Neck pain is the worst for me -- old C2 injury from 2001, still bothers me sometimes. If I neglect the neck pain it'll turn into a horrible headache.

I use all kinds of stuff to cope with the neck spasms -- massage, vibrator, soaks in a hot bath with Epsom salts, topical analgesics like Stopain roll-on or Ted's Pain Cream. But sometimes nothing works except muscle relaxers and a moderate strength prescription analgesic like Tramadol or hydrocodone.

Last year my shoulder was broken and dislocated, and it re-aggravated that old C2 injury. The first health network I was taken too by the ambulance after I was hit by a car wouldn't refill prescription pain meds. They gave me what they called a 10-day supply but I made it last 6 weeks. I figured that would count toward demonstrating I was a low risk for abusing opiates, but no dice. They put me on a 6-month waiting list for their pain management clinic.

That was ridiculous. So I switched health networks (turned out I was eligible for the VA and they've been fantastic).

Meanwhile I tried some alternatives. CBD didn't work for me. A health store manager suggested kratom for the pain. I was skeptical, as I usually am about any herbal, "natural", homeopathic or unproven remedies. But I was still having trouble sleeping from the pain so I gave it a try. It's legal in most states. They just can't advertise it as a medicine or remedy for oral consumption. Most sellers either say nothing about it, or suggest it as a decorative potpourri or topical application, something vague and useless. Traditionally it's drunk as a tea in Asian countries where it grows naturally. The plant is botanically related to coffee.

Darned stuff worked great. For me a fairly low dose of kratom, around 1-2 grams, was almost as effective as a single hydrocodone or Tramadol, with fewer side effects. There are various strains based on the color of the leaf vein. Green vein is mildly stimulating like coffee, tea or a Coke or Pepsi -- not a strong stimulant at all. Red vein is mildly relaxing, like 1-3 mg of melatonin or a small dose of valerian root. The gold or yellow vein varieties are basically neutral, no stimulant or relaxing effects, but with pain relief that's more effective than any NSAID. All varieties are also mild mood enhancers. It's difficult to describe because most fans of kratom tend to exaggerate the effects toward the positive, while the FDA and hysterical anti-everything media outlets try to portray it as the next heroin or fentanyl epidemic. It's actually rather mild, subdued and unexciting. I'd compare it with a morning cup of coffee. Nothing happens immediately, but 15-30 minutes later you realize you feel human again and ready to get stuff done.

So if your pain is bad enough and prevents you from sleeping, and your health network won't approve refills of muscle relaxers or pain meds, it's worth considering kratom. I know it gets hard to work or think straight after 3 or more days in pain without sleep. And that won't help healing.

The simplest form is a tablet that's just compressed kratom that's been pasteurized from Etha. Their sample packs are very affordable and always discounted for new customers. Costs a little more but it's a good product. They lab test everything for safety and quality.

There are much cheaper sources of plain leaf kratom and it's usually in a fine powder form that can be mixed as tea and drunk, the traditional Asian method. But it's an acquired taste -- strong, bitter, a bit cloying. It's best mixed with hot chocolate, which complements the flavor. And heating the powdered leaf kratom in hot water for hot chocolate, tea, etc., also sterilizes it. Problems with e coli and salmonella are uncommon -- less common than with our own domestic romaine lettuce -- but I always use hot water to be safe.

But if you can get by without it, so much the better. Most days I just use topical analgesics and oral diclofenac, a prescription NSAID that's more effective than the massive doses of ibuprofen I used to take, in just two small pills a day. But it's not a good option for folks who can't tolerate NSAIDs.