If busyness, quarantine or some other life issue has kept you from seeing your chiropractor, acupuncturist or massage therapist, this is for you! In this article I will cover at home therapies including stretches, muscle work, muscle rolling and other therapies that could potentially help with acute pain. Please understand that this is not intended to replace your doctor of chiropractic, massage therapist or acupuncturist. These techniques will not permanently remove the cause of the problem.  They are only intended to give you short-term relief until you can return to your normal course of treatment.  

It’s no secret that quarantine has been a challenging time for many people.  However, if you are one of the many people who suffer from chronic pain, being forced to eliminate or decrease visits to your chiropractor, acupuncturist or massage therapist can not only be challenging, but it can have long lasting negative effects. 

Getting to the cause of a persons pain and fixing it often requires many steps which take time. How long it takes all depends on the cause of the pain, how long the pain has been there, the severity of the problem and a persons willingness to do what needs to be done to correct the underlying cause (which is totally contrary to the typical medical approach which is almost exclusively about suppressing pain via drugs rather than fixing it.).   

Chances are, when the Covid-19 outbreak began in March of 2020, millions of people across the world had just begun a treatment protocol with a chiropractor, acupuncturist or massage therapist in response to some type of injury or chronic pain condition.  Unfortunately for them, depending on the state or country they live in, many of those people were abruptly forced to discontinue their treatment regimen and were left to fend for themselves due to closures of these types of offices and/or limits applied to what types of patients and conditions were able to be seen and treated.  

Removing a patient’s access to practitioners who help control chronic pain is not only inconvenient and uncomfortable, but can be out right dangerous.   According to an article by Web MD, “researchers led by Dr. Emiko Petrosky from the U.S. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control analyzed data on more than 123,000 suicides in 18 states between 2003 and 2014. In 8.8 percent of those suicides, there was evidence of chronic pain. And the percentage increased from 7.4 percent in 2003 to 10.2 percent in 2014. Back pain, cancer pain and arthritis accounted for a large portion of chronic pain conditions in people who committed suicide, according to the study.”  

Not only is suicide a major concern with untreated chronic pain, but so is the potential of pain medication drug addiction. According to an article written by the American Society of Anesthesiologists , “Up to one in four people who take opioids long-term become addicted. Worst of all, in 2017, data showed that 115 Americans die from an overdose of opioid painkillers every day, and hundreds more go to the emergency room. This is why so many chiropractors are committed to continually trying to help their patients during this time of crisis even if these patients cannot make it directly to the office.  

So, what should a chronic pain sufferer do if all of a sudden they no longer have access to their pain based practitioner? 

1.) Seek Alternative Treatment Options Before Resorting to Addictive Pain Medication

As I write this article, we are in the middle of the COVID-19 outbreak.  Although every state is different, in New York State, massage therapists have not been deemed “essential”.  My personal opinion is that anyone who sees a massage therapist for chronic pain would certainly beg to differ on this point. Doctors of chiropractic however, have been able to see patients with conditions that are considered “urgent and necessary”.  Even though you may typically see a massage therapist, acupuncturist or some other practitioner who has either voluntarily closed or has been forced to close their office during this pandemic, as long as you fit into this category of having an “ urgent and necessary“ condition, you are still able to receive that much needed relief from a chiropractor.  Before considering a trip to the ER (which during a pandemic is not only dangerous, but will put an unnecessary burden on emergency care personnel), definitely consider seeking out one of these trained professionals.  Keep in mind, not all doctors of chiropractic have chosen to keep their offices open so don’t get discouraged if you have to call a couple different doctors before finding someone who is available to see you. Just remember, once the pandemic has passed, you can always return to your long term practitioner for treatment.  

2.) Try Ice or Heat

Depending on the condition you are suffering with, some people find relief with ice, while others find relief with heat. The best thing to do is to experiment. Try 10 or 15 minutes of heat then pay attention to how you feel about an hour later. Many people say that heat feels good at the time but then causes increased inflammation about an hour later.   In our office, the general rule of thumb is try 15 minutes of ice first and if that makes it worse or does not help, then try heat last.  If you have the time, many people find 10 minutes of heat followed by 15 minutes of ice to work even better! Whichever regimen you choose, do it a minimum of three times a day but no more than once an hour.  Never put ice directly on your skin and be cautious not to burn yourself with heat.  Of course never utilize these treatments if it goes against the advice of your health practitioner.  

