10 Tips for Dealing With Pain
Are you dealing with pain on a daily basis? You're not alone. In fact, common pain is one of the most common reasons people seek medical care.
It's also linked to restrictions in daily activities and mobility, anxiety and depression, and reduced quality of life. About 50 million adults (20.4% of the adult population) in the US struggle with chronic pain.
You don't have to live life in pain, though. Instead, discover how to start dealing with pain using these 10 tips.
With these pain management tips, you can reduce pain and inflammation to improve your quality of life.
Take back control! Discover how to deal with chronic pain using these tips today.
1. Work Up a Sweat
Don't melt into the couch and dwell on your pain. Instead, get up and start working up a sweat! Exercising could help you deal with your chronic pain.
You can work with a pain specialist or physical therapy to start using physical therapy exercises at home. Exercising and working up a sweat will help your body produce natural endorphins. Endorphins are hormones that can boost your natural pain threshold.
Endorphins could change your perception of pain, easing the sensation.
Start slow to avoid hurting yourself. Low-intensity exercises like walking will help you build up your strength. Make sure to stretch beforehand.
Otherwise, tight muscles might make your chronic pain and inflammation worse.
Inflammation is the body's response to illness, injury, or disease. Exercising could help ease inflammation before it causes chronic pain.
Exercising could improve your overall quality of life, too. In addition to easing chronic pain, it might also help:
- You fall asleep each night
- Improve joint mobility
- Strengthen your muscles
- Release endorphins
Consider seeing a professional to develop a workout regimen based on your current health. Working with a professional will ensure you don't unintentionally hurt yourself.
2. Give Acupuncture a Try
If you're looking for creative ways for dealing with pain, consider trying acupuncture this year.
Acupuncture is a form of traditional Chinese medicine. It works by manipulating focal points on the body to ease chronic pain. Acupuncture might further encourage endorphin production.
Remember, boosting endorphin production might help ease chronic pain by keeping pain messages from reaching your brain. Your pain threshold might improve as a result.
If you want to try acupuncture at home, look into acupuncture mats, which are available online. Otherwise, consider seeing a professional for treatment.
3. Try to Relax
It's normal for chronic pain to leave you feeling tense and exhausted. Unfortunately, muscle tension will only make your pain worse. In addition to exercising, consider utilizing relaxation techniques.
You can minimize your stress to reduce muscle tension, which might help when you're dealing with pain. Easing stress will reduce cortisol hormone production. Otherwise, cortisol can cause:
- Inflammation and pain
- Fatigue
- High blood pressure
- Muscle weakness
If you experience too much inflammation, it could make your chronic pain worse.
Look for different ways to ease stress and anxiety throughout the day. For example, you might want to try yoga or meditation. Meditation can ease anxiety and stress to reduce your pain symptoms.
You can find guided meditation apps on your phone or videos on YouTube. Following mindfulness meditation programs might provide pain relief. Minimizing unnecessary stress could improve your quality of life as well.
4. Visit a Chiropractor
Remember, seeing a professional might help ease your chronic pain as well. Consider visiting a chiropractor if you're experiencing neck or back pain. A spinal adjustment might help blood flow throughout your body.
Blood carries nutrients and oxygen to joints and tissues, which could help ease your chronic pain.
A chiropractor could also provide lifestyle tips that can help. For example, they might suggest you improve your posture by updating your work environment.
5. Consult a Specialist
If you're thinking of seeing a professional, add a pain specialist to your list.
Pain specialists can help treat a range of conditions, including:
- Back pain
- Neck pain
- Joint pain
- Muscle injuries
- Nerve pain
Choose a board-certified professional who has experience treating your type of pain. They might recommend pain treatments like cortisone injections or PRP therapy. They can help develop a customized treatment plan based on your specific needs.
6. Try Biofeedback or TENS
During your appointment, consider discussing options like biofeedback or TENs.
Biofeedback considers your heart rate, muscle tension, and brain activity to improve your personal awareness. Becoming aware of how your body reacts in certain situations could help you control your pain.
You might consider using a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) device. This device uses a small electrical current to interrupt pain signals.
7. Adjust Your Diet
If inflammation is causing your chronic pain, you might want to adjust your diet. For example, you can eat anti-inflammatory foods like:
- Ginger
- Turmeric
- Hot peppers
- Garlic
- Salmon
- Pumpkin seeds
- Blueberries
- Virgin olive oil
Consider consulting a dietitian before making any major changes to your diet. They can help by recommending foods that can ease your chronic pain.
8. Find Healthy Distractions
As you review these tips for coping with chronic pain, consider looking for ways to distract yourself. Healthy distractions like painting or journaling could help you focus your attention away from your pain.
9. Consider Using CBD
You might want to consider using cannabidiol (CBD) to ease your chronic pain. CBD could influence your endocannabinoid system (ECS) to reduce inflammation. Easing inflammation might reduce your pain.
10. Try Hot and Cold Therapy
You might want to use hot and cold therapy to ease inflammation and swelling, too.
For example, you can apply an ice pack to the area for 15 minutes at a time. If you prefer hot therapy, consider sitting in a hot Epsom salt bath. Salt baths are also a great way to ease tension and anxiety.
Ease the Pain: 10 Tips for Dealing with Pain Daily
Don't live your life in chronic pain. Instead, try using these tips for dealing with pain throughout the day. Using these tips could help you take back control.
Otherwise, consider seeing a professional to develop a treatment plan based on your distinct needs.
Eager to schedule your first appointment? We can't wait to see you.
Contact us today to get started.