A Holistic Perspective on Chronic Pain

Being neurodivergent often means living with higher levels of pain. Why? There are many reasons. We are much more prone to hyper mobility and/or EDS, meaning we get injured more easily.

We are more prone to migraines, allergies, GI problems and can be so highly sensitive that everyday things like background fans, fluorescent lighting or someone’s aftershave can literally cause us pain.

But our heightened sensitivity can also be a problem when it comes to pharmaceuticals. We are more prone to experiencing negative side effects, especially those of us who are autistic. 

This has led many to explore alternative strategies for dealing with chronic pain (myself included!). In this article, I will discuss how chronic pain is addressed from the standpoint of holistic herbalism.

Approaching chronic pain holistically means viewing the situation from multiple angles for a highly nuanced and focused strategy that is tailored to each individuals unique presentation. While I'm going to give an overview here of all of the layers that are considered when it comes to chronic pain, keep in mind that a clinical herbalist (which I am training to be) customizes a plan that is appropriate for each person they work with. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to pain.

A lot of these strategies take time to have their greatest impact--but within a month most people see results and they get better over time. Of course, many are skeptical that it's worth the effort. For anyone with a high level of pain that has persisted for a number of years, there can be doubt about how effective herbs can be for 'real pain.'

But keep in mind that the holistic approach gets to the actual sources of the pain (which is largely not how pharmaceuticals work) and without the nasty side effects. That's part of the reason it takes longer--pain is complex and there is a lot to address.  Ideally we don't just want to numb the pain--we want systemic repair work to happen that gets the whole body working better. That takes time.

Keep in mind too that in pain lasting longer than 3-6 months, the original cause of the pain is no longer the main driver. This is because the more frequently a nerve pain signal goes off, the stronger/more entrenched the signal gets, even if the original ‘injury’ is recovering. This is how we can get stuck in chronic pain even when the original problem has gotten better.

Because of this phenomenon, part of the protocol needs to address the over-sensitization of the nervous system (a common feature in neurodivergence), as well as out of control inflammation and the root causes of the pain.

Fortunately, there are a number of interventions that can help with both the origin of the pain and the spinoff pain that can follow. Here is a summary of some holistic strategies I am learning about as a student through CommonWealth Holistic Herbalism for chronic pain:

      1.) Address excess inflammation

• Remove optional inflammation (sugar, processed foods, food allergens/irritants, industrial
  seed oils, lack of sleep/movement)
• Add veggies + berries
• Depending on the type and cause of inflammation, we can target herbal support in a highly focused manner, both topical and internally. All herbs are somewhat anti-inflammatory, but some are particularly known for these actions. Meadowsweet, willow and other salicylate herbs, ginger, turmeric with black pepper, etc.
• Add lymphatics and circulatory herbs (calendula, red clover, selfheal, ginger, etc.) to clear detritus contributing to inflammation and bring in fresh blood/nutrients
• Address histamine response if applicable (for example, by adding herbs high in quercetin or avoiding foods that cause histamine response
  
  2.) Targeted support
• Includes both topical applications like liniments, tinctures, salves, poultices and internal (tea, tincture or capsules)
• Depending on what is causing the pain, this could includes analgesics/anodynes, relaxants, antispasmodics, nervine sedatives, eclectic narcotics (which are not the same thing as pharmaceutical narcotics and do not carry the same risks).
• For repairing damage in the body, this would vary widely depending on what sort of damage it is, but could include plantain, Solomon’s Seal, Japanese Knotweed, St. John’s Wort, teasel, yarrow, arnica (topical only), black cohosh, cayenne, damiana, prickly ash, seaweeds, etc.

For the pain itself, this could include cannabis (indica) mixed with other herbs, willow or meadowsweet, kava, black cohosh, skullcap. For bedtime: possibly wild lettuce, Jamaican dogwood or California poppy (use pulse-dose method before bed: one dose an hour before bed, another 30 min before bedtime, and a final dose right at bedtime).

