The coca leaf, from which cocaine is derived, causes a numbing effect. A 2013 study found that the Incas of Peru were experts at this, and provided their patients with a form of pain relief - while the surgeon was making a hole with an obsidian knife, they would also be chewing coca leaves, which they would spit into the hole. It is believed that it was performed to treat headaches, epilepsy, and insanity, since the common understanding was that these were caused by demons that needed to be released. What it is: Trepanning, the process of making a surgical hole in the skull and exposing the brain underneath, has been practised for millennia, with evidence of it dating back to 10,000BC. Trepanned skull found in Peru В© Danielle Kurin/University of California - Santa Barbara They include pain, bleeding, bruising, and drowsiness. When done correctly, there are few side effects, and these are mild and temporary. The main function of endorphins is to inhibit the transmission of pain signals to the brain. Fine needles are inserted into the body in places known as вЂacupuncture pointsвЂ™: this aims to allow qi to flow freely again so that the body can heal.Дoes it work? Although there is no scientific consensus about the effectiveness of acupuncture, it is possible that the insertion of needles causes stimulation in the muscles and under the skin, inducing the body to produce endorphins. The treatment is based on the idea that qi, a life force, flows through channels in the body, and this keeps the body in good health.

What it is: Although its exact origins are unknown, the acupuncture therapy has been practised since at least 100BC, when the methods and uses were described in The Yellow EmperorвЂ™s Classic of Internal Medicine. AcupunctureДЄ Chinese man performing acupuncture on a man's ear В© Carl Mydans/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images However, there is the possibility of causing ReyeвЂ™s syndrome, which can cause significant brain and liver damage in children, as with aspirin.

Generally, the side effects of willow bark are mild, and it is thought to be less likely to cause gastrointestinal side effects than ibuprofen. Some studies suggest that this blend could be as effective as aspirin for pain relief and inflammation, and at a much lower dose. Salicin works in combination with other chemicals, flavonoids and polyphenols, found in the bark. Willow bark is now commercially available as capsules, powder, or raw bark and is said to treat headaches, inflammation, pain from osteoarthritis, and lower back pain.Дoes it work? The active ingredient in aspirin, known as acetylsalicylic acid, was formulated from the salicin found in willow bark. What it is: Originally, willow bark was chewed to fight fever and inflammation. Where and when: Mesopotamia, 4000BC China and Europe, 400BC.

Obsidian scalpel no anesthesia