Ways to Treat Pain at Home - WebMD

Topical Pain Relievers ... These are over-the-counter gels, creams, sprays, and patches you put on your skin over the painful muscle, tendon, or ... PainManagementSlideshowsMedicallyReviewedbyTylerWheeler, MDonDecember20,2020Painfrominjury,accident,orillnesscanhappentoanyoneatanytime.Youcandoanumberofthingsathometofeelbetter.Butgotoadoctorifitsuddenlygetsworseorchanges--especiallyifthere’stingling,numbness,orburning--orifnothingyoutrymakesyoufeelbetter.Itstandsforrest,ice,compress,andelevate,andit’sthego-totreatmentforminorsprainsandbruising.Icetheinjuryassoonaspossibleandputpressureonitwithanelasticwraporbandage.Ifyou’vehurtanarmorleg,restwithitraisedaboveyourhearttokeepswellingdown.Butdon’tstayinoneplacetoolong--it’sbesttogetmovingagainassoonasyoucan.Useittocleancutsandscrapesandtotreatburns.Ifyou'redealingwithaburn,puttheinjuredareaincoolwaterorcoveritwithacoldcompressassoonasyoucan.Ifyourskinblisters,leaksfluid,losesfeeling,orturnsblack,brown,orwhite,getmedicalhelprightaway.Wrapitaroundabagoffrozenvegetablesoraplasticbagfilledwithicecubesforacomfortableicepackthatcanhelpwiththeswellingandpainthatcomeswithsprainsorstrains.Awarm,damponealsocanbeusedtotreatmanykindsofinfections,likeaboil,aninfectedcut,orastye--aninfectedeyelashthatcausesared,sorelumponyoureyelid.Oruseacoolonetoeasetheitchinessandpainofpinkeye.Thesemedicationsincludeaspirin,ibuprofen,andnaproxen.They’reoftenusedtotreatthepainthatcomeswithinflammation,likesprains.Youdon’tneedaprescription,butyoushouldbecarefulwiththem:Largedosescancausestomachpainandnausea,andlong-termoverusecanleadtokidneyproblems,ulcers,andhighbloodpressure.Ifyouhavestomachulcersorkidneydisease,talkwithyourdoctorfirst.It’susedforheadaches,toothaches,menstrualcramps,andotherkindsofpainthatdon’tnecessarilycomewithinflammation.Ifyoutakeitonlyoccasionally,itdoesn’tusuallycauseproblems.Butdon'ttakeitin highdoses--thatcandamageyourliverandkidneys.Peoplewhohaveissueswiththoseorgansshouldn’tuseitwithouttalkingtotheirdoctorfirst.Theseareover-the-countergels,creams,sprays,andpatchesyouputonyourskinoverthepainfulmuscle,tendon,orjoint.Theycanhelprelievepainwithoutserioussideeffects.Thiscanbegoodforallkindsofconditionsthataffectyourmuscles,tendons,andbones,suchaslowbackpainandjointpain.Sometips:Theidealtemperatureisbetween92and100F.Anddon’tjustliethere--warmwatercanhelpgetbloodflowtoplacesthatneedit,sogentlystretchandworkthoseareas.Ifyourpainisnearyourbehindorgenitalarea--opensores,analfissures,hemorrhoids,forexample--asoakofyourhindquartersinwarmwatercanhelpwithitching,irritation,andspasmsofthesphinctermuscle.Putafewinchesofwarmwaterinyourbathtub,andsitfor20minutestwoorthreetimesaday.Whethergivenbyaprofessionalorafriend,ordoneyourself,thiscanhelprelievecertainkindsofpain,likeheadachesorbackaches.Talkwithamedicalprofessionalaboutthebestwaystotargetyourpainorinjurywithmassageathome.Thesecanhelpifyou’resensitivetolightbecauseofmigrainesorotherillnesses.Andtheycanprotectyoureyesfromitchinessandirritationcausedbypollen,dust,andmold.Ifyourpainlingers,thismentaldisciplinecanhelpyoumanageit.Youclearyourmindofthoughtsbyfocusingononesimplething,suchasyourbreath.Itmayworkaloneorincombinationwithmedication.Oftenusedforchronicpainoraftersomekindsofsurgeriesorinjuries