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11 Ways to Deal with Chronic Pain

11 Ways to Deal
with Chronic Pain

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ON THIS PAGE

What you need to know about living with chronic pain

To relax, practise deep breathing or meditation

Deep breathing and meditation are relaxation practices that can help relieve pain. As muscles hear a gentle message to relax, tension and rigidity leak out.

Although there are many different types of meditation, some of them rely on the soothing influence of repetition. The body relaxes by focusing on the breath, avoiding thoughts, and repeating a word or phrase, known as a mantra. While you can learn to meditate on your own, taking a class is beneficial.

Deep breathing is also a method of relaxation. Block away distracting thoughts by finding a peaceful environment and a comfortable body position. After that, visualise a point right below your navel. Fill your abdomen with air as you breathe into that region. Fill yourself with air from your midsection up, then let it out like a balloon.

Reduce your stress levels. Chronic pain is exacerbated by stress

Depression, worry, stress, anxiety and anger are all negative emotions that can make the body more sensitive to pain. You may find some relief from chronic pain by learning to manage stress.

Several approaches can aid in stress reduction and relaxation. Listening to peaceful, calming music might improve your mood and make chronic pain easier to manage. There are even relaxation records or CDs specifically created for this. Guided imagery (also known as mental imagery relaxation) is a type of mental getaway that can help you relax. It entails conjuring up tranquil, serene mental thoughts. Another technique for relaxation is progressive muscle relaxation.

Exercise’s natural endorphins can help with chronic pain alleviation

Endorphins are substances in the brain that make you feel better while also suppressing pain signals. Another benefit of exercise is that it strengthens muscles, which helps to prevent re-injury and discomfort. Exercise can also help you lose weight, lower your risk of heart disease, and control your blood sugar levels, which is very important if you have diabetes. Consult your doctor for an appropriate workout routine. If you have specific health concerns, such as diabetic neuropathy, you should be cautious about the activities you participate in; your doctor can recommend the best physical activities for you.

Reduce your alcohol consumption, which might exacerbate sleep issues

Sleep is difficult under pain, and drinking can exacerbate sleep problems. If you have chronic pain, consuming less or no alcohol can help you live a better life.

Participate in a support group. Meet people who are suffering from chronic pain

You feel less alone when you’re with folks who have chronic pain and understand what you’re going through. You can also benefit from their experience in dealing with pain.

Consider seeing a mental health professional as well. When dealing with chronic pain, anyone might get depressed. Counselling can help you learn to manage better and prevent negative ideas that exacerbate pain, resulting in a more positive outlook. It is a sign of strength, not weakness, to seek assistance.

Avoid smoking. It can exacerbate chronic discomfort

Smoking can exacerbate unpleasant circulatory issues and raise the risk of heart disease and cancer.

Every day, keep track of your pain level and activities

Your doctor needs to know how you’ve been feeling in between appointments in order to treat your pain properly. You can keep track of your pain by keeping a record or journal of your daily “pain score.” Note your pain level on a 1 to 10 pain scale at the conclusion of each day. Also, write down what you did that day. Bring this logbook to every doctor’s appointment to help your doctor understand how you’re dealing with chronic pain and your degree of physical functioning.

Reduce migraine and tension headache discomfort using biofeedback

It is possible to deliberately control many body functions with biofeedback. It may sound like science fiction, but biofeedback has been proven to be effective, and it’s not difficult to learn.

The following is how it works: Wearing sensors allows you to “hear” or “see” bodily activities such as pulse, digestion, body temperature, and muscular tension. The associated monitors’ squiggly lines and/or beeps represent what’s going on within your body. Then you have to figure out how to regulate the squiggles and beeps. Your mind has taught your biological system to learn the abilities after a few sessions.

Get a massage to relieve chronic pain

Massage can help people with many types of chronic pain, including back and neck pain, and relieve stress and tension.

If you have chronic pain, you should eat a nutritious diet

A well-balanced diet is beneficial in many ways, including assisting digestion, lowering the risk of heart disease, maintaining weight control, and improving blood sugar levels. Fresh fruits and vegetables; cooked dried beans and peas; whole-grain bread and cereals; low-fat cheese, milk, and yoghurt; and lean meats are all good choices for a low-fat, low-sodium diet.

Find strategies to divert your attention away from your discomfort so you can enjoy life more

When you concentrate on your discomfort, it gets worse rather than better. Find something you enjoy doing instead, anything that will keep you occupied and distracted from your suffering. Although you may not be able to prevent pain, you can take charge of your life.

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