Emphasis is often placed on the physiological-sensory dimension with medications being the first line of defense. While medications can provide pain relief, especially for musculoskeletal pain, it is often introduced when pain has already reached a high enough intensity to seek treatment (Hicks, Martin, Ditor, Latimer, Craven, Bugaresti, McCartney, 2003). It stands to reason that preventing pain, or at least managing it when the intensity is still modest, might be a more beneficial approach. Surgery can be an option to relieve pain in some disabilities, but is generally used after other, less-invasive options have been exhausted (Mailis & Furlan, 2003; Siddle, 2004).

Some people take herbal remedies or supplements to help relieve pain, based on the assumption that these are natural and therefore safe. The truth is that many herbal remedies have been associated with numerous adverse effects. This is not surprising considering that medicinal herbs contain pharmacologically active ingredients. Herbal remedies are largely unregulated in most countries, which can result in serious safety and quality issues. In addition, taken in conjunction with other medications, these may cause unexpected herb-drug interactions. A few herbal remedies mentioned later in this report seem to hold promise based on initial randomized controlled studies. Further replication and study is needed. As a precaution, it is important to consult with your physician before starting any new treatment, herbal or otherwise (Weiner & Ernst, 2004).