain and found effective natural pain remedies? Share them through the comment form below!

Natural Remedies for Back Pain

You must have suffered from this at least a few times, especially when you are under stress. But do not worry – since back pain is a very common condition, there are naturally countless ways to give you  your needed relief from it.

Below are just some ways to give you relief from back pain:

• Ginger. Yes, this is an anti-inflammatory cure good for many pains, and that includes back pain. But do you know that you can also apply it externally? Just make a paste of ginger powder and water then apply it on the affected area. Leave the paste there for about 15 minutes then wash it off afterwards. You can also ask someone to rub your back with eucalyptus oil for a soothing finish. This kind of relief is good for minor back pains.
• Fresh grape juice. Now, if your back pain is recurring, try drinking a cup of fresh grape juice. Not the canned or packed one, please. If you have a juicer, all the better. Juice from dark grapes is the most effective. Drink it once a day apart from your meals. You will feel gradual relief.
• Self-massage. Yes, you can do it! Use tennis balls and they will definitely relax your back pain. First, take a hot bath. Put the two balls in one sock each. Rest the balls on each side of your spine. Let your body relax and feel the balls. Gently rock your hips from side to side. Keep adjusting your body as you please so that the balls move up and down your back. Now, how’s that for relief?
• Hydrotherapy. If you easily get back pains, try alternating hot and cold showers. Let the spray of hot water hit your back for at most four minutes then around 30 seconds of cold spray. Alternate the two and you will feel that relief.
• Aromatherapic massage. Now this is a soothing and fragrant relief to your back pain, especially if it’s severe. Blend four drops each of blue chamomile, rosemary, birch, ginger and then 14 drops of lavender. Add this to half an ounce of olive oil or almond oil.  Massage therapy alone, in fact, is proven to relieve pain! Read the study conducted on massage therapy.

If your back pain is minor, just lower the “dosage” by using two drops each of blue chamomile, birch, rosemary, ginger and lavender. Again, add this to half an ounce of olive oil or almond oil. Of course, ask someone to massage your back well to give you that pleasing and aromatic relief.

Easy, right? You should get easy relief from back pain using these methods. And if you know of any more natural remedies for back pain, share them through our comment form below!

Natural Relief from Neck Pain

Some people are just a pain in the neck, as you would say. But what to do if you start suffering literally from neck pain, whether because of these people or other circumstances? Don’t worry. Relief  is at hand.

Most likely your neck pain is caused by tension or poor posture. Have you held that posture far too long in front of your laptop? Identify the cause.

If you gauge it as just minor neck pain and not caused by a serious condition like a fracture, you can use the following tips for relief:

• Ice. You may know this already, but do you know there is a more ingenious and relaxing way to go about this? Pour water into a plastic cup, place it in the freezer then remove the ice later on. With the ice cube, rub your neck for at least five minutes. How’s that for a variation of the good old ice pack? You will feel relief soon and your neck pain will be a thing of the past.
• Visualizing through meditation. This is ideal especially for minor neck pains. Just close your eyes, breathe deeply for about five seconds, then imagine that your neck pain is a ball. See its shape, color and size in your mind’s eye. See this ball grow bigger and bigger. You may feel the pain increase for a moment, but just allow this to happen. Then see the ball shrink gradually until it is smaller than the size you first imagined it. as the pain changes, see the ball change in color as well. Then imagine the ball transforming and dissolving into liquid dripping down your body until it forms into a ball again on the floor. Finally, kick the ball or hurl it far away. See it disappear. By this time you should feel considerable relief. Repeat this imagery as needed.
• Posture change and exercises. Your neck pain might just be caused by poor posture, so be conscious of your posture especially if you are working at your desk for a long time. Periodically change your posture. Also, you can move your neck up and down and side to side to let the muscles move at least. This method is definitely useful for long-term relief.

With these simple methods, you will get the relief you need. No need for medication, unless your neck pain is serious and a doctor advises it.

In addition, massage therapy has been proven by studies to help provide natural relief for pain. Read more on massage therapy as a proven natural pain remedy.

If you have any more tips you want to contribute, do so by posting them in the comment form below. :)

Natural Relief from Migraines

It’s like your usual headache, only worse. You first start feeling that pounding pain in one part of your head, like your eye socket, until it spreads around your entire head and becomes unbearable. You might even feel dizzy and have the urge to vomit. It is the attack of the migraine, and almost anything else is a welcome relief.