3.) Learn From Your Dog....Stretch!

Did you ever notice how after a long nap, your dog instinctually gets up and stretches before continuing on with their day? Well, I'm sure dog lovers like myself will agree, that dogs are just smarter than most humans! (just kidding)! All kidding aside, most chronic pain conditions will respond very favorably to a stretching routine. Whether you choose yoga, static stretching or dynamic stretching, increasing flexibility usually pays huge dividends! There are a variety of stretching routines available online but click HERE to receive a free copy of a comprehensive stretching routine we have put together for our patients. Remember, never start a stretching, exercise, muscle therapy or other at home care regimen without speaking to your healthcare practitioner first.  

4.) Learn Some Basic DIY Muscle Work Techniques

The internet is loaded with a variety of videos and instructional manuals geared toward training the “average person” to do some basic muscle techniques to assist with pain.   You can click HERE to watch a video we put together for our patients which covers basic stretching, at home muscle work and other great at home therapies which could be very helpful for people suffering with pain.  Again, never start any type of at home care regimen without speaking to your doctor first. 

5.) Epsom Salt Baths

Epsom Salt has magnesium in it which has been found to relax stiff and sore muscles.  If you soak in a warm bath for 20 minutes and add 2 cups of Epsom Salt, there is a good chance that when you get out you will definitely feel at least a little bit better. I recommend that you consider getting out of the bath and then immediately ice for 15 minutes before going on with your day.  This will decrease your chances of having increased inflammation as a result of the heat.  Magnesium sprays are also very helpful if you do not have a bathtub.

6.) Rolling Tight Muscles With a Rolling Pin

Who would’ve ever thought that this famous kitchen tool, which has been the center of angry wife jokes for years, could be so helpful in taking AWAY pain as well as causing it! This technique is especially helpful if you experience lower back or leg pain. The muscles on the front, side, back and inside of your thigh can be especially helped by this technique.

It is important that if you suspect a blood clot, have a bleeding disorder, bruise easily, have varicose veins or have a painful spot which looks swollen and red, that you avoid using the rolling pin or any other massage technique over the area because it may cause a blood clot to release or could cause other serious issues which could be life threatening. Before utilizing this technique be sure to speak with your doctor.  Simply hold both handles and gently roll the entire length of the muscle for a few minutes. Please note that this can be very painful, so start gently and increase pressure if desired.  You can also use a foam roller if you have one available. You can do this multiple times daily if you would like.  

7.) Consider Herbs Which Have Been Found to Decrease Inflammation

Herbs such as Boswellia and Turmeric have been utilized for many years in the natural health world to decrease inflammation levels. If taken with a small chunk of grass fed butter or other healthy fat, it will increase your body’s ability to utilize these nutrients more effectively.  Remember these are herbs, which can potentially interact with medication, so be sure to consult with your pharmacist or medical doctor before adding in an herbal regimen.  

Conclusion: 

Before resorting to potentially dangerous and addictive pain medications or putting an unneeded burden on the emergency medical system, consider the following DIY Pain Hacks (never begin any new regimen without first consulting with your doctor):

1.) If you are in pain, consider seeing a doctor of chiropractic if the practitioner you usually see is closed due to the pandemic. In most states, chiropractors are considered “essential” and are available for emergency services.  You may have to call around to find one that is open because not all chiropractors have chosen to keep their offices open.  

2.) Consider Ice or Heat 

3.) Stretch 

4.) Learn Some Basic DIY Muscle Work Techniques

5.) Try Epsom Salt Baths or Magnesium Spray

6.) Roll Tight Muscles With a Rolling Pin or Foam Roller

7.) Consider Herbs Which Have Been Found to Decrease Inflammation

Of course, if your condition continues to worsen be sure to seek medical attention. 

If you found this article helpful, please share it with others so that together we can decrease unnecessary suffering.  

DISCLAIMER: This communication does not provide medical advice. The information, including but not limited to, text, videos, graphics, images and other material contained in this communication are for informational purposes only. The purpose of this message is to promote broad consumer understanding and knowledge of various health topics. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this message or in the materials or websites referred to herein. The associates of Southside Chiropractic do not practice conventional medicine. More specifically, they do not examine, diagnose or treat, or offer to treat or cure or attempt to cure, any mental or physical disease, disorder or illness, or any physical deformity or injury; and they do not recommend or prescribe, or recommend changing dosage or discontinuing, any prescription medications or pharmaceutical drugs. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.