Is chronic pain making you depressed? Calm both without a single drug.

For some people, chronic pain and depression go hand-in-hand. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to maintain a positive outlook if nagging joint pain or daily headaches are commanding so much of your attention.

So it makes sense that conventional doctors often prescribe antidepressants to their chronic pain patients — since they rely so heavily on their prescription pads for “solutions.”

However, there are two excellent reasons to not go down this path:

1) Antidepressant side effects can end up causing just as many problems as chronic pain
2) Natural, non-drug solutions work just as well to relieve pain and depression

Two recent investigations demonstrate the dangers of antidepressants in chronic pain patients, and why they should look to natural, non-drug solutions first.

Caught in a drug-dependency trap

German researchers analyzed 33 professional papers and 23 studies that tested several classes of antidepressant drugs on chronic pain patients. Nearly every single drug prompted side effects, which included:

  • Constipation
  • Dizziness
  • Headaches
  • Nausea

Needless to say, any of these antidepressant side effects — coupled with the discomfort and frustration associated with chronic pain — would likely make the patient’s quality of life even worse. And of course, these are by no means the only antidepressant side effects to watch for. Other common adverse effects include insomnia, sexual dysfunction, and — ironically — worsening depression and suicidal ideation.

In the second investigation, New York Times reporters found that about 15.5 million Americans have been taking an antidepressant for at least five years. But what’s especially troubling about that number is that many of them simply can’t quit, even if they want to.

This chemical trap is called “discontinuation syndrome,” in which stopping antidepressant drug use prompts withdrawal symptoms such as:

  • Anxiety
  • Dizziness
  • Headaches
  • Insomnia
  • Nausea
  • Paresthesia (electric-shock sensations in the brain, also called “brain zaps)

In many cases, the only path to stopping the agony is by using the antidepressant again — which is the very last thing anyone needs when they’re in pain and feeling depressed.

Maximizing the “feel good” neurotransmitter

As with so many other health issues, a natural approach is just as effective and far safer than prescription drugs.

In Dr. Fred Pescatore’s Pain-Free Life Protocol, he notes that it’s hard not to feel depressed when chronic pain, “like a pair of shackles,” limits your every activity and enjoyment. But he adds that antidepressants — “rife with risks” — aren’t always the answer.

For instance, he instead recommends supplementing with 3000 mg of daily fish oil — with combined EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids — along with vitamin D3 at 10,000 IUs daily.

He explains: “A recent study found that the two omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D actually work together in precise collaboration to maximize your body’s levels of serotonin, the ‘feel good’ neurotransmitter that regulates mood and cognitive function.”

Dr. Pescatore cites a recent study that reveals the effect these three nutrients have on serotonin:

  • Vitamin D starts the process by regulating serotonin production
  • EPA fatty acids influence the release of said serotonin
  • DHA fatty acids help deliver the serotonin into the brain’s receptors

The result? Improved mood, no side effects, and multiple other benefits throughout your body. Compared to drugs, it’s simply no contest!

The spice that works just as well as Prozac®

Another highly effective way to relieve both depression and pain is with another natural approach that’s proven to work: Exercise.

Dr. Pescatore says, “Research has found that regular exercise is 50 percent more effective than antidepressant medication in the long-term relief of depression. And if you exercise regularly, you’re 25 percent less likely to be anxious, compared to people who don’t exercise.”

And Dr. Pescatore also recommends using a common anti-inflammatory spice which also goes to work on pain and depression. According to research, he says, a 500 mg twice-daily supplement of curcumin can work as well as Prozac® in treating major depression. He adds that another study found that 2 grams of curcumin extract provides pain relief similar to ibuprofen.

And finally, Dr. Pescatore notes that a new study has convinced him to add probiotics to his list of mood-boosting supplements. The trial found that probiotics improved depression in people who also had irritable bowel syndrome.

Dr. Pescatore explains, “The brain and the microbiome — the trillions of bacteria living in your gut — are inextricably linked. There’s a reason the microbiome is called the second brain.”

The study used a probiotic called Bifidobacterium longum, but Dr. Pescatore recommends

Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics Original Formula which delivers 12 strains of live probiotics and is backed by 25 years of research.

In short, Dr. Pescatore insists there’s no need to turn to dangerous antidepressants and painkillers when you have highly effective ways to chase away pain and the blues.

For more excellent pain relief strategies, refer to Dr. Pescatore’s Pain-Free Life Protocol. Click here to learn more about this remarkable, life-changing learning tool, or to enroll today.

SOURCES

“Nearly All Antidepressants for Chronic Pain Present Side-Effect Issues” U.S. Pharmacist, 9/20/17. (uspharmacist.com/article/nearly-all-antidepressants-for-chronic-pain-present-sideeffect-issues)

“Many People Taking Antidepressants Discover They Cannot Quit” The New York Times, 4/7/18. (nytimes.com/2018/04/07/health/antidepressants-withdrawal-prozac-cymbalta.html?emc=edit_th_180408&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=276111140408)