The Secretive Sackler Family
By Dr. Mercola
The U.S. has a massive opioid addiction problem. According to the U.S. surgeon general, more Americans now use prescription opioidsthan smoke cigarettes,1 and addiction to narcotic pain relievers now costs the U.S. more than $193 billion each year. The Manchester, New Hampshire, fire department recently said it now responds to more calls for drug overdoses than fires.2 That’s not so surprising when you consider that opioids are now the leading cause of death among Americans under the age of 50.3
The following graph by the National Institute on Drug Abuse shows the progressive incline in overdose deaths related to opioid pain relievers between 2002 and 2015.4 This does not include deaths from heroin addiction, which we now know is a common side effect of getting hooked on these powerful prescription narcotics. In all, we’re looking at just over 202,600 deaths in this 13-year time frame alone.5
Meditation and Mindfulness Training
Among volunteers who had never meditated before, those who attended four 20-minute classes to learn a meditation technique called focused attention (a form of mindfulness meditation) experienced significant pain relief — a 40 percent reduction in pain intensity and a 57 percent reduction in pain unpleasantness.51
Chiropractic
Many studies have confirmed that chiropractic management is much safer and less expensive than allopathic medical treatments, especially when used for pain such as low back pain.
Qualified chiropractic, osteopathic and naturopathic physicians are reliable, as they have received extensive training in the management of musculoskeletal disorders during their course of graduate health care training, which lasts between four to six years. These health experts have comprehensive training in musculoskeletal management.
Acupuncture
Research has discovered a “clear and robust” effect of acupuncture in the treatment of back, neck and shoulder pain, and osteoarthritis and headaches.
Physical therapy
Physical therapy has been shown to be as good as surgery for painful conditions such as torn cartilage and arthritis.
Foundation Training
Foundation training is an innovative method developed by Dr. Eric Goodman to treat his own chronic low back pain. It’s an excellent alternative to painkillers and surgery, as it actually addresses the cause of the problem.
Massage
A systematic review and meta-analysis published in the journal Pain Medicine included 60 high-quality and seven low-quality studies that looked into the use of massage for various types of pain, including muscle and bone pain, headaches, deep internal pain, fibromyalgia pain and spinal cord pain.52
The review revealed massage therapy relieves pain better than getting no treatment at all. When compared to other pain treatments like acupuncture and physical therapy, massage therapy still proved beneficial and had few side effects. In addition to relieving pain, massage therapy also improved anxiety and health-related quality of life.
Astaxanthin
Astaxanthin is one of the most effective fat-soluble antioxidants known. It has very potent anti-inflammatory properties and in many cases works far more effectively than anti-inflammatory drugs. Higher doses are typically required and you may need 8 milligrams (mg) or more per day to achieve this benefit.
Ginger
This herb has potent anti-inflammatory activity and offers pain relief and stomach-settling properties. Fresh ginger works well steeped in boiling water as a tea or grated into vegetable juice.
Curcumin
In a study of osteoarthritis patients, those who added 200 mg of curcumin a day to their treatment plan had reduced pain and increased mobility. A past study also found that a turmeric extract composed of curcuminoids blocked inflammatory pathways, effectively preventing the overproduction of a protein that triggers swelling and pain.53
Boswellia
Also known as boswellin or “Indian frankincense,” this herb contains specific active anti-inflammatory ingredients.
Bromelain
This enzyme, found in pineapples, is a natural anti-inflammatory. It can be taken in supplement form but eating fresh pineapple, including some of the bromelain-rich stem, may also be helpful.
Cetyl Myristoleate (CMO)
This oil, found in fish and dairy butter, acts as a joint lubricant and anti-inflammatory. I have used this for myself to relieve ganglion cysts and carpal tunnel syndrome. I used a topical preparation for this.
Evening Primrose, Black Currant and Borage Oils
These contain the essential fatty acid gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), which is particularly useful for treating arthritic pain.
Cayenne Cream
Also called capsaicin cream, this spice comes from dried hot peppers. It alleviates pain by depleting the body’s supply of substance P, a chemical component of nerve cells that transmits pain signals to your brain.
Methods such as hot and cold packs, aquatic therapy, yoga, various mind-body techniques and cognitive behavioral therapy can also result in astonishing pain relief without drugs.
Grounding
Walking barefoot on the earth may also provide a certain measure of pain relief by combating inflammation.
Mind-Body Therapies
Methods such as hot and cold packs, aquatic therapy, yoga, various mind-body techniques and cognitive behavioral therapy can also result in astonishing pain relief without drugs.
Low-Dose Naltrexone (LDN)
Naltrexone is an opiate antagonist, originally developed in the early 1960s for the treatment of opioid addiction. When taken at very low doses (LDN, available only by prescription), it triggers endorphin production, which can boost your immune function and ease pain.
Sources and References
- 1 Scientific American, Surgeon General Report Tackles Addiction
- 2 CNN October 20, 2017
- 3 CBS News June 6, 2017
- 4, 5 Drugabuse.gov Overdose Death Rates as of September 2017
- 6 AAP News September 28, 2015
- 7, 11, 12 The Fix July 3, 2015
- 8 Health Nut News August 14, 2015
- 9 Forbes July 1, 2015
- 10 Drugabuse.gov, July 2017
- 13 Fortune Magazine November 9, 2011
- 14 New England Journal of Medicine 2016; 374:1501-1504
- 15 CNN Money July 20, 2007
- 16 Escuire October 16, 2017
- 17 New Yorker October 30, 2017
- 18 NPQ October 26, 2017
- 19 STAT News May 12, 2016
- 20 The Poison Review December 16, 2012
- 21 Newsy.com December 18, 2016
- 22 CDC.gov December 16, 2016
- 23 New York Times December 8, 2016
- 24 STAT News December 8, 2016
- 25 Washington Post December 8, 2016
- 26 CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report December 30, 2016 / 65(50-51);1445–1452
- 27 CDC Prescription Opioid Overdose Data
- 28 Washington Post April 2, 2017
- 29 Medical News Today July 12, 2015
- 30 CDC Prescription Opioid Overdose Data
- 31 CNN October 14, 2016
- 32 Kaiser Health News January 22, 2015
- 33 American Society for Anesthesiologists February 12, 2014
- 34 American Journal of Public Health August 8, 2017
- 35 STAT News October 17, 2017
- 36 AL.com April 15, 2017
- 37 Kaiser Health News June 26, 2017
- 38, 41 CBS News October 15, 2017
- 39 The Guardian October 19, 2017
- 40 New York Times October 18, 2017
- 42 New England Journal of Medicine 2016; 374:1501-1504
- 43 Brookings.edu September 7, 2017, How the Opioid Epidemic Has Affected US Labor Force
- 44 Brookings.edu September 7, 2017, Where Have All the Workers Gone?
- 45 Wbur.org October 24, 2017
- 46 Daily Caller October 9, 2017
- 47 WebMD October 20, 2015
- 48 medicalmarijuana.procon.org, Laws, Fees, and Possession Limits
- 49 Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry 2011;11(9):1165-75
- 50 Washington Post October 12, 2016
- 51 J Neurosci. 2011 Apr 6;31(14):5540-8
- 52 Pain Medicine May 10, 2016
- 53 Arthritis & Rheumatism November 2006; 54(11): 3452–3464
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