The effects of stress are well known on our mental and emotional wellbeing. However, an important side effect of excessive stress, that is often overlooked, is its impact physically on our bodies. That being said, stress and pain have a very close association with one another. In other words: stress causes pain AND pain causes stress.

Therefore, a huge component of pain relief is stress management. Our bodies tell our brains when we are in pain by sending signals through our nervous system. But, stress affects our nervous system too. The medical director of the Center for Pain Management at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Steven Stanos, DO, explains the only way we continue to function while in pain is due to our brain’s efforts of maintaining balance while receiving these pain signals. But unfortunately, when we’re stressed out our brain has a much more difficult time filtering through these signals and pain can increase. This stress-pain connection is something actively being researched but in the meantime it can be concluded that learning healthy ways to cope and minimize stress makes significant improvements in pain management.

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Herbs are often forgotten when people think about health-promoting foods. This is a shame because they are so beneficial to our health. Each herb has its own beneficial qualities, and these work synergistically with other herbs and foods to allow the body to maintain optimal health. There are a few herbs that are especially beneficial to those with conditions such as Gout, runner’s knee, Fibromyalgia, Lupus, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, back pain, or Arthritis.

Herbs tend to have a cumulative effect on your body so the benefits of adding them to your diet can be slow to recognize. Meaning that they need to build up a little bit before you will see benefits. Some herbs can easily be added into your everyday cooking and they provide amazing benefits, while others are better used as a supplement. Following are just a few examples of exceptional herbs for dealing with pain and inflammation.

Garlic

Garlic is a well-known bulb that has been used for ages for its health promoting qualities. Garlic is an anti-inflammatory and can help reduce inflammation, as well as pain. It is best eaten raw in pesto sauce, homemade dressings, or other things. This is because the beneficial active ingredients in garlic are destroyed after it has been cooked. You can also make a garlic-infused oil to use topically in order to help with pain like those with Runner’s Knee or back pain might experience.

Cinnamon

A popular remedy for those with arthritis is to mix a little warm water with honey and cinnamon. People report reduced pain when they consume this drink. Cinnamon helps to reduce pain because of its prostaglandin-inhibiting effect.

Turmeric

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While most of the time that we are in pain we want to rest, the remedy for back pain is quite the opposite. Moving is a much more beneficial way to alleviate back pain, but only through certain exercises that do not cause strain or worsen the problems. Exercises for the lower back especially are meant to strengthen your back, abdominal, and leg muscles. All of these muscle groups work together to support your spine, and using them properly can relieve back pain. While some exercises are great for this cause, others can do more harm than good. Below we have compiled exercises known to alleviate pain in the lower back, and which are safe for all ages. However, always consult your health care professional before doing any exercises to better gauge what is appropriate for the intensity and specifics of your pain's origin.

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The first PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle of the 2017 season went to a savvy veteran, the 2004 PBR World Champion Mike Lee from Decatur, Texas. The Real Time Pain Relief bull rider claimed the victory Friday night at the Allstate Arena right after Round 1 of the Chicago Invitational.

Lee got a 87.75-point ride on Handsome Jeff (K-C/Josie McElroy Bucking Bulls/Spark-lin Acres) and picked up 150 world standings points for the finish in the special round, along with a payout of $8,666.67. He also earned 45 world points and $1,650 for tying for third place in Round 1 after riding Beast of Burden (Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/Clay Struve/H&C Bucking Bulls) for 85.75 points earlier in the evening.