,thiscanalsotreatpainfromthingslikeatwistedankleorpulledmuscle.Talktoyourdoctorabouttherightroutineforyou. Peoplewhodoregularaerobicexercise--cyclingorrunning,forexample--arelesslikelytogetcertainkindsofpaininthefirstplace.Andthey’rebetterabletohandleitifthey’reinjured.Checkwithyourdoctorifyou’renotsureyou’rehealthyenoughforthiskindofexercise.ShowSourcesIMAGESPROVIDEDBY:1)BakiBG/Thinkstock2)SEASTOCK/Thinkstock3)GeorgeDoyle/Thinkstock4)WebMD5)Thinkstock6)DigitalVision/Thinkstock7)GeorgeDoyle/Thinkstock8)ulief514/Thinkstock9)KatarzynaBialasiewicz/Thinkstock10)TAGSTOCK1/Thinkstock11)Doc_Steele/Thinkstock12)DragonImages/GettyImages13)kali9/GettyImages14)m-gucci/Thinkstock SOURCES:AmericanAcademyofOphthalmology:“HomeRemediesforSimpleEyeProblems.”AmericanJournalofEpidemiology:“PhysicalExercise,BodyMassIndex,andRiskofChronicPainintheLowBackandNeck/Shoulders:LongitudinalDataFromtheNord-TrøndelagHealthStudy.”AmericanLungAssociation:“StopSmoking.”ArthritisFoundation:“WarmWaterWorksWondersonPain.”CDCInjuryPrevention:“Burns.”ClevelandClinic:“ReadThisIfYouAreaSmokerWhoStrugglesWithChronicPain.”HarvardHealthPublications:“Physicaltherapyasgoodassurgeryandlessriskyforonetypeoflowerbackpain,”“Yogaforpainrelief,”“Hemorrhoidsandwhattodoaboutthem.”InternationalSocietyfortheStudyofPain:“VitaminDSupplementsReducePaininFibromyalgiaSufferers.”MayoClinic:“CutsandScrapes:FirstAid,”“Dehydration,” “Haveasprain?GetsomeR.I.C.E.,”“Self-careapproachestotreatingpain.”NationalInstitutesofHealth:“Chickensoupinhibitsneutrophilchemotaxisinvitro,”“Theeffectsofself-massageonosteoarthritisoftheknee:arandomized,controlledtrial,”“Short-termeffectsofself-massagecombinedwithhomeexerciseonpain,dailyactivity,andautonomicfunctioninpatientswithmyofascialpaindysfunctionsyndrome,”“TheImpactofMassageTherapyonFunctioninPainPopulations—ASystematicReviewandMeta-AnalysisofRandomizedControlledTrials:PartI,PatientsExperiencingPainintheGeneralPopulation,”“Mindfulnessmeditation-relatedpainrelief:Evidenceforuniquebrainmechanismsintheregulationofpain,”“MindfulnessMeditationReducesPain,BypassesOpioidReceptors,”“Aerobictrainingincreasespaintoleranceinhealthyindividuals.”OrthopedicsToday:“Home-basedrehabilitationcanoutperformphysicaltherapyforACLreconstruction.”PainScience:“BasicSelf-MassageTipsforMyofascialTriggerPoints.”PhysiotherapyExercises.com.©2020WebMD,LLC.Allrightsreserved.ViewprivacypolicyandtrustinfoMuscleSpasms&MultipleSclerosisManageYourMigraineRAPainReliefTipsTreatingandPreventingMigrainesWhenPainAffectsYourRelationshipKneeArthritis:TreatmentAdvancesHealthSolutionsPenisCurvedWhenErect?CouldIhaveCAD?TreatBentFingersTreatHR+,HER2-MBCTiredofDandruff?BenefitsofCBDRethinkMSTreatmentAFib-RelatedStrokesRiskofaFutureDVT/PEIsMyPenisNormal?RelapsingMSOptionsLiverTransplantsSaveLivesFinancePlasticSurgeryBentFingerCausesLivingWithPsoriasis?MissingTeeth?MorefromWebMD5TipstoHelpWithRelapsingMSHowtoThriveWithNarcolepsyReliefforBlockedHairFolliclesPsoriaticArthritisandYourSleepWhatPsoriasisFeelsLikeFirstPsoriaticArthritisFlareTalkingtoYourDoctorAboutRACrohn's:A'Full-Body'DiseaseAvoidingCrohn’sFlaresHealthBenefitsofHempSeedOilLiveBetterWithPsoriaticDiseaseTypesofB-CellTherapyforMS5HealthBenefitsofHempWhyProstateCancerSpreadsLivingwithAdvancedBreastCancerWhereBreastCancerSpreads