All About Body Aches & Pain
- Victoria Wermers, RN,MSN,FNP, PMHNP
- Oct 26, 2024
- 6 min read
Updated: May 20
In most cases, Body aches and pains from a bacterial illness usually last from hours to several days, then go away. But chronic pain, which lasts more than six weeks, is often pervasive, weaving its way in and out of a person's life, causing sleep problems, and some mental distress like concentration problems, anxiety, and sometimes depression. It can affect a person's physical function and ability to work. It can affect relationships and can taint a person's outlook on life. It is a subjective sensation and sometimes makes you feel a little lonely because no one else can feel or understand your pain except you. So, it is very important to try to meet your pain head-on so it does not beat you down.
You may or may not know the cause of the pain you are feeling, but you need to understand that it is your body's way of telling you that something is wrong. There has been damage to your body or nerves, or your body is being threatened by an infection. You can even have "imaginary pain" or psychogenic pain, but the pain is still very real.
Under normal circumstances, when an injury occurs or when you become ill, your damaged and/or infected cells immediately alert your blood vessels to dilate, allowing fluid, white blood cells, plasma products, and other substances like histamine, prostaglandins, bradykinin, or cytokines to rush to the area. Once there, they work in tandem to fight off infection and to repair any damage that has been done. That causes inflammation, swelling, and pain. The body is an incredibly well-oiled machine.
There are different paths of pain, but put very simply, pain signals usually travel from the extremities (arms and legs) or internal organs to the spinal cord and, then, to the brain. The brain interprets the impulse(s) and then sends signals back to the injured area, which, in turn, triggers a response.
The information in these sections addresses some common types of pain, causes, and many approaches people and practitioners take to relieve pain. If you have pain (especially chronic pain) and you have tried, unsuccessfully, to deal with it, you may have to be your own best advocate and go back to your practitioner or specialists until you get some answers and positive results. You might even consider going to a pain clinic.
Over-the-counter Oral Treatment, Natural Remedies and Approaches, and Prescriptive Treatments for Pain
The following is a discussion about some pain medications and a list of medicinal and non-medicinal approaches to pain. This information applies to many cases of pain but not all. Be sure to check any contraindications you have to various treatments and remedies; and follow instructions explicitly on any natural treatments, over-the-counter and prescription medications. If you have any questions, be sure to discuss them with a healthcare provider.
General Approaches to Pain
Ice Packs (usually initially for the first 48-72 hours) Use for 15 minutes about 3 times a day. Note: Be sure to wrap the ice because direct application to the skin for more than a few minutes can cause damage to and even frostbite in some cases.
Heat (Warm moist heat - 15 minutes, about 3 times a day)
Hydration
Relaxation techniques (lots of instructions online - like deep breathing, meditation, guided imagery).
Yoga
Tai Chi
Counseling (to learn methods to help tolerate pain more effectively)
Appropriate exercise
A healthy diet (an anti-inflammatory diet that particularly recommends that you eliminate processed and ultra-processed foods)
Pain clinics help diagnose pain and take a holistic approach to treatment and care. In addition to diagnosing painful conditions, these clinics have providers who prescribe medications, give injections, provide physical therapy, occupational therapy, and utilize other approaches to pain, like cognitive behavioral therapy (psych), to help alter the perception of and tolerance to pain. A pain clinic is an ideal approach to hard-to-control chronic pain.
Hydrotherapy and/or warm baths with Epsom Salts
Over-the-Counter Medicines
There are many, many causes of pain and types of pain. Some respond to very specific medications. For example, muscle or simple joint pain and some headaches may respond to over-the-counter or simple prescription anti-inflammatories, while others, like autoimmune diseases, respond to immunomodulators like methotrexate or biologics made from living organisms (which often work but are very expensive).
Words of warning: Many medications, when used for pain on a regular basis, can also have some troublesome side effects over time.
