This month is Chronic Pain Awareness Month. Our Founder and CEO, Saara Vakil, worked to create Goldynglow after overcoming her own personal struggles with chronic pain. That is why we wanted to explain how chronic pain occurs in the body and show you exactly how to fight it naturally, so you can find relief just like Saara!
What Exactly is Pain?
We have all experienced pain at some point in out lives. It can vary in intensity and it can affect nearly every area of the body. Pain is a signal from the body that something is not quite right and needs to be addressed. What is more, research shows that almost any sensation of pain felt in the body can be linked to inflammation (1). Inflammation is the body's process of protecting or healing itself from disease, injury, etc. When a part of the body becomes inflamed, there is typically swelling and a buildup of fluids. This is because the inflammation triggers an immune response, causing a select group of white blood cells travels to that area to help it heal.
The immune system can be incredibly useful for short-term injury healing; however, if it goes on for an extended period it can cause pain. This is because the swelling and heat cause overstimulation and stress on the nervous system. Nerve cells are directly responsible for the sensation of pain that we feel. Some medications can be taken to relieve symptoms of pain; however, they are not a great option for people struggling with chronic pain. This is because medications are not meant to be taken long-term. They can damage the liver, and it is easy to build up a resistance to them – leaving them less effective. The good news is that there are ways to relieve pain naturally and for long periods of time!
Curcumin Fights Chronic Pain
Curcumin is a powerful way to fight chronic pain. Curcumin is a bioactive compound that comes from the turmeric root, a part of the ginger root family. Turmeric has been utilized for centuries for its healing properties. Researchers even found residue of turmeric used by humans dating as far back to 2500 BC (2). Turmeric is an Ayurvedic spice, which is a collection of foods and ingredients prized for their functional properties – Ayurveda itself means “science of life.” Curcumin is only one of the many chemical compounds found in turmeric. However, of all of the components of turmeric, it is curcumin that holds the most powerful healing properties.
Curcumin is loved for its significant effects on pain and inflammation in the body. It is a powerful antioxidant, making it effective at lowering inflammation (3). This reduction in inflammation is key for reducing the sensation of pain. For example, a study found that treating patients with osteoarthritis (arthritis in the knee) with either a commonly prescribed medication or with equal doses of curcumin resulted in nearly equal alleviation in pain for the participants (4). And this is true for more than arthritis. A review of all of the major studies done on curcumin and how it relates to pain confirms that regular consumption of the compound can reduce any form of chronic pain in the body (5). For an all-natural substance to be this effective at healing the body is the perfect solution for people with chronic pain, because it can be used daily without the major side effects of common pain medications.
