Do you know that chronic pain costs an average of six hundred and thirty-five billion every year?
According to many types of research, it has been observed that pain is the primary reason people visit general physicians in the public as well as private clinics. Out of ten individuals, nurses come across 8 people in OPD with the complaint of joint pain, etc. It’s quite common to take medicines after waiting for so long in OPD’s.
Holistic Healing
Modern studies pay attention to the cause and symptoms of the disease and how to treat them with the correct group of medication. Holistic healing is almost the same but it does not work on medication, but the therapy. It’s considering every aspect of the patient.
Importance of Nurses and Holistic Approach
Interestingly, we nurses, are versatile in our field. We’ve always shown our best part when it comes to community services or bedside. We are part of patient care and are especially an important frame of healthcare setup. As such, patients rely on us for effective interventions through non-invasive, supportive, and effective methods for pain control practices. And a holistic approach is one of these methods that we advocate.
What is a Holistic Approach to Pain Management?
A holistic approach to pain management is usually non-medical methods used to help individuals cope with afflictions. It takes into account not just the physical symptoms but also the emotional, mental and spiritual needs of the patient. It includes a variety of treatment methods. Below are some examples.
Hydrotherapy
Since when do you think hydrotherapy has been known as the most effective treatment for skin and overall health? If you guessed 1700BC, you are right!
At some point, the practice was stopped due to invasion of esthetic procedures, but now it is again used especially in senior citizen community. The warmth of the water, hydrostatic pressure, and buoyancy are the major factors we can live in our elderly ages. Therefore, we use hydrotherapy as a holistic treatment.
Essential oils
It is said that by 2022, herbal essential oils will cross twelve billion dollars in the market. There are many herbs such as lavender, eucalyptus, and people have started using few essential oils for multiple therapies. Holistic treatment is growing fast in the States as various kinds of oil can treat sore throat, asthma, anxiety, infections in bladders, insomnia, and depression, etc. It has been observed that some oils can decrease migraines. We can use these remedies as a nurse in our practices for the treatment of patients.
Mental Health and Meditation Healing
Mental health has been an important aspect of holistic nursing. We as nurses play a crucial role in maintaining the mental health of patients. Meditation is a positive therapy we as professional nurses always recommend to our patients. We motivate patients to concentrate and increase self-esteem.
Dietary Modifications to Managing Pain
We know that our diet affects us physically. And having a poor one can also affect our mental and emotional state. A change in dietary intake for the better can contribute to a decrease in pain.
For example, eating foods containing soluble fiber slows the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream and raises serotonin, the “feel-good” chemical in the brain. Consuming plant foods is also a good step as some have anti-inflammatory agents that can ease pain by inhibiting inflammation.
In conjunction with medical approaches to pain management, we nurses can use a holistic approach and discuss them thoroughly with patients. Treating them as a whole is one of the ways we can help them on their road to recovery.