Mind + Body = Health tech

Chronic pain is defined as pain that lasts no longer than six months at a stretch, and there is nothing more debilitating than chronic pain. Chronic pain affects millions of people around the world. It may relate to an individual at any time in life and in most cases it is often long survived the actual cause of the pain. In the long term, chronic pain is destructive to the body. Over time not only worsen the pain, but also unleashes a cascade of hormones such as cortical determination which in turn destroys the immune system and kidneys. Most people with chronic pain inevitably to a range of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, aspirin, piroxicam, among others. These drugs were causing the severe gastrointestinal bleeding from ulcers, liver dysfunction and renal failure, if it for a long time (unfortunately, most people with chronic pain do take them for a longer period). The newer agents called COX-II inhibitors  are marginally better in their gastrointestinal safety profile, but under flak with some of them were from the markets due to severe cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. So the answer to chronic pain? Nothing but certainly more effective.
Chronic pain is very closely linked to depression, since both conditions have the same neural circuits in the brain. Regulate serotonin and endorphins that a healthy functioning of the brain also regulate depression. Chronic pain leads to depletion of serotonin from the neuronal cells leads to an exacerbation of depression. In fact, many doctors treat chronic pain with the same drugs used to treat depression. Chronic pain sufferers respond with increased pain to stressful stimuli.
Some common causes of chronic pain include: arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, spondylitis, fibromyalgia, neuralgia, stiff joints, tendonitis, neck pain, low back pain, muscle and joint pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, shingles, and pinched nerves and sprains. Cancer pain can become chronic, but respond only to much morphine-like drugs.
The pharmaceutical cabinet for the treatment of chronic pain is practically threadbare and search for the perfect pain killer. Is there anything natural that not only effective but safe as well? Many herbs have a tendency to relieve the pain leaving the body intact! Some of these herbs are:
1. White Willow (Salix sp): The bark of the stately white willow is in China for centuries to relieve pain and lower fever. Salicin is the active substance the body converts to salicylic acid. For example, pasture is often referred to as “herbal aspirin”. At the cellular level, the white willow helps lower the levels of prostaglandins (a powerful chemical released at the sites of pain and inflammation) and thus reduce pain and inflammation. People with arthritis, the bark of white willow have reported dramatic changes in the intensity of pain and improved mobility, even after several weeks of use.
2. Lobelia inflata: Lobelia is a very powerful muscle relaxant and is rich in vitamins A, C and manganese. Lobeline, a substance that stimulates the nervous system. Lobelia has contributed to the treatment of mild depression, calm frayed nerves, ease muscle tension and reduce pain and inflammation.
3. Boswellia serrata: Also known as Indian Frankincense, the resin Gummy bark of their calls as salaai guggal was known from centuries to combat pain and inflammation. Boswellia is known to block the infiltration of inflammatory cells to sites of inflammation, improve blood flow to sites of inflammation and block the pre-inflammatory chemicals. Boswellia has its merits in the management of pain in conditions such as arthritis, in reducing the inflammatory process in Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Boswellia can be both oral and thematically on the sites of pain and inflammation.
A combination of White Willow, Lobelia, and Boswellia ideal would be a pain-killer, has the same effect (but without the potentially lethal side effects) than conventional pain-killers.