May 15, 2026

Todd's Search for Pain Relief - Herbal Mana's Origin Story

It's 2 a.m. The house is quiet. Everyone you love is asleep. And you're awake again — shifting positions, willing your knee or your shoulder or your lower back to stop throbbing long enough for you to drift off. If you've lived with chronic pain for years, you already know: the search for real pain relief isn't a single decision. It's a thousand small ones. Another bottle of ibuprofen. Another canceled hike. Another "I'll sit this one out."

This is the story of how Todd Bailey, one of Herbal Mana's founders, walked that exact road — for decades — and what he eventually found on the other side of it.

It isn't a miracle story. It's a story about getting tired of trade-offs.

Watch Todd tell it in his own words:

If you'd rather read, or want a breakdown of everything he covers, here are the key takeaways:

What Most People Mean by "Pain Relief" — And Why It's Not Enough

Most pain relief routines fall into two camps: take something oral that dulls the signal, or push through and hope it passes.

Both come with real costs.

NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen, aspirin) at max daily dosages over years are linked to GI bleeding, kidney strain, and liver stress.
Acetaminophen at high chronic doses adds liver burden.
Opioids can manage acute post-surgical pain, but they're not built for daily, decade-long use — and most doctors won't prescribe them that way anymore.

For a lot of pain warriors, the question stops being "what makes the pain go away?" and starts being "what gives me real relief support without quietly damaging the rest of me?"

That question is where Todd's story actually begins.

The Surgeries That Started It All

Todd's first knee injury came in high school football. A pass, a plant, a turn — and a kneecap that "went off and stuck." By the end of basketball season, he was on the operating table for the first time.

He was 16.

By 18, after a second tear, the team doctor at the local university gave him a prescription painkiller — Percocet — so he could finish his senior year of basketball. It worked. He could play. He felt good.

Then his body had had enough.

"Halfway through the year I developed a reaction and had to go off. By then, the cartilage under my kneecap was pretty much shot. I was 18."

That was the beginning. Twenty-three surgeries followed over the years — nineteen of them orthopedic. Both knees (six surgeries each, including replacements). Both shoulders. An ankle. A foot. Two vertebrae.

And in between every one of those surgeries: chronic, daily, all-over discomfort that had to be managed somehow.

What Years of Max-Dose OTC Painkillers Actually Cost Him

After Percocet, Todd did what most people in chronic pain do. He cycled.

Ibuprofen at max dose until his stomach gave out
Aleve at max dose until something else flared
Tylenol at the max dose until he hit a wall again
Then back to the start

For years.

He wasn't being reckless. He was being a dad. He wanted to play with his kids. He wanted to go to Disneyland. He wanted to hike and fish and not be the guy on the couch. So he pushed.

Then a conversation with his friend Dr. Thad Chandler changed the math.

"He explained how it accumulates. If I kept on that same path, I wouldn't have my kidneys and my liver functioning properly in my retirement years. I wouldn't have the enjoyment that should come with the golden years — because I would have impaired my health too much, just trying to be active."

For Todd, that was the turning point. Not the pain itself. The cost of how he was managing it.

What Is DMSO?

Pictured: Todd applying Herbal Mana DMSO to his knee during a day of hiking in Zion Canyon.

DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) is a naturally derived liquid traditionally used in topical routines for comfort support. It absorbs quickly through the skin, and is often blended with essential oils, magnesium, and MSM to create a targeted, natural-feeling routine for joint, muscle, and nerve comfort.

That's the short version. The longer version is the one Todd lived.

He'd seen DMSO as a child — vaguely, in the background — and never thought much of it. Years later, deep into his search for something that worked without wrecking the rest of his body, he came back to it.

He tried it alone first. Then in a blend with magnesium. Then with essential oils — frankincense, peppermint, wintergreen — in carefully measured amounts.

The difference, he'll tell you, surprised him.

The Routine That Replaced His Painkillers

After Todd's knee replacements, his surgeon was insistent: take the opioids. You'll need them. You won't sleep without them.

Todd took them. And, by his own account, they bought him about an hour of real sleep.

Then he tried his own blend: DMSO, essential oils, and a few supporting ingredients applied directly to the knee.

