Just about everyone experiences pain sometimes, but the pain can last longer than the typical healing time for some people. Chronic pain can persist for months, sometimes even years and can have a major impact on one’s day-to-day life and mental health.
People suffering from chronic pain find it challenging to perform ADLs, which can further reduce their quality of life. Although the condition can be hard to treat, it can be managed. And the best way to go about it is to address each factor causing your pain.
Individuals managing their pain daily get the best results. Many pain management strategies can help. Here are some tips to help you manage chronic pain:
1. Physical exercise (Walking and stretching)
Waking or even pacing can ease some of the pain by directly blocking pain signals to the brain. Exercise helps increase blood flow and can alleviate pain by ensuring your muscles are well-conditioned.
On the other hand, stretching can help improve your range of movement and oxygen flow, which helps the body heal. It’s also great for reducing stress levels and helping you relax more. Regular exercise can be taxing, but it’s essential if you want to keep the pain at manageable levels.
You might think exercise will aggravate the pain, but that’s not necessarily the case. Still, it would be best if you took care not to overdo it otherwise you may risk your pain levels shooting up. If you haven’t been active for a while, start small and increase your activity over time.
2. Relaxation techniques
Daily relaxation techniques can help reduce stress and decrease muscle tension. When our muscles are tense, the pressure on body tissues and nerves increases and so does the pain. Simple techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, or even yoga can help you relax and reduce your pain levels.
3. Positive attitude
Adopting an attitude of positive expectation can greatly improve your quality of life. A positive attitude creates a chain of positive thoughts and outcomes and can significantly boost your ability to cope with pain.
4. Healthy sleep
A good night’s rest can help you cope with pain. In fact, lack of sleep increases stress levels making the pain worse. Given that an estimated two-thirds of all people suffering from chronic pain report sleep disorders, getting quality and sufficient sleep should be a priority. Making simple changes to your daytime and bedtime routines can greatly impact how well you sleep.
5. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive behaviour therapy is a psychological technique that can help people deal with chronic pain and develop better coping skills. The premise of CBT is that individuals – not the environment — create and control their own experiences. The technique can help people identify and develop skills to improve their mental health and minimize their pain awareness.
Chronic pain can be tough to live with, but with the right approach, you can be able to reduce the pain and, over time, improve your quality of life.
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