Pain is a warning light on the path to recovery: silencing its call, suppressing its alarm signal, can be a mistake. Once the signal is removed, the body would momentarily feel better, but the source of the "alarm" would no longer be identifiable.

Anti-inflammatory drugs and cortisone are first-choice medications in pain therapy, but should be selected for acute cases, avoiding chronic use. If pain is recurrent, it is important to understand its message fully, complete the diagnosis, and try to respond promptly without waiting for the body to grow accustomed to enduring it.

Adapting to pain is counterproductive: the muscles contract and the pain threshold lowers. As a result, increasingly higher pharmacological doses will be needed to eliminate it. To counter pain there are effective natural solutions, which have the advantage of producing no side effects.

Headache

Argentum Nitricum 7 CH, 5 granules morning and evening, is indicated when the headache is so intense that the head feels as though it is about to burst. It is useful for those who sleep little and lead a demanding life with prolonged mental effort. It combines well with Feverfew, an excellent herbal remedy to be taken at a dose of 75 mg once or twice a day.

Toothache

While waiting for the dentist, it is best to turn to Belladonna, a remedy for congestion and swelling and a remedy for all throbbing pain. Excellent results are also achieved by rinsing and gargling with 50 drops of Plantain mother tincture in half a glass of warm water.

Stomach ache

Melissa water is a natural antispasmodic for the gastric muscles and works well even when the only diagnosis is anxiety. The dose is three teaspoons after the three main meals. Nux vomica is the remedy for a disordered diet or for pain that appears after large meals or foods that are difficult to digest: the dilution is 7 CH, 5 granules before the three meals.

Stomach pain and irritable bowel

Irritable bowel is usually the main culprit — a wind-prone intestine full of fermentation and bloated with air. Fennel and mint infusion is a good carminative and encourages the habit of drinking hot water, which is already important in itself. Cuprum, diluted and dynamised copper, is a good homoeopathic antispasmodic and is also available in lozenges to dissolve in the mouth. It is also excellent for painful cycles.

Muscle pain

Massage is ideal, especially when combined with a good cream based on Arnica, the natural anti-contracture remedy par excellence. For oral use, devil's claw, 300 mg tablets, once or twice a day.