One of the most common things we all have to fight at some point is chronic pain. Find out what natural remedies people are using to deal with pain.

Many of the medical journal articles that address pain relief are about prescription drugs. That’s part of what makes a recent article in the Journal of Internal Medicine News stand out. The 2007 study, conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and NIH, looked at the use of natural remedies for pain. But the numbers are what is most surprising in the article: In a survey of 23,000 adults and 9,000 children in the United States, 38% of the adults and 12% of children now use some type of complementary or alternative medicine.

In the survey, people were asked what products they were using and found effective in fighting pain. Here are the ones that top the list:

1. Fish oil, or omega-3 fatty acids – The best source of DHA and EPA, fish oil is scientifically proven anti-inflammatory. You need 1000 mg daily, up to 2,000 mg when you are experiencing pain.
2. Glucosamine – Triggers a protein that increases absorption of water in the joint, and builds up cartilage.
3. Echinacea – An immune system stimulator that should only be used on a short-term basis.
4. Flaxseed oil – This works in the same way as fish oil, however this plant-based source gives much less return on DHA and EPA than the fish source.
5. Ginseng

Other therapies that people are using are chiropractic manipulation, massage, and yoga.

Natural medicines and therapies are becoming more and common as people are finding that they do work! You can be encouraged as you use these natural remedies that the science behind them is being conformed by medical journals.