50 million Americans suffer from chronic pain.
Do you want to learn some tips on how to manage to living with chronic pain? Not to worry! In this article, we’ll go over eight tips on how to deal with chronic pain.
Want to learn more? Keep reading to find out.
Living with Chronic Pain: A Guide
There are ways you can live a happier and more manageable life. Everything from meditation, reducing stress, and joining a support group will help you. Let’s take a look at some more tips.
1. Research Your Chronic Pain Condition
Stay updated on the latest pain treatments for your condition. Along with medication, check out alternative therapies like acupuncture. Cognitive therapy’s aimed at changing destructive behavior and thinking.
2. Learn Meditation for Relaxation
Meditation helps your body relax and this, in turn, can help ease the pain. Tightness and tension will seep away from muscles as you quiet your mind.
When you focus on your breath and ignore thoughts, your body will relax. You can take a meditation class if you’d prefer.
Deep breathing is another relaxation technique to try. Get in a comfortable position and block out thoughts. Imagine a spot below your navel and breathe in, filling your abdomen with air. Let your belly fill up, then release the air, like a balloon deflating.
3. Try to Reduce Stress
Negative feelings like anger or sadness can increase your body’s sensitivity to pain. When you take control of stress and negative emotions, you can find relief from pain.
Listening to soothing music can help lift your mood. There are specific albums for this. Mental imagery relaxation is a technique that helps you feel more at peace. You create peaceful and calming images in your mind.
Another popular technique’s called progressive muscle relaxation that promotes relaxation. This technique involves tensing a group of muscles when you breathe in.
You relax them and breathe out, afterwards. You’ll work on muscle groups in a particular order. When your body relaxes, you cannot feel anxious or stressed. This is a method to help you relieve stress in your body and helps you fall asleep.
4. Get Natural Endorphins
Endorphins are brain chemicals that can block pain signals while improving your mood. Exercise can reduce pain by strengthening muscles and helping to prevent injuries. Your weight will remain down, and your heart disease risk can lower.
Incorporate gentle forms of exercise like water aerobics, walking, or yoga for beginners. Don’t push yourself too far. Find what works for you.
If you have certain limitations, speak with your doctor about possible physical activities.
5. Adjust Your Life
You can reduce strain and stress when you drive. Make a pain management plan by adjusting the driver’s seat so your feet reach the foot pedals well.
Adjust the seat’s lumbar support, so it hugs your lower back. This can relieve pain as well. Consider purchasing a lumbar support seat cushion if you don’t have enough support.
For your home, consider getting a ramp. Read more here about different kinds of ramps.
6. Lower Your Alcohol Intake
We know that pain can make sleep difficult, causing you to wake throughout the night. If you have chronic pain, try to watch your drinking. Alcohol can worsen sleep problems and does not improve the quality of life.
7. Meet with a Support Group
You will feel less alone when you get to meet and chat with folks who also have chronic pain. Everyone in the group may gain from shared wisdom on how to cope with the pain.
Consider meeting with a mental health professional. People can develop anxiety or depression when living with chronic pain.
Counseling will help you learn coping mechanisms and ways to avoid ruminating. Ask for help and learn more about how to deal with your illness.
8. Keep a Journal
Track what you do every day and watch your pain levels. If you track your pain, you can let your doctor know how you’re doing between visits.
Consider keeping a log and rate your pain. For example, at the end of each day, rate your pain on the level from one to ten.
Take this logbook with you and show your doctor. Bring your relative or friend to your appointment to help you remember the details. Your doctor will see your physical functioning level and what your pain levels are like.
9. Check Out Biofeedback
You can control various body functions with biofeedback. For example, you can wear sensors that allow you to see or hear specific body functions. You could note body temperature, digestion, or even muscle tension.
The beeps or squiggling lines on the monitors will reveal what’s happening in your body.
10. Consume a Healthy Diet
Maintaining your weight and eating a balanced diet will help your health. You’ll reduce heart disease risk and improve your blood sugar levels.
Try and choose a low-sodium diet. Load up on fresh vegetables and fruits, cooked beans, and whole-grains. Staying healthy can prevent some health issues.
11. Find Your Passion
When you focus on your pain, it becomes much worse. Try and find something that you’re passionate about. If you can find an activity that helps keep you busy, you won’t ruminate so much on your pain. Take time to explore your interests.
Want to Learn More?
We hope you found this article on living with chronic pain insightful. Try and set aside time for meditation and deep breathing.
Want to learn more? Check out our guide on if group therapy is for you.