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Author:
Olu Bicoy

We have many different kinds of pain; big pain, little pain, headache pain, back pain, muscle pain. We all suffer from some type of pain at some time. You don't need to suffer broken bones or undergo a major operation to experience pain. For most of us, the everyday kinds of aches and pains are already too much for us to handle.

Causes

Those daily aches and pains can be caused by a number of things. From accidents to musculoskeletal disorders and improper lifting, anything and everything can lead to aches and pains. Aches and pains can also appear out of nowhere, with no obvious cause. Something as severe as a viral illness to emotional trauma can all lead to aches and pains. When it comes to pain, it's a vicious cycle. Spasm and inflammation lead to more spasm and inflammation. This cycle can develop because of an injury, but the ultimate cause is usually found in the brain. Chronic and acute back and neck pain are common physical expressions of stress.

Acute pain can be caused by disease, inflammation, or injury to the tissues. This type of pain usually develops after trauma or surgery and can be accompanied by anxiety or emotional distress. The cause of acute pain can usually be diagnosed and treated. Acute pain is also limited to a certain period of time and severity, but in some rare instances, it may become chronic.

Chronic pain can be worsened by environmental and psychological factors. Chronic pain lasts longer than acute pain and resists most medical treatments.

Treatment

Residents in the United States rank among the highest in the use of over-the-counter pain relievers to help get rid of those daily aches and pains. Most people get rid of the usual aches and pains with common drugs like aspirin, acetaminophen and ibuprofen. Over-the-counter pain medications have their own benefits and risks:

• Acetaminophen (e.g. Tylenol) is used to relieve normal aches and pains like headaches, muscle aches and reducing fever. Acetaminophen does not reduce inflammation, but it is less irritating to the stomach and is safer for children. To avoid possible liver damage, do not take alcohol while using acetaminophen.

• Aspirin relieves pain, reduces fevers, and reduces inflammation due to injury or arthritis. However, prolonged aspirin use could result in a peptic ulcer and/or kidney disease. Aspirin is a blood thinner and should not be used by pregnant women, except under the supervision of your physician.

• Ibuprofen (e.g. Advil, Motrin and Aleve) are anti-inflammatory drugs that provide pain relief, especially menstrual pain and are fever reducers. It can also be used to treat arthritis. Ibuprofen should be taken with meals and milk and should not be used with aspirin, alcohol or steroids.

Regular exercise can help with daily aches and pains. Exercise improves blood circulation and uses joints and muscles to keep your muscles and bones strong.

Doctors caution that the overuse of pain medication can cause a new set of problems. They say most of our daily aches and pains resolve themselves.

Olu Bicoy has become an expert on the subject of relieving pain and solving pain related problems, and currently writes articles for Medgen where you can find more great information and products for pain relief. Olu offers intelligent advice and useful tips regarding natural pain relief.

| Article Keywords: Pain Relief

A Quick Note From The Publisher... If you like the article above, you may be interested in the following article which is also related to Pain Relief... Backpain: A Common Phenomenon Backpain is a common phenomenon in the United States with nearly 80% of the population suffering from it. The overuse of the muscles in the back or a strain/injury to the muscles and ligaments supporting the spine are the most common causes of back pain. Backpain can be acute, recurrent or chronic. Most of the people suffering from back pain fall in the first category wherein the pain vanishes in about six weeks and home remedies prove to be very effective. In the case of the recurrent category, the pain reappears after some time while chronic pain lasts for a longer period of time. A strain in the back muscles due to bending, twisting or lifting some weight generally leads to backpain. An infection, arthritis or ovarian cysts can also be a cause of back pain. In today’s times people often sit in one posture for a long time and thus experience pain in their backs. Backpain may emerge suddenly but it develops over a longer period of time and is generally a result of a strain in the back muscles. The accumulation of acidic byproducts such as lactic acid and pyruvic acid restricts the normal functioning of muscle tissues and leads to irritation or pain in the muscles. This results in a problem known as delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS). The effective treatment of one’s backpain can only be done after a proper diagnosis of the factors causing the pain is done. A severe back pain may often be the result of muscle spasms emanating from a simple back strain. On the other hand a person with a herniated disc may not experience any pain in his back for a long period of time. So it is very important to know about the real cause of the back pain. An injury to the muscle ligament or tendon is less worrisome and easily curable than a bone fracture or tumor in the spine....