“Apparently, Neanderthals possessed a good knowledge of medicinal plants and their various anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties, and seem to be self-medicating.” Salicylic acid is the active ingredient in aspirin; while certain types of mold – such as Penicillium – help the body fight off infections.
Over 3500 years ago Egyptians used opium-based compounds (still the most potent source of pain relief). Physicians in ancient Greece regularly used willow bark, which contains salicylic acid (the active ingredient of aspirin) to treat pain, while the Romans used plants like mandrake and belladonna.
Ancient Remedies
Ancient populations had a wide range of creative remedies to “release the demons” and relieve headache symptoms. These remedies included the following: Drilling, sawing or scraping a hole in the skull (a practice called trepanation) Putting a dead mole on the head.
What it is: In Ancient Egypt, one method of curing painful joint or headaches was to use the nerve stimulation provided by an electric fish. Either the painful body part was placed in a bowl with an electric ray or electric catfish, or the fish was applied directly to the forehead.
Endorphins are the body's natural painkillers. Endorphins are released by the hypothalamus and pituitary gland in response to pain or stress, this group of peptide hormones both relieves pain and creates a general feeling of well-being.
Acetaminophen is generally considered safer than other pain relievers. It doesn't cause side effects such as stomach pain and bleeding.
These natural products include the heart drug digoxin, which is isolated from a flower called foxglove; the antibiotic penicillin, which comes from mold; and painkillers like morphine, which is made from poppies.
Opium and its derivatives constitute the oldest effective method of pain relief and have been used in childbirth for several thousand years, along with numerous folk medicines and remedies.
Starting With The Basics
One of the earliest forms of pain management therapy came from a compound called salicylic acid. This was derived from a wide range of salicylate-rich plants. One of the most notable examples was the willow tree.
The variety of analgesic remedies and the preferred use of particular plants (such as mandrake, henbane, and poppy) is just as remarkable as the many different forms of application: drug-soaked sponges, compresses and plasters, oils, ointments, smoke and smelling salts, drinks and waters, pills and troches, powders, ...
Disease and mortality
Some diseases and ailments were more common in prehistory than they are today; there is evidence that many people suffered from osteoarthritis, probably caused by the lifting of heavy objects which would have been a daily and necessary task in their societies.
Headache in the Middle Ages
European medieval treatments of headache included drug-soaked poultices applied to the head, and opium and vinegar solutions. The vinegar in the solution was probably used to open the pores of the scalp, allowing the opium to be absorbed quickly through the skin.
During the Roman Empire, the physician Scribonius Largus described in his work Compositiones the use of an electric fish, the black torpedo, to alleviate headache. More recently in the nineteenth century, portable electrostimulation devices were designed to treat various neurological syndromes, among them headaches.
Some people can handle more pain than others
We feel pain because of the signals that are sent from our sensory receptors, via the nerve fibres, to our brain. Everyone's pain tolerance is different and can depend on a range of factors including your age, gender, genetics, culture and social environment.
Past experiences, as well as trauma, can influence a person's sensitivity and perception of pain. Pain researchers believe regular exposure to painful stimuli can increase one's pain tolerance. Some individuals learn to handle pain by becoming more conditioned to it.
Part of the reason we feel pain is because our bodies have tons of nerves that help us move, think, and feel in all kinds of ways. When you stub your paw or toe, for example, the nerves in the skin of your toe will send a message to your brain that you are in pain. These messages are what scientists call impulses.
The Egyptians employed many pain-relieving strategies. Opium was widely yet controversially used. A less-debated joint pain adjuvant was Salix alba, which is the salicyl bark from the willow tree (3). The earliest surgery for which analgesia was performed was circumcision.
Opium derivatives, including morphine, became widely used pain relievers, particularly in the 1800s. Heroin, too, was first synthesized for medical use before physicians realized its potent addictive properties.
They achieved sedation and central and peripheral analgesia with opium and cold, as well as relaxation of smooth muscle fibers and limiting secretions with atropina.
Trigeminal neuralgia or tic douloureux is a chronic pain condition that affects the trigeminal or fifth cranial nerve. It is one of the most painful conditions known.
During the nineteenth century the most important breakthroughs in pain treatment included general and local anesthesia as well as analgesic drugs from morphine to anti-inflammatory agents. They succeeded in taking the terror out of the agonizing pain of surgery and dramatic courses of diseases.
A mixture of henbane and hemlock was applied to aching joints. Coriander was used to reduce fever. Stomach pains and sickness were treated with wormwood, mint, and balm. Lung problems were treated with a medicine made of liquorice and comfrey.
There are many non-opioid pain medications that are available over the counter or by prescription, such as ibuprofen (Motrin), acetaminophen (Tylenol), aspirin (Bayer), and steroids, and some patients find that these are all they need.