"I could manage the discomfort for about four hours at a time. That meant four hours of sleep instead of one hour of mediocre sleep on opioids. For me — coming out of a knee replacement — that was a huge step up."

This is the routine that eventually became the foundation of Alpha Warrior DMSO Cream — Herbal Mana's topical for joint and muscle comfort.

He still uses it. On both knees. On his shoulders. Every day.

Natural Topical Routines vs. Oral NSAIDs — What to Keep in Mind

Todd's Search for Pain Relief - DMSO vs NSAIDS -Two Approaches One Goal

Consideration	Daily Oral NSAID Use	Natural Topical Routine (e.g. DMSO + Essential Oils)
How it's used	Swallowed; circulates through the whole body	Applied directly to the area asking for comfort
Common trade-offs	GI irritation, kidney strain, liver stress with chronic max-dose use	Skin sensitivity for some; patch test recommended
How quickly it absorbs	Through the digestive tract	Transdermally, in minutes
What it pairs well with	Often layered with acetaminophen	Pairs with magnesium, frankincense, MSM, rest, hydration
Best for	Short-term, acute support under medical guidance	Ongoing comfort support in a daily natural routine

This isn't a "throw out your medicine cabinet" message. It's an "expand what's in it" message. A topical routine isn't a replacement for medical care — it's a quieter, gentler addition to it.

Why a Topical Routine Made Sense for Todd (and May Make Sense for You)

Three reasons it stuck:

It went where the discomfort was. No whole-body trip through the GI tract. Just where he hurt.
It layered well. Frankincense, magnesium, MSM — every ingredient had a job, and together they did more than any one of them alone.
It didn't ask him to choose between comfort and his liver. That was the trade he'd been making for twenty years. He was ready to stop.

If you've been making the same trade, you're not alone. And you're not stuck.

Try Alpha Warrior: Todd's Daily Routine in a Jar

Alpha Warrior DMSO Cream is the blend Todd uses every day — the same combination of DMSO, magnesium, MSM, and essential oils (including Frankincense, Peppermint, and Wintergreen) that became the foundation of his evening and pre-sleep routine after his knee replacements.

It's designed for the pain warrior who wants:

A natural-feeling, daily topical routine
Comfort support that goes where you ask it to
Something gentle enough to use morning, midday, and before bed

You are allowed to care for your body gently. You don't have to push through, push down, or push past.

Ready to try the routine that changed things for Todd?

Try Alpha Warrior DMSO Cream →

DMSO Cream for Joint & Muscle Recovery | Alpha Warrior DMSO Cream for Joint & Muscle Recovery | Alpha Warrior Herbal Mana

Frequently Asked Questions

What is DMSO and why is it used for natural pain relief?

DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) is a naturally derived liquid that absorbs quickly through the skin. It's traditionally used in topical routines for comfort support — especially for joint, muscle, and nerve discomfort — and is often blended with essential oils and magnesium for a layered, natural-feeling routine.

Is DMSO safe for daily use?

For most adults, DMSO is well tolerated in topical routines when used as directed. As with any new topical, a patch test on a small area of skin is recommended. Anyone managing a chronic condition or taking prescription medication should check with a qualified healthcare provider before starting.

Can I use a DMSO cream alongside my current pain relief routine?

Many people layer a topical DMSO routine alongside what they already do. Because it's applied directly to the area and doesn't travel through the digestive system, it offers a different kind of support than oral NSAIDs. Talk with your healthcare provider about adding any new product to an existing routine.

What's the difference between Alpha Warrior, Royal Warrior, and Inner Warrior?

Alpha Warrior is built for joint and muscle recovery. Royal Warrior layers frankincense for joint-focused comfort. Inner Warrior is designed for nerve comfort and sleep support. Each is built on the same DMSO foundation, with a blend tuned to a different kind of discomfort.

How long does it take for a topical DMSO routine to support comfort?

Many people feel the cream absorb within minutes. How quickly comfort sets in varies by person, application area, and consistency of use. Most pain warriors describe building it into a daily routine — morning, midday, before bed — rather than treating it as a one-and-done.

About Todd Bailey

Todd Bailey is a founder and owner of Herbal Mana, and host of the Herbal Mana podcast, where he shares practical education for people who want to hurt less and live more. Todd is not a medical doctor, and Herbal Mana content is for educational purposes only.

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