Simpleology Blog

Now and then, our body lets us know that we have to take it easy. If we've been overdoing it at work, it's sure to deliver its "Slow down!" message through pain. Thus, we mustn't ignore our aches. We should seek and get relief ASAP. If not, chances are the pain will intensify or worse, progress to complications that will require costly medical interventions later on.

Here are three common aches that you shouldn't just brush off--along with instant remedies you can easily follow:

Tense Arms
Pain Source: Cramped arm muscles
Fast Relief: If you're one of the millions of office workers who spend hours hunched over their keyboard, chances are your arm muscles get sore at the end of the day. New York Health & Racquet Club trainer Frankie Lyman advises: "Extend arms forward at chest level, rotating your right arm so that your fingers point left, palm facing out. Then, use left hand to bend back the fingers of your right hand. Hold for 10 seconds before you switch hands and repeat the move."
Vital Tips: You can prevent this pain from setting in. It's easy. You shouldn't let yourself be "frozen" in the hunched position for hours on end. Stretch your arms periodically--say, every two hours.

Troubled Tummy
Pain Source: Non-ulcer stomach pain
Fast Relief: With stress, irregular meals, and caffeine overdose as its most common trigger factors, stomach pain is easily relieved with antacids. If you've missed a meal, the pain usually goes away as soon as you eat something. Thus, if your work schedule is packed, make sure you have healthy food you can eat on the go like a tuna on wheat sandwich, a banana, or an apple. Take it easy on the caffeine as well.
Vital Tips: Experts say this sort of stomach pain is usually short-lived and preventable. In any case, you shouldn't let stomach pain progress to ulcer. No matter how busy you are, you should remember to eat when you're hungry. You should also learn how to de-stress even at the height of a crisis.

Throbbing Head
Pain Source: Tension headache
Fast Relief: Caused by fatigue, bad posture, hunger, or stress, tension headache usually goes away once you get what your body is missing--be it rest, food, or a breather from your hectic schedule. In the book Mayo Clinic on Headache: Managing the Pain and Reducing its Impact on Your Life, doctors from the famed medical institution recommend that you take OTC painkillers if you want near-instant pain relief. They likewise enumerate home remedies such as stress management through relaxing activities (like watching movies), having the correct posture, as well as eating healthy.
Vital Tips: Tension headaches could last anywhere from 30 minutes to a week! So, if you're having a tough day at work, take time out the moment you feel a headache building up. Get a cool drink or gently massage your temples. You can pop a pill if you want, but Mayo Clinic doctors caution, "Don't overuse painkillers." Studies show that long-term use of painkillers could lead to internal bleeding and ulcers.

Bottom line: As long as the pain you're feeling isn't a symptom of a more serious ailment, these do-it-yourself remedies ought to put you out of your misery. To be on the safe side, you simply have to heed this timeless advice: "If symptoms persist, consult your doctor."