Pain
management
There are a number of excellent herbs that can be
used as analgesics and anodynes (pain relievers). In acute situations
and for brief periods of time, they can be quite helpful and much
safer than prescription or over-the-counter medications. Two cautions
must be considered when dealing with a client with chronic pain:
first, nervous system support must be administered concomitantly
in the form of nervine tonics; secondly, the underlying cause must
be addressed in order to avoid prolonged use of analgesia (and possible
dependence). What follow are general ideas for short-term pain management
protocols.
Treatment Goal(s):
· Reduce pain and inflammation; support nervous system; address
underlying imbalance.
Primary Treatment:
· Anodyne herbs: Piscidia erythrina (Jamaican dogwood)
Eshcscholtzia californica (California poppy)
Corydalis cava (Corydais)
Atropa belladonna (Belladonna) for spasmodic pain (5 drops of a
1:10)
Filipendula ulmaria (Meadowsweet) esp. for osteoarthritic / joint
pain
Salix alba (White willow) esp. for osteoarthritic / joint pain
Actaea racemosa (Black Cohosh) esp. for rheumatic / neck pain
These can usually be administered liberally, in doses up to 2 tsp.
3-5 times daily, but it is usually wise to ramp the dose slowly
to determine the lowest possible effective dose.
Supportive Treatment:
· External treatment(s) are indicated, either in the form
of ice (for acute injury / pain); compresses of Zingiber officinale
(Ginger); Hypericum perforatum (St. John’s Wort) for nerve
pain; Lavandula officinalis (Lavender) for tension pain; Lobelia
inflata (Lobelia) for tension and spasmodic pain.
· Adding antispasmodic herbs can be helpful for visceral
pain, or pain accompanied by cramping or muscular soreness. These
include Viburnum opulus (Crampbark) and Piper methysticum (Kava-kava).
Differential diagnoses, cautions, and other considerations:
· If pain symptoms do not improve within 4-6 weeks, consider
evaluation by a medical doctor to rule out malignancies, organ damage,
etc…
· If internal pain is accompanied by a fever, consider the
possibility of organ infection. There is usually tenderness or a
more deep and “diffuse” nature in this case, and the
client may involuntarily protect the painful area (“guarding”);
abdominal pain with fever that is sudden in onset should always
be evaluated for appendicitis.
