5 Painkillers That You Own In Your Kitchen

Aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen — known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) — are some of the common painkillers that you might have in your medicine cabinet. As soon as you start having a headache, toothache, stomachache, backache or any other type of pain, without thinking about anything else, you simply reach for one of those painkillers. It is true that medicines that relieve pain are valuable tools for doctors as well as patients. But like all drugs, NSAIDs come with plenty of short-term side effects, such as rashes, heartburn, nausea and stomach upset.

* Ice Pack

- Put some ice cubes in a plastic bag and wrap it in a towel.

- Apply it on the painful area for no more than 20 minutes at a time.

- Repeat several times a day, as needed.

* Hot Compress

- Soak a cotton cloth in hot water and wring out the excess water.

- Place the warm cloth on the affected body part for 15 to 20 minutes at a time.

- Repeat every 2 hours, as needed.

* Turmeric

Turmeric is rich in a compound called curcumin, an antioxidant that helps protect the body from free radicals. This in turn soothes pain. In fact, turmeric is extremely good for body aches, joint pains and internal body injuries that result in inflammation.

* Cloves

Whole and ground cloves are often used for culinary purposes. As a medicine, cloves work as a powerful painkiller.Cloves may help relieve the pain associated with toothaches, headaches and arthritic inflammation. Both the whole clove and the oil form can be used as part of a topical pain reliever.

* Cayenne Pepper

If you’re a lover of spicy food and have a bottle of cayenne pepper in your spice rack, then you have a natural painkiller right in your kitchen. The compound capsaicin in cayenne pepper exhibits an anti-inflammatory effect that helps reduce pain and inflammation. It also prevents the activation of the brain’s pain transmitters, which in turn reduces the feeling of pain.