Taking over the counter drugs (OTC) is usually the first step in trying to get rid of those little nagging aches and pains we all suffer from during the normal course of our daily life. Most of the time these non-prescribed drugs work just fine. However, it's when the little aches and pains become a persistent chronic pain that we run into problems.

That nagging, chronic backache can become a debilitating problem. Those Irritating little headaches that keep you in a constant bad mood can take on monumental proportion and make your life an absolute hell. The search for headache pain relief can be all consuming. This is when the cheap OTC drugs you buy at the discount stores become ineffective.

Hopefully, you are smart enough to realize that doubling up the dosage is not a good idea. Your first step should be is to consult your doctor if the OTC drugs are not doing the job. A chronic headache or chronic back pain is something you can't ignore.

You should not delay about seeing your doctor if your problem is persistent headaches. Ask about getting an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) procedure done on your head. It's painless and a very good way to spot a growing cerebral aneurysm forming in your head. This is a fairly new technique for spotting this sort of problem and is gaining popularity with the doctors.

The MRI is also a great tool being used to spot a ruptured disc in the spine. The MRI is a non-invasive way to look inside of you to see what is going on. If you have any luck at all your test will come back negative.

Usually, the first thing a doctor will try, after passing the MRI test, is physical therapy, and/or some mild prescription drugs. The cause of your chronic pain can be anything from a pinched nerve to a strained muscle. The physical therapy, while expensive, may just be the cure you're looking for to get rid of your problems.

However, you may have to start taking a regime of prescribed drugs if the workouts do not take care of your never-ending pain. This is where the dangers start to pile up. Every prescribed drug has an adverse drug reaction. These reactions can affect your liver, stomach, kidneys, and even your heart. You must discuss the possibilities of this problem with your doctor.

An alternative to the prescribed drugs is herbal, or natural pain relief medications. These are pills, ointments, and spray-ons that are manufactured from plants and other natural elements of the earth. Although new, they don't have the adverse side effects as conventional medicine and appear to be moving up into first place as the preferred way to get pain relief.