FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM DECEMBER 5, 2019 • HEALTH • THE QUEENS COURIER 47
health
Five tips for coping with chronic pain
Pain can impact nearly every aspect of
your daily life from cleaning the house
to going to work or playing with your
kids. In fact, according to the Institute
of Medicine, 100 million Americans, or
more than 30 percent of the population
of the United States, suff er from chronic
pain, which is pain lasting 3-6 months
or longer.
Most oft en, chronic pain is treated
using prescription opioids. However, the
National Institutes of Health estimates 2
million people in the U.S. suff er from substance
use disorders related to prescription
pain relievers, while 60 people die
every day as a result of opioid overdoses,
according to the National Safety Council.
“Th e country is facing intertwined crises
of opioid misuse and chronic pain
management. Non-opioid, non-pharmacological
treatments such as acupuncture
and other similar interventions can
be essential in handling patients’ pain
management as a complement to lessen
dependency on opioid prescriptions
and serve as a more eff ective holistic
therapy for chronic pain,” said Dr. Kory
Ward-Cook, chief executive offi cer of
the National Certifi cation Commission
for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
(NCCAOM). “Th e care provided by
NCCAOM National Board-Certified
Acupuncturists is essential in continuing
the movement toward greater integrative
and complementary pain care, especially
as a non-pharmaceutical alternative to
harmful opioid prescriptions.”
To help treat your pain with a non-opioid
solution, consider these tips:
Set Goals for Yourself
Setting realistic, measurable goals that
focus on functional health and quality of
life is essential to managing chronic pain.
Outline specifi c, measurable goals you
hope to achieve, such as exercising for 30
minutes three days a week or cleaning at
least one room in the house twice a week
and track your progress toward reaching
them.
Use Relaxation Techniques
Th ere are a variety of techniques,
including meditation and deep breathing,
that can help your body relax by slowing
breathing, lowering blood pressure and
instilling feelings of well-being. Giving
your muscles a chance to relax can release
tension, which may ease pain. Practicing
yoga or tai chi, which involve a series of
physical postures in addition to breathing
and relaxation techniques, may also help
reduce pain.
Consider Non-Pharmaceutical
Treatment Options
With concerns mounting about the
prevalence of opioid use and abuse in
the U.S., complementary, natural treatments
such as acupuncture can help alleviate
pain and reduce the number of opioids
prescribed. Using practices derived
from traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncturists
stimulate specifi c points on
the body, most oft en by inserting thin
needles through the skin. For example,
National Board-Certifi ed Acupuncturists,
whose credentials can be verifi ed through
the NCCAOM, are affi rmed to have the
education and training necessary to competently
deliver acupuncture services. To
learn more about how acupuncture can
help with pain management or addiction,
or to fi nd a practitioner in your area, visit
nccaom.org.
Focus on Nutrition
A well-balanced diet is vital to overall
health and well-being and can also infl uence
chronic pain. As food choices can
increase or decrease infl ammation, which
leads to many chronic diseases, consider a
diet low in sugar and carbohydrates that
includes fresh, organic fruits and vegetables;
lean, grass-fed meats; legumes; nuts;
whole grains; and organic dairy products.
Keep Track of Progress
To eff ectively manage and treat your
pain, consider keeping a journal to note
your pain level on a scale of 1-10 each
day. Also track your activity during the
day - including time on your feet, exercise
and even sitting at your desk - so you
can identify patterns based on what you
do and how you feel aft erward. Th en use
the connections you’ve made to modify
your environment and schedule as necessary.
Courtesy Family Features
Five tips for the healthiest hair
Th e changing seasons, environmental
factors, overuse of harmful products
and ingrained grooming habits can actually
be damaging the health of your hair.
Getting the strong, shiny hair you want is
as easy as following a few simple tips for
the health of your hair and scalp.
1. Wash in lukewarm water. Washing
your hair in overly hot water can strip
too much of the hair and scalp’s natural
oils and moisture, and leave your hair
looking and feeling dehydrated. Using
lukewarm or even cool water (which
can feel great in the summer!) while you
shampoo and rinse helps protect your
hair and your scalp.
2. Dry with warm or cool air. Blow drying
daily using the hottest air setting can
damage hair over time, causing frizz and
split ends. First, air dry for a while or
gently towel dry the hair then choose the
warm or even cool setting when drying.
You can also get a diff user attachment to
use on the hair dryer to help reduce damage
while styling.
3. Treat hair before washing. To help
replenish moisture and give your hair a
healthy boost, use a pre-shampoo treatment
such as MONAT’s REJUVENIQE
Oil Intensive to provide much needed
nourishment that washing alone may
remove. Just one pea-sized drop of this
product will nourish your hair, and it
can be used either as a pre-shampoo
treatment, intensive hydrating treatment
or as a leave-in fi nishing treatment.
REJUVENIQE was developed as a result
of MONAT’s researchers scouring the
world to uncover 13 unique ingredients,
including Abyssinian oil (selected for
its remarkable rejuvenating properties),
antioxidants, beta-carotene and omega-3
fatty acids to balance and benefi t the hair.
4. Don’t over-wash. Depending on
your lifestyle, hair type and personal
styling needs, giving your hair a rest from
daily washing can help further protect
your hair from damage. Try a good quality
dry shampoo to maintain hair’s natural
bounce and beauty.
5. Use naturally based products. Avoid
potentially harmful ingredients such as
parabens, polyethylene glycol, petrolatum,
mineral oil, paraffi n wax, plastic
microbeads, formaldehyde releasers, and
harmful colors or fragrances. MONAT
off ers dermatologist-tested, naturally
based shampoos and conditioners that
do not contain these harmful ingredients.
Additionally, all MONAT products
are cruelty free, vegan and Leaping
Bunny Certifi ed.
Treating your hair with the same gentle
care you give to your skin will show
visible results. It will also maximize your
hair cut and style giving you the strongest
and most vibrant locks you’ve ever
had.
— Courtesy BPT
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