painful ski accidentI was involved in a skiing accident a few days ago suffering whiplash, a mild concussion, and bone contusions.  Ouch!  It hurt when it happened and the pain disrupted my sleep.

Immediately following the accident, I was taken to the urgent care clinic.  I asked for ice which provided some sweet relief.

Then, I was given Tylenol, something I usually avoid due to the negative side effects such as

  • Constipation
  • Agitation
  • Headaches
  • Insomnia
  • Vomiting

The pain relief was nominal.  My back and neck still felt like they were on fire!

But, I took some steps that dramatically helped.  First, ice.  It immediately works.  Second, I was able to take my favorite natural anti-inflammatories nearly erasing the pain.

My favorite natural anti-inflammatories are EPA, DHA, GLA and SMP.  These essential fatty acids work to reduce pain by reducing inflammation and by boosting the  remediation phase of inflammation.  When I take this combo, the relief is so much better than with Tylenol!  It was so much better, in fact, that I was able to ski for several hours over the next two days.

When I returned home, I had acupuncture.   Acupuncture helped reduce the pain even more and sped healing.  I slept peacefully all night after my first treatment.

What is really cool about these natural treatments is they work.  They work for chronic pain conditions, too, like fibromyalgia.

When dealing with acute pain, such as with an injury, or chronic pain, such as with Fibromyalgia, quality and quantity matter in supplements.  I take only pharmaceutical grade supplements in therapeutic doses.  Most, if not all, supplements sold at the grocery store are of poor quality and at a fraction of the dose needed to really stop  pain.  Following an anti-inflammatory diet is critical, too.  Acupuncture and chiropractic care are also important parts to healing naturally.

If you are in pain, seek the advice of a functional nutritionist to see what pain relievers are best for you.

There is no need to suffer with pain when you can relieve it naturally with supplements that benefit your health

Photo credit:  Andy Cross/The Denver Post