Fortunately, there are many natural and easy ways to give you relief from that migraine. Read on below and find out:

• Rosemary oil. Yes, this relaxing oil is not only for aromatherapy but also effective for migraine relief. If you are away from home and you feel that intense pain, simply inhale the rosemary straight from the bottle or drop a little onto a tissue then keep inhaling it. if you are at home and have more time in your hands, mix ten drops of rosemary essential oil with olive oil or almond oil then massage it onto your face and neck.
• Celery juice. This may not sit well with you if you are not a fan of veggies, but know that celery is quite a powerful relief against that migraine. Celery is packed full of coumarins, which effectively soothes the vascular system and is excellent for people prone to having migraines. Just make sure that your celery juice is fresh from your juicer. If you cannot drink it alone, you can mix it with cucumber and/or carrot. Drink at least eight ounces twice a day.
• Diet. Some foods can just be the culprit for your migraine. Foods containing tyramine are to watch out for. Food and drinks with tyramine are all alcoholic drinks, especially red wine, sausage, salami, canned meat, salted dried fish, pickled herring and commercial gravies. Ditch these foods and observe if your migraines disappear. No need for quick relief if this is the case.

Moreover, there are foods that are commonly to trigger migraine. See if you are eating anything in this list and observe your condition once you stop eating it: chocolate, coffee, tea, pork, beef, cow’s milk, goat’s milk, wheat, the food coloring tartrazine (which makes food appear yellowish), rice, fish, oats, yeast, cane sugar, nuts and corn. See if stopping consumption of these food items gives you any relief.

Above are some natural remedies for your migraine. The most important tip may just be the special diet tip, as you might just be able to get rid of recurring migraines forever once you identify the cause.

Natural Relief from Joint pain

You are positive you do not have arthritis or tendinitis, but all of a sudden you feel that shot of pain in your joints. The joint pain is just too much that you may even feel immobilized, unable to walk normally to work or do your usual activities. It can get so painful that your joints may feel like they are begging for relief.

In truth, you have just pushed your joints too hard. Maybe you did too much work yesterday that you are not accustomed to doing. Or maybe you are not warming up enough before exercising. These are just examples on how joints are strained, which causes foot pain.

 

Below are some useful methods for relief from joint pain:

• Massage. Simply massage the muscles both above and below the affected joint – just make sure you do not rub the actual joint! Do this massage for ten minutes every day until the foot pain goes away. In fact, research has shown that massage is effective for natural pain relief. Read about it here.
• Hydrotherapy. Basic water treatments are easy but very effective ways in relieving foot pain. If your foot feels dull and stiff attacked with penetrating pain, apply a warm compress to the affected area. If the pain is sharp and intense, make the warm compress into a cold one, though an ice pack is still more effective in giving relief. Do these treatments for 10-20 minutes. Do not exceed 20 minutes in the ice pack, though, as the ice might damage your skin.
• Vitamin and mineral intake. To speed up healing, increase your intake of Vitamin C. take 5,000 milligrams of this vitamin as Vitamin C has a property that quickens cell recovery. The six B vitamins (vitamin B6, vitamin B12, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid) are also essential to lessen the pain as these balance the nervous system and thus give relief. Also, do not forget calcium and Vitamin D to strengthen your bones and thus avoid future joint pain.

Of course, joint pain can be prevented if you are more aware of your body and its limits. Be more sensitive to your joints when you are doing things you do not normally do with your body. Doing this might just free you of worries and give you permanent relief from joint pain.

If your joint pain is due to osteoarthritis, you might want to find out how Tai Chi has been proven to relieve osteoarthritis pain.

Natural Relief from Foot Pain

Most of us have gotten foot pain at one time or another – walking too far, wearing shoes that are too tight, walking for a long time on stilettos, or any activity that puts too much weight and strain on our feet. Relief is quite easy, though, for such a common condition.

