Chronic pain is a silent disease affecting the lives of over 100 million Americans on a daily basis. It’s frustrating and difficult to treat. One day you might be unaffected, and the next your pain keeps you from doing even the most basic tasks. Physicians typically prescribe opioids to help patients manage their pain, but these can be harsh, ineffective, and, at worst, habit-forming. Fortunately, there’s hope. While chronic pain is so debilitating in that it never goes away, there are plenty of natural ways to better manage your pain. Here are some tips on how to best manage your chronic pain at home:
Acceptance Is Key
Recognizing that your pain is chronic is a difficult but essential process. Chronic pain can leave you feeling helpless, but if you are able to accept that this is a permanent condition, you will be better able to focus on what you can do than what you can’t. If the pain stems from another chronic condition, monitoring it will also help keep you aware of your physical wellbeing and address any deterioration in a timely manner. Chronic pain can also lead to emotional conditions such as depression, so accepting your pain may help you feel more optimistic about life. Connecting with others who struggle with chronic pain can help you find support and learn to live with your condition.
Massage Therapy
Getting a massage from a trained massage therapist can help those who struggle with joint, nerve or muscle pain find temporary relief. It’s an important way to relieve emotional and physical stress, and help improve circulation. If regularly scheduling appointment with a masseuse is difficult for you, a high-quality massage chair can often provide much of the same benefits.
Seek Out A Trained Specialist
Always consult your general physician before beginning any complementary treatments to address your chronic pain. It’s important to be aware of your medical history in order to find the best way to address pain, and it’s possible you might need to see a physician who specializes in chronic pain. The experts at https://www.texaspainphysicians.com/, for example, may be able to properly address your back, joint, and neck pain, and have you living your best life.
Learn Relaxation And Deep Breathing Techniques
Stress from your job or even your health can further increase the chronic pain that you feel on a daily basis. Learning effective relaxation techniques can help take the mind off of this stress and, resultingly, lessen any pain you might feel. Deep breathing and meditation are particularly helpful, as they rely on the soothing effect of repetition to help ease your mind. Alternatively, engaging in enjoyable, low-stress activities, such as listening to music or watching a good movie, can help your body relax and your mind focus on something other than pain.
Exercise
Cultivating a regular, physician-approved exercise routine can help your body address chronic pain by building muscle strength and increasing circulation. Similarly, when you exercise, your body releases endorphins that help provide natural short-term pain relief.
Pay Attention To The Root Of Your Pain
Not all chronic pain is created equal. It may stem from back injuries, nerve damage, migraines, or conditions like cancer or arthritis. Understanding the causes of your pain may help you better address it in the long run. For example, back pain is often best addressed through exercise and massage therapy, whereas the painful symptoms of autoimmune disorders are best kept in check by a nutritious anti-inflammatory diet.
Eat Right
The right diet is essential for maintaining a healthy weight and addressing any blood sugar or inflammation issues you might have. All of these can exacerbate chronic pain, so eating healthy is an important step to managing chronic pain. Eat plenty of whole grains, legumes, fresh fruits, and veggies while steering clear of fatty, sugary, and high-sodium foods. It’s also important to eat plenty of healthy fats in the form of fish oil and the like, as they play a key role in nerve health.
Avoid Bad Habits
Some people suffering from chronic pain attempt to use tobacco or alcohol to self-medicate because of the short-term relief they provide. Unfortunately, just like an unhealthy diet can worsen your chronic pain, both smoking and drinking are a danger to your health over the long term. Smoking especially increases your risk of a number of painful conditions such as arthritis and degenerative disk disease, so talk to your doctor about quitting.
Lessen Your Pain, Improve Your Life
It can be easy to feel powerless in the face of chronic pain, especially when it keeps you from doing the things you love. Fortunately, there are plenty of daily, natural ways to lessen your pain. Follow these key tips to better control your pain without letting it dictate what you do in your life!
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