Pain is a complex and challenging subject that everyone has experienced at some point in life. Pain is subjective; it is “ whatever the person experiencing the pain says it is, existing whenever the person says it does”(Lewis, Dirksen, Heitkemper, Bucher & Harding, 2014, p. 115). In order to be able to manage pain and be successful nurses need to understand the physical, psychosocial and cultural aspects of pain and how traditional and alternatives interventions such as relaxation, exercise, distraction, guided imagery, transcutaneous electrical stimulation and other techniques will help patients have a better quality of life.
Nurses play a significant role in pain management; the first essential …show more content…
The following are benefits for some of the nonpharmacological therapies. Relaxation such as meditation, yoga, guided imagery, and relaxation exercises allow patients to adapt their minds to a freedom from tension and stress, which helps to decrease pain perception and at provides them a sense of self- control. Music can be used to distract a patient’s attention away from pain. An exercise program is an essential part of every patient plan of care because exercises enhance cardiovascular fitness, circulation, helps to reduce edema, and increases patient’s muscle strength and flexibility. However, an exercise program must fit the patient’s life style and be tolerated in order to be successful. Cold and heat therapies can be either moist or dry to the skin and are helpful in relieving pain and promoting healing. Cold application can be very helpful in reducing inflammation of the joints, although education and instruction must be provided to avoid any other complication such as skin burns and …show more content…
Some examples are noni, ginger root, Boswellia, feverfew, and red beet. In addition to plants, certain oils distilled from botanicals are also helpful in treating pain, although naturopathy is not only the use of plants and herbs. Naturopathy refers to anything that does not involve pharmacological therapies and is not invasive. Lymphatic drainage, reflexology and iridology are very common; iridology is the study of the iris and provides information about the patient’s systemic health. Although plants and herbs may be used to treat some diseases people need to take into consideration that they can alter and intervene with other comorbidities and health problems. According to Schulenburg (2015), “herbs have the potential to interact with conventional medications, it could affect blood sugar and blood clotting, and exert other biological effects that are relevant to the pre- and postsurgical care of patients” (p.