While foot pain usually goes away on its own after some time, you might want to help its disappearing act speed up with some proven tips for relief:

• Massage. While this may sound like an obvious remedy to foot pain, there’s a proper way of doing this that quickens and maximizes relief. Sit in a cozy chair then place your left foot over your right leg. With the help of a massage oil, glide your thumb upwards your sole in the middle then go to the back of the heel to the base of the toes. Do this on both sides of your sole. Repeat the steps. Do this for about three minutes for each foot. Afterwards, using your fingertips, rub and squeeze your toes, especially their tips. Again, do this for both feet. This massage is best for feet that are over-exerted.
• Essential oils. Juniper and lavender oils combined are perfect for the job. Just mix ten drops of each with two quarts of warm water. Soak your feet in the water for around ten minutes. Now, this is one method for relief soothing not only for your feet, but for your senses as well! Your foot pain should be gone in no time.

Of course, it is still best if you don’t put too much strain on your feet – wear comfortable shoes, don’t walk too far when you are not used to it, among other things. Be more aware of your body and its limits in general and you may just not experience foot pain any longer. But in any case, the above tips are effective for relief from foot pain.

Natural Remedies for Burns

You just want to check the taste of your cooking food in that pot and you forget to use a potholder. Next thing you know, you feel that sharp flash of pain in your hand which becomes a red and angry burn. Your palm is crying for relief.

You will be amazed to know, though that there are many simple household methods that can give that painful burn quick relief – as long as it is not really serious. Below are some tried and tested tips for burn relief:

• Aloe vera. You probably know this already, so it is wise to keep a potted aloe vera in your kitchen in case of emergencies. Cut open a leaf and squeeze the sap on to your burn. But if keeping and tending to a plant is inconvenient for you, take comfort. Aloe vera gel can effectively give relief too. Just spread it gently on the area with the burn. And, do you know that aloe vera not only gives relief, it helps the burn heals faster, too? Aloe vera actually helps new cells form to replace those cells destroyed by the burn. So apply aloe vera two to four times a day to speed up the healing process.
• Milk. Yes, this is not only good for your bones but for your burn, too. But instead of drinking it, you will apply it externally. Just soak the burned area in whole milk for 15 minutes or longer. If the burned area is big and you cannot soak it, dip a washcloth in milk then apply on the burned area for relief. Do this every two to six hours or as needed.
• Lavender oil. This fragrant and relaxing oil is not only good for aromatherapy but for your burn too. Just drop a little lavender oil straight to your burn. You will not only love its relief but its fragrance too. And, like aloe vera, it speeds up the burn’s healing too.
• Water. This is a good first aid or quick relief if you do not have any of the above remedies at the moment. Soak the burn in cold water until you feel relief. Then soak it to water that is a bit warmer but lower than your body temperature. After this, though, apply any of the above remedies.

So just use any of these items that are most likely available in your home and you will feel relief from your burn in no time. Do take note, though, that the above suggestions are only for minor burns.

Arm Massage Gives Post Operative Pain Relief

Massage therapy provides natural pain relief in people with different conditions such as low back pain or fibromyalgia. But the benefits of massage seem to go beyond nonspecific pain, with more and more lymph node dissection patients claiming pain relief after being given arm massage.

Women with breast cancer who undergo surgery usually undergo lymph node dissection either for cancer staging or to ensure that the cancer does not spread. However, lymph node dissection can be painful. It can also result in arm and shoulder mobility problems or lymphedema.

Thankfully, patients who have been given arm massage after lymph node dissection seem to experience less pain. A study was then done to evaluate the effectiveness of massage in alleviating pain after lymph node dissection.

Summary of the Study:

• Fifty-nine patients diagnosed of breast cancer participated in the study. They all underwent lymph node dissection. Information was collected before the surgery and after the surgery at fixed intervals (one day after, ten to fourteen days after, and four months after the lymph node dissection).
• The patient’s loved ones were taught how to do arm massage and were asked to do the massage after the participants underwent lymph node dissection.

Results of the Study:

• The information gathered from the participants revealed that there was a decrease in post-operative pain by those whose arms were massaged by their loved ones.
• There was also an improved shoulder and arm function in this group compared to those who did not undergo arm massage.

Arm massage a natural means of providing pain relief for patients who undergo lymph node dissection as part of their breast cancer surgery. It effectively decreases discomfort and pain. Pain relief is important to ensure that a post-operative patient will not suffer from long-term consequences of prolonged arm immobility, such as contractures or reduction in muscle size.

In addition, arm massage makes breast cancer patients feel closer to their family. Arm massage may be a loved one’s way of showing support for someone suffering from breast cancer who has just undergone lymph node dissection.

If you want to find out how the study was done, read the details here.