Pain

• What is pain?
• What can you do?
• Pain Relievers
• Other Ways to tackle pain

Other ways to tackle pain

You may like to try a variety of other therapies to deal with your pain. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist first.

• Physical therapies
These include physiotherapy, osteopathy, the Alexander Technique and chiropractice, and are particularly useful for aches and pains in the muscles and tendons. They use a range of manipulation, massage, ultrasound, and heat and cold treatments.

The benefits of physical therapies have been increasingly recognised by doctors in recent years. For example, the National Clinical Guidelines for Acute Low Back Pain in the U.K. recommend manipulative treatment for patients who need help with pain relief or who are failing to return to normal activities.

• TENS
TENS, or Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation, may be familiar to women who have used it during labour. It involves placing small electrodes on the skin, over where the pain is. These electrically stimulate the nerves in a way that can reduce the sensation of pain. TENS doesn't hurt, although it can produce a "tingling" sensation.