Keep Chronic Pain from Ruling Your Life

By Leslie Davis

Chronic pain comes in all different forms, from persistent joint aches to side effects from cancer to regular abdominal discomfort. No matter what form it takes, chronic pain can be disabling if you must live with it every day.

Chronic pain can interfere with your desire to be social, as well as your ability to work and get a good night’s sleep. About 60 percent of people with chronic pain claim it impacts their overall enjoyment of life, according to a survey by the American Pain Foundation (APF). About half of the people surveyed lost a job due to their chronic pain, and about 30 percent report that chronic pain impacts their ability to drive a car.

If you are experiencing chronic pain, you may feel like your life has been taken over by it, but there are ways you can manage your pain so that you feel like yourself again.

Pinpoint the Cause

In most instances, what is causing you chronic pain is obvious. You may have had major surgery or been diagnosed with arthritis. In other cases, you may have no idea why you are in a constant state of discomfort and pain. The first step to managing chronic pain is to get to the root of the problem.

You may be tempted to do a self-diagnosis online, but the best thing to do is to make a doctor’s appointment. Let your doctor know exactly what you are experiencing, even if it is slightly embarrassing, so that he or she performs the appropriate tests. If the symptoms are not obvious, it may take a few diagnostic tests and several appointments to determine what is causing you chronic pain. If your doctor is trying to convince you that the pain you are feeling is “all in your head,” seek out another doctor who will listen to you and properly diagnose you.

Determining what is causing you pain is also important when it comes to figuring out how to manage and treat chronic pain. Treatments and medication will vary depending on what your particular pain stems from. As a result, it is worth your time and energy to find the exact cause of your pain. Only then can you be provided the relief you need.

Change What You Eat

What you put into your body will almost always have an effect on your overall health. In the case of chronic pain, you want to consume foods that have anti-inflammatory properties. Working into your diet foods that are high in protein and that have the right kinds of fat, oil, carbohydrates and fiber can have an immediate effect on your pain level. Foods with anti-inflammatory properties include fish, nuts, berries, green vegetables and olive oil. Water is also a good way to flush out your body.

Just as there are certain foods you should eat, there are also foods you should avoid. A lot of foods actually increase inflammation, thereby increasing your pain. Make it a point to stay away from fast food, sugar, and processed and high-fat meats. Surprisingly, certain vegetables also increase inflammation in your body. You should avoid tomatoes, potatoes and eggplant, all of which can make inflammation worse.

Get Some Sleep

Nearly 90 percent of people with chronic pain say it affects their