Recently updated on September 24th, 2024 at 08:51 pm
Living with nerve pain is never easy. Depending on the severity of your case, there’s pain that goes away on its own, while some will require regular medication. Treatment may take months, even years, and others may never even get reversed.
The good news is you don’t always have to rely on over-the-counter medication. As is the case with any chemical or synthetic medicine, over-reliance on over-the-counter medicines has its side effects. And you wouldn’t want to suffer those potential side effects on top of the discomfort your nerve pain brings.
Fortunately, there are natural homemade remedies that work, from oral pills to topical solutions, which might just convince you that the best cream for nerve pain doesn’t always have to be full of chemicals.
With that said, this article gives you six natural homemade remedies and ingredients you can try to manage your nerve pain.
1. Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) has long been used for various health purposes. These health benefits come from the very fact that ACV is rich in B vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals. While there are limited studies to support ACV’s pain-relieving properties, plenty of testimonials can be found from home remedy users.
However, keep in mind that not all ACVs work the same. When buying ACVs for health purposes, avoid processed ones and choose unprocessed raw, unfiltered, and organic varieties. For pain relief, it may be mixed in water for drinking, mixed in bathwater, or combined with coconut or olive oil and turned into an ointment.
2. Epsom Salt
You may have long heard of the relaxing benefits of an Epsom salt bath. When it comes to nerve pain, it may also help alleviate discomfort. Also known as magnesium sulphate, it helps to relieve pain by blocking pain receptors.
Magnesium also promotes the production of serotonin, the hormones that make you relax. All you have to do is add two to three cups of Epsom salt to a warm tub filled with water. Then, soak your body in for at least half an hour.
3. Ginger
Ginger is another household staple that’s commonly used as a remedy for a variety of health concerns—including joint pain.
Ginger contains several active compounds, which reduce the body’s inflammatory markers. Pain on the outside manifests when there’s internal inflammation in the body. By addressing any underlying inflammation internally, pain may also be reduced.
4. Turmeric
Turmeric is aptly labelled as a super spice because of the many health benefits it potentially brings, including relief from nerve pain. Turmeric is rich in anti-inflammatory compounds, and this directly has a positive effect in relieving pain.
To use turmeric for nerve pain, combine one to two teaspoons of turmeric to warm milk and drink this every day for about once a week, or upon the onset of pain.
5. Rosemary
If you love adding fresh Rosemary to your dishes, there’s now another reason for you to include it in your garden at home. Rosemary, when turned into an essential oil, may help reduce pain and inflammation. When used regularly, it may significantly reduce stiffness from pain and increase mobility in your joints.
6. Celery
Here’s another good reason to fill your diet up with greens, particularly celery. It’s one of the most effective vegetables for reducing pain brought about by nerve damage.
The most potent perhaps is the celery seed extract (CSE) which has been revealed in studies to be as effective as over-the-counter pain relievers and anti-inflammatories.
Celery also contains compounds with nervine properties, which help to induce calmness and relaxation. For this purpose, you may want to incorporate celery in your green juices or smoothies.
Other Home Remedies For Nerve Pain
In addition to the natural remedies above, there are also lifestyle changes or habits you can do at home to reduce your pain. With a holistic approach, you’re giving yourself better relief from your nerve pain. Here’s what you can do:
- Cut down on added sugar: Sugar promotes inflammation, which is why reducing your sugar intake may also help reduce pain. If you love sweets, replace your snacks or desserts with fruits instead.
- Exercise regularly: When you exercise regularly, you’re training your body to move more. This may reduce neuropathy pain and improve muscle strength and control. You don’t have to do strenuous exercises if doing so will cause more pain. You can simply opt for a quick, half-hour walk and stretching exercises which is just enough to keep your muscles and joints moving.
- Hot and cold compress: Alternate between these two can promote better healing. Immediately upon the onset of pain, apply a cold compress to reduce inflammation and relieve pain. After 48 hours from the onset of pain, you can alternate with a hot and cold compress. A hot compress is beneficial in bringing more blood to the area and reducing stiffness brought about by pain and muscle spasms.
- Give your feet some love: When your body is under a lot of pain, one of the body parts that can also suffer the most is your feet. After all, it’s your feet that carry most of your weight throughout your day. Give your feet some love by wearing comfortable shoes and seeing a podiatrist regularly to examine your feet.
- Avoid smoking. Excessive smoking is the very foundation for more serious health problems in the future. It is also linked to chronic pain and fibromyalgia. So, that’s all the more reason to stop smoking.
Conclusion
As you can see, you can try many natural treatments at home to help manage your nerve pain better. But this isn’t to say that you’re going to neglect sound medical advice. The tips here aren’t meant to stop you from visiting your physician. In fact, these tips should go hand-in-hand with your doctor’s advice. Never self-medicate. Remember, your main purpose is to treat and manage your nerve pain better, not worsen it at the expense of your overall health.