Dealing with Pain when You Can't Take NSAIDS

When I had my RNY, I had no idea how much I would miss NSAIDS.  I miss them terribly!

I wanted to post a link to some information about dealing with pain when you can't (or choose not to, due to the risks) take NSAIDS, but also get some feedback on what works for other people.

So here is the link: Dealing With Pain When You Can't Take NSAIDS

I've been having pretty significant back pain lately.  The things that seem to work best for me are heat and some energy work, like Reiki.  Unfortunately, I am not able to get that done very often.  What works for you?

I'm sorry you're in pain and I hope you find relief.  Thanks for the helpful information.

Though I'm a little disappointed to see a recommendation for snake oil like acupuncture.

Some people find acupuncture to be very helpful.  I haven't tried it myself.  But I know some people that have benefitted from it.

Acupuncture is an effective way of dealing with many health issues that plague people and diminishing them as snake oil is as insulting as calling WLS the easy way out. 

This is a type of medicine that has a history far longer than that of our Western mindset and can be extremely beneficial. 

Lots of things were done for a long time before we realized they didn't work.  History is not an indicator of truth.

Regardless, I do not want to derail this thread with a lengthy discussion on acupuncture.  Suffice it to say there is no clinical data to support its efficacy nor any evidence or plausible biological explanation for its core principles.

Despite how you feel about acupuncture and its documented benefits, many people swear by it. Even if its a placebo effect, and works by the power of the mind, it still is an effective treatment for many people. You can't discount these people as a whole can you?

http://www.mskcc.org/blog/clinical-trials-analysis-finds-acupuncture-effective-treating-chronic-pain

I get acupuncture often. But like with as lot of things - you have to find a good practitioner to get full results.  I was very skeptical... But after she treated my shoulder injury, one that I was told would require surgery for, I become a believer.  At the end - my shoulder - rotator - is fully functional, no residue pain, or any other issues. 

Acupuncture is thousand old years practice that works.  But you would need is a really good practitioner. And there is a lot o clinical study about that.  Do your research. Just because we don't completely understand how it works - it does not mean it does not work. 

I find it depends on the situation. For some things, massage theraphy or chiropractic treatments in conjunction with heat packs or ice packs helped. After quite a bit of dental surgery, I had chronic pain in the temporomandibular joint. The only thing that worked for that was something called Bowen therapy (recommended by my dentist from his own personal experience).

My bariatric group did a seminar on what to take for pain after RNY.  Heat and/or ice were the first things.  Heat pulls the blood to the area, ice pushes it away.  There was no telling which was better, it was whatever worked for you.  When I'm in a lot of pain (like the gallstones before I had my gallbladder out), I like to go straight to vicadon.  Works best for me.  :D