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Homeopathic Support for Natural Skin Care

Physical pain is a drag, and I don't particularly like to feel it. I don't like to see my friends and family in pain, either. My first instinct is to try and make the pain go away. Fast. Before I became a student of homeopathy, I might have reached for an aspirin when I had a headache. Or rubbed cortisone cream into my muscles after I'd worked out too hard. Either of those over-the-counter (OTC) medicines would bring relief, but would also block the self-healing action of my body. Back then, though, I didn't really think about the side effects of those OTCs. I just thought about stopping the pain as quickly as possible.

What's In Those OTCs?

Once I began to follow my path toward natural health and wellness, I started to question the ingredients and side effects of conventional "painkillers" -- many of which operate by simply masking the symptoms of deeper health issues. Most contain ingredients like acetaminophen or ibuprofen which are often associated with bothersome side effects including upset stomach and lots worse:

-> The American College of Gastroenterology reports that the second major cause for ulcers is irritation of the stomach arising from regular use of certain OTC painkillers.

-> In "Healing With Homeopathy," Jennifer Jacobs, MD, writes that long-term use may be associated with kidney problems.

-> A Seattle Post Intelligencer article from April 18, 2005 reports that long-term use of OTC painkillers such as Advil, Motrin, and Aleve increases the risk of dying from heart disease.

-> Other studies report possible links between long-term use of OTC painkillers and an increased risk of breast cancer.

Who wants to gamble with those odds if you don't have to? I certainly don't.

Homeopathic Remedies are Both Medically Benign and Extremely Effective

Fortunately, homeopathy is one system of medicine that offers non-toxic, incredibly effective pain relief. And, instead of "killing" the pain by masking the symptoms, homeopathic medicine uses minute doses of natural substances to stimulate the body's innate healing responses to different types of pain. I prefer this homeopathic approach because, not only is it gentle and non-toxic, it actually helps the body grow stronger by enabling it to rely on its own healing mechanisms.

These days, if I strain a muscle, I'll reach for Arnica Montana -- a homeopathic remedy known for its ability to relieve muscle aches and pains. (It's also great for bruises, swelling, and mental shock that occurs as a result of physical trauma.) Just a small dose of this homeopathic drug will stimulate my body's natural healing response to muscle strain. Then, not only do my painful symptoms disappear, but the cause of the muscle strain is addressed and a healthy balance is restored in my bodily systems.

Homeopathic Remedies Relieve a Range of Painful Conditions

From a self-care perspective, you can use homeopathic remedies to gain temporary relief from pain caused by a number of acute and chronic conditions, including:

• Repetitive stress or strain injuries: Whether you experience pain from tennis elbow, tendonitis, or Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, there are many natural homeopathic remedies available over-the-counter today that are safe, act rapidly, and help your body respond to pain caused by repetitive stress injuries.
• Fibromyalgia: If you suffer from fibromyalgia, you're probably all too familiar with the widespread pain this condition causes in your muscles, joints, skin, and bones. Yet, even with a debilitating chronic syndrome such as fibromyalgia, you can find temporary relief from pain in muscles, tendons, and other connective tissues using homeopathic remedies.
• Chronic pain conditions: Arthritis, gout, back pain, Restless Leg Syndrome, and many other chronic conditions respond quite well to homeopathic health remedies. You might also want to consider integrating other natural approaches into your self-care routine to minimize chronic pain, including biofeedback for stress management, yoga or other stretching exercise, and nutritional supplements like glucosamine, chondroitin, and MSM .

Always be sure to involve your healthcare practitioner in your quest for natural pain relief. From a homeopathic perspective, chronic conditions, such as arthritis or constant back pain, are viewed as symptoms of a greater imbalance. While certain homeopathic remedies will bring temporary relief from symptoms of these chronic musculoskeletal conditions, you will need to work with an experienced homeopath to restore optimum balance to your bodily systems. A homeopathic doctor will work with you to discover the constitutional remedy that will restore your whole body to optimum health.