Help for pain after an accident?
Gentle Reader,
A woman I know suffered another bike accident on her commute. She is in her late 40s and this is not her first tumble. It is taking a long time to heal and she is suffering miserably, no fun any time and least of all at the holidays when there is no work to distract her. Most of us can push through pain when we have professional obligations, right?
Stories like hers happen so frequently. I don’t know what her doctor is suggesting. There are no broken bones this time. Typical treatment is ice packs alternating with heat to reduce the swelling plus anti-inflammatories. The swelling seems to be gone, but the deep pain remains.
In my experience the deep healing of joint pain and muscle pain caused by accidents (as well as in arthritic joints) requires extra nutrition, more than it is possible to get from food alone. Here is a list of vitamins that help:
Vitamin C is a natural anti-inflammatory and builds strong cartilage which has been ripped and bruised in the fall. Vitamin C combats the chemical reactions of stress in the body. Vitamin C helps the body absorb minerals which are necessary in joint healing. As much as 6000 to 10,000 mg. of a highly absorbable sustained release Vitamin C would not be too much. Take it as long as necessary. Your body will tell you if you have too much as your stool will get loose.
Alfalfa, found in tablet form, made from organic alfalfa leaves, reduces the acid build-up in the body after accidental injury; this helps with stiffness and increases comfortable mobility. People have found that as many as 30-50 Alfalfa tablets a day or more can make a huge difference in joint pain.
The full spectrum of B vitamins helps deal with the stress of traumatic pain.
Borage oil or GLA reduces joint tenderness, swelling and stiffness and is an excellent anti-inflammatory working deep inside the body.
Zinc promotes tissue repair.
Calcium Magnesium strengthens cartilage and alleviates pain.
After workout smoothies have ingredients in them that repair tears in the muscles. (I know personally of only one brand that for sure works like this, but perhaps there are others) It is the process of repairing torn muscle that recommends these sports nutrition products for building bigger, stronger muscles. The same repair work happens after an accident. I know a woman who in her late 70s fell from the back end of a moving van onto her back. She used a workout smoothie several times over the next hours and had very little pain from the trauma of the fall. Even a long time after the accident, the smoothie can help.
At the Sunnyside Chiropractic Clinic observations were made charting an elderly population whose muscle mass had atrophied and weakened. Over a 3 to 6 month period, men and women 65 – 84 years in age added the after workout smoothie on a daily basis and experienced increased mobility, strength and reduced joint and muscle pain. http://www.healthsachoice.com/supplements/building-muscle-mass-in-the-elderly/ I have not been able to access the actual study from Dr. Brouse and the Health Education Corporation. I know some of you want to see the science before believing.
Whether you are dealing with the pain of traumatic injury or the chronic pain of osteoarthritis and spinal stenosis, these supplements are worth a try. The body does its best to repair. We need to help it along with additional nutrients we just can’t get from our food. Medication alleviates pain but does not heal, repair or build new healthy tissue.
I recommend the supplements made by the Shaklee Corporation as these are the only ones with which I have personal experience. They have helped me endure acute traumatic pain and avoid debilitating chronic pain from the severe osteoarthritis in many of my joints and spinal stenosis in my spine. If you want to research the Shaklee version of these supplements, go to my shopping page and browse the Product Guide. You can call me for a consultation about your particular situation and I’ll be glad to share resources.
Before you go, share our comments on supplements and vitamins that have worked for you after an accident that has put you in a world of hurt.
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Fondly, Betsy
Be Well, Do Well and Keep Moving
BetsyBell’s Health4u
206 933 1889 1 888 283 2077
betsy@hihohealth.com
The technology in the Infratronic 9 has been shown in controlled studies to help reduce inflammation, speed the natural healing processes of the body, relieve nerve impingement, enhance local circulation, improve sleep, and provide energy boosts.
Unlike ultrasound technology which can cause deep tissue burns in users, the low frequency sound waves of the Ifratronic 9 avoid this problem and pose no risk of deep tissue burning and, better yet, no need for an attendant to monitor the device in use. This device is also more effective than TENS therapy – which can cause desensitization of pain receptors. The purpose of the Infratronic 9 isn’t to numb the pain, but to heal the pain by stimulating the cells around the injured or hurting area.
This is an interesting therapy that I have not heard of. I can’t find any independent review of the technology after doing an extensive search. I’ve been known to jump on new deals for pain. I remember getting a set of the Nekan (spelling) magnets and applying them to various parts of my body including inserts for my shoes and a huge queen sized bed matress. Did it help? I’m not sure. I thought so at the time but eventually sent the matress to my sister-in-law in Denver who no longer uses it and the other magnets are in a drawer somewhere. It was all expensive. I lean towards supplements, diet and a few routine exercises, stretches, walking, yoga. I almost bought one of those jiggle machines at the state fair but the $1500 price tag put me off. I now read in the Johns Hopkins White Paper on Back Pain and Osteoporosis that it specifically recommended to avoid getting on one of those machines. Thanks to Gaga of South Therapy machine. One something new is suggested, I’d due a thorough search for as much third party information as I can find. Good health to one and all. Keep the suggestions coming. Betsy