3.) Release tension - Tension can be the primary driver of pain, but even if it is not, almost everyone with chronic pain will have some tension as a secondary response to the pain. The body can tense up to protect an area of injury, so sometimes it can be hard to release the tension we are carrying as it can make us feel too vulnerable. If you take something highly relaxing, remind yourself that releasing tension will allow detritus to be carried out and fresh blood and nutrients to get in where they are needed.

Supports:

• Targeted topical applications if applicable plus internal (tea, tinctures, capsules) with things like kava root, lobelia, strong chamomile, ginger.
• Magnesium (Mega-Mag drops throughout the day ideal, or Natural Calm Vitality). See below for more on why.
  
  4.) Nourish the nervous system - Your nervous system filters information from the world. Magnesium sits on certain receptors in your nervous system and decides which messages are important enough to pass on and which should be filtered out. If you are low in magnesium, all of the messages will get passed along and you will respond to everything. More pain signals more often! No thank you! Stress and intense pain can deplete your store of magnesium, so stay ahead of it.
  
  Supports:
• Get more minerals—especially magnesium! (Mega-Mag drops throughout day).
• Overnight infusions of nettle tea, small amounts of horsetail, red clover blossoms, seaweed added to your bone broth, tap water if you are fortunate to have decent quality (minerals have not been removed from it) are all good sources of minerals.
• Nervine herbs to relax and calm overstimulated and ‘fried’ nerves. Linden, violet, blue vervain, passionflower, motherwort, skullcap, etc. St. John’s Wort for topical use on areas with nerve damage/pain (do not take SJW internally if you are on any medications).
• Meditate on what it feels like to feel good in your body (daily if possible—even if it’s just a few minutes!). Remember being a small child if you were able to move freely then, or consider an infant who can put their toes in their mouth. Remember feeling good. Remember having energy, moving freely, being flexible. Feel it in your body. Find music that lifts your spirits, do little things for yourself throughout the day to make you a little more comfortable, remind yourself that feeling good is an integral part of your recovery/retraining of the nervous system.
• Work through fear. Pain is greatly increased when we are feeling fearful. Blue vervain, vanilla, a few drops of ghost pipe, etc. may be helpful here.
  
  5.) Lubricate & Soothe
  Often chronic pain is drying in nature, and many pharmaceuticals and herbs will only dry you out further. The exception is if you have a very damp constitution or have something like rheumatoid arthritis (where dampness/swelling is a feature), although even then you can still end up with nerves that are hot and dry and could still benefit from some soothing herbs.
• Dryness can make pain worse over time (imagine not having moisture in your eyes to remove irritants, so that every time a tiny piece of something gets in there it feels like there is sand scratching your eye that you can’t remove).
  
  Supports:
• Demulcent herbs like Solomon’s Seal, linden, violet, bone broth, seaweeds, licorice, cinnamon, honey, goji berries. One of the most demulcent herbs is marshmallow root, which you can make into a VERY strong decoction (2 heaping TBS per quart) and let sit overnight.
  ###
  
  And finally, remember that if you are taking any pharmaceuticals that adds a whole other layer of complexity that should be considered carefully. While I have listed the safest holistic interventions here, there can be herb/drug interactions and you want to proceed with caution. If you are working with an herbalist, make sure they know what meds you are taking and that they are highly knowledgeable about these interactions. Talk to your doctor about any changes you are considering.
  ​
  Chronic pain is complex and can feel daunting to tackle, but the good news here is that the holistic approach really addresses all of that complexity and gives you a number of options for places you can intervene, and without debilitating side effects. Give it time and incorporate changes as your bandwidth allows. Start with whatever feels easiest so you can see some progress and gain some momentum. Life is always going to have some pain, but it doesn’t have to rule your life! 
  
  DISCLAIMER: This is not medical advice. I have pursued holistic herbalism as an autistic woman for my own health challenges, and now I am in training to be able to offer the holistic perspective and supports to others. But herbalists to do not diagnose or treat any disease. The material provided here is for educational purposes only. 
  
  ​Would you like these posts delivered directly to your inbox each week?
  Subscribe for free on Substack: arikarapson.substack.com