Please note: If there is any questions about the dosages of the following over-the-counter medications, ask a pharmacist or your healthcare provider for clarification and read all of the instructions on the containers.
NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatories) include Ibuprofen (common: Motrin, Advil), Naproxen (common: Aleve), and acetylsalicylic acid (common: Aspirin) and are quite effective in decreasing pain in many cases. They are usually the first-line medications - the ones to start with - when you are having pain, especially pain from inflammation (almost all pain has some element of inflammation). BUT on a long-term basis, these medicines can cause gastric ulcers and bleeding as well as kidney and blood pressure issues. So, beware: alternate your pain medications if possible (for example, alternate NSAIDS like ibuprofen with a non-NSAID medication, like Tylenol, or a different prescription medication altogether). You might consider taking a stomach acid-reducing medicine (common: omeprazole/Prilosec or famotidine/Pepcid and others) while taking NSAIDs. Also remember: Aspirin thins your blood and can make you bleed more easily. Speak to your PCP about concerns you may have.
There is now a combination product that has both ibuprofen and acetaminophen in it (Advil Dual Action), which makes a lot of sense, seeing that they both work in different ways.
Naproxen is also an anti-inflammatory (common: Naprosyn). Use it as directed over the counter (see dosage information on Drugs.com). The advantage of this anti-inflammatory is that you can take it every 8 hours (or every 12, depending on how you dose it). It is also a fever-reducer.
Over-the-Counter Painkillers: Acetaminophen (common: Tylenol). Tylenol works differently from anti-inflammatories because it stops pain transmission in the nervous system. It doesn’t work to reduce inflammation. It is also a fever reducer. This is also a good medication but used long term, can cause liver problems. Again, consider alternating this with ibuprofen every few weeks or speak to your PCP about getting another prescription pain medication.
Topical Pain Relievers
Menthyl salicylate (an anti-inflammatory related to aspirin)
Voltaren/diclofenac
Considered Herbal and Other Natural Remedies
Common Prescriptive Treatments Used for Pain
Cox-2 inhibitors (common: celecoxib (Celebrex), meloxicam (Mobic) are also nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDS). This medication is less likely than ibuprofen (and other NSAIDS), to cause stomach problems; however may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease if used long-term.
Opioids (short course) - These are painkillers such as oxycodone or hydrocodone (combo opioids with Tylenol: Lortab, Percocet, and Vicodin) and Tramadol (i.e. Ultram).Be cause these are highly addictive, they are not the drug of choice for long-term pain. Try to avoid using it for recovering opioid addicts.
Steroid injections - These injections, given at the site of a joint problem, can reduce swelling and inflammation
Antiseizure medications: Gabapentin, Pregabalin (Lyrica for nerve pain/neuropathy)
Antidepressants (just because you take a medicine labeled "antidepressant doesn't mean you are depressed! These are frequently used for some pain syndromes and help alter neurotransmission signals in pain) - duloxetine/Cymbalta (SNRI) and amitriptyline (antidepressant)
Muscle relaxers (common: cyclobenzaprine, methocarbamol)
Anti-inflammatories: High dose ibuprofen (800 mg) is prescription
Corticosteroids, like prednisone and dexamethasone, have lots of potential side effects, from ulcers to diabetes, to hypertension to insomnia, and sometimes downright psychosis, but they are great anti-inflammatories. Sometimes healthcare providers prescribe a low dose to use over the long term, but because of the potential side effects, it is good to look at some of the alternatives.
DMARDS (common: Methotrexate) and biologics generally work well to suppress your immune system if you have an autoimmune disease. However, you have to be very careful: Since your immune system is lowered, you are at a risk of contracting an infectious illness more easily. It can be a trade-off. If you are taking this medication, try to stay away from crowds and sick people (especially kids).
Remember this: If you treat pain when it first comes on, it is easier to reduce and stop the pain. That is, treat early.
Explore different causes of pain and approaches to pain relief:
If you have any questions about your pain, see a healthcare provider.
