An estimated 50.2 million adults in the U.S. suffer from chronic pain each year. Some of the most common areas for experiencing chronic pain are the hips, knees, back, and feet. The causes of chronic pain can vary and may result from an injury or accident, or it can stem from an underlying condition like arthritis.

When seeking chronic pain treatment options, you may have to go to a pain management specialist to help you better handle your symptoms. Treatment may include chronic pain medication, injections, and exercises for chronic pain. But did you know there are chronic pain management errors you can make that can impact your treatment progress?

Keep reading this post to find out more about seven common chronic pain management errors and how you can avoid them.

1. Improper Use of Chronic Pain Medication

Abuse of chronic pain medications like opioids is a growing problem. It's also one of the biggest chronic pain management errors. According to the CDC, a whopping 75% of all deaths from an overdose in 2020 involved the use of an opioid.

If you do receive pain medication to manage your chronic pain, you must use it according to the directions only. Do not take more than the recommended dosage in a given period unless it's under the direction of your doctor.

You should also not attempt to take your medication for longer than it is prescribed. You'll find when you don't use your chronic pain medication correctly that it can lose its effectiveness over time.

2. Mixing Pain Medication with Drugs and Alcohol

Experiencing chronic pain can also cause you to take matters into your own hands to try to distract yourself from the pain. Opioid-based chronic pain medication on its own can be incredibly addictive, but when mixed with other illicit substances it can cause further chronic pain management errors.

Mixing alcohol with opioids and other drugs can be dangerous, even fatal. These substances can suppress your breathing and cause respiratory distress. Mixing drugs and alcohol also increases your dependency on these substances over time and creates further addiction issues.

Using narcotics with alcohol and other drugs is an attempt to escape other problems in your life and not an attempt to manage your chronic pain. You may need psychological therapy to address the true reason for your addiction.

3. Smoking During Your Chronic Pain Treatment

Smoking by itself already poses dangers and risks to your health. But for chronic pain patients, it can cause even more problems in the long term. Smoking is one of the major chronic pain triggers in your body.

When it comes to chronic pain management errors, smoking may actually increase your chronic pain levels, especially for back pain. Smoking robs your body of its crucial nutrients in your spine. It creates a chokehold that keeps blood and oxygen from circulating properly.

The nicotine found in these cigarettes can age and deteriorate your skin quicker. Over time, this can leave you more susceptible to chronic pain. Vaping e-cigarettes can lead to neck pain and muscle aches, as well as increased inflammatory markers, which are a top cause of chronic pain.

4. Not Getting Enough Exercise

It may feel like with chronic pain that because you're hurting, you should restrict your movement. While this may be true in very specific situations of injury, staying sedentary is counterproductive and causes further chronic pain management errors.

Movement and exercise are actually good for you. Low to moderate exercise where the heart rate falls within a 50%-60% maximum heart rate range can help improve chronic pain.

Exercise keeps your muscles strong and decreases inflammation. A regular exercise routine also improves mobility. It is a good idea, though, not to overdo it or you could risk further injury.

Exercise programs should always be done in moderation and under the guidance of your pain management care provider. They may also prescribe a physical therapy regimen in conjunction with other pain management treatments.

5. Engaging in Poor Nutritional Habits

When you're dealing with chronic pain, your body may try to undergo a self-reparative process, like it would when you have a broken bone. In order to heal properly, your body needs the right vitamins and minerals to repair these injured areas.

While it may be tempting to indulge in sugar and junk food for comfort, it's really another one of the most common chronic pain management errors. Not eating a balanced diet starves your body of healthy nutrients.

Large amounts of sugar, fat, and sodium can lead to escalated inflammation levels and added weight gain over time. Packing on the pounds also puts more stress on your joints and increases your chronic pain.

Eat a low-fat diet with vitamins and minerals to reduce your inflammation, drink water, and maintain a healthy weight.

6. Not Managing Your Stress Factors and Chronic Pain Triggers

Everyone experiences a certain level of stress from time to time, but unmanaged stress can lead to increased chronic pain. Not engaging in effective management of your stress can lead to further chronic pain management errors. Stress increases cortisol levels in the body, which causes a build-up of inflammation.

When you tense up during stressful moments, you're activating chronic pain triggers that release cortisol. Stress also elevates your heart rate. Tension in your muscles can also make your pain worse.

You need to be mindful of your chronic pain triggers and attentive to how you hold yourself when you are stressed out. Try breathing and meditation exercises. You can also try some gentle stretching exercises for your chronic pain under the advisement of your pain management physician.

7. Receiving Inadequate Pain Management Care

While there are non-medical steps you can take to help improve your chronic pain like diet and exercise, your condition may need special services that only a trained pain management doctor can provide.

Not seeking out proper pain management is one of the biggest chronic pain management errors you can make. An experienced pain management specialist can diagnose your condition and tailor a customized treatment plan for your pain management needs.

Pain management specialists receive additional training that primary care physicians don't have. They have comprehensive knowledge of modern treatments for pain management. They can perform specialized surgical procedures such as nerve blocks and spinal injections.

They can also refer you for physical therapy and psychological therapy for underlying issues. When you haven't been able to get a proper diagnosis, they can conduct specialized tests and diagnostic imaging to identify the cause of the pain.

Pain management specialists can also prescribe and manage your chronic pain medication.

AZ Pain Doctors Can Help Correct Your Chronic Pain Management Errors

Knowing the main chronic pain management errors and how to avoid them is only one part of the battle against chronic pain. You also need the right team that can help you identify the causes of chronic pain and common chronic pain triggers.

AZ Pain Doctors is here to serve your chronic pain management needs. We have a full range of services available. Let us help you find the chronic pain treatment plan that will work for you so you can get back to living your best life.

Schedule an appointment today at one of our 9 convenient locations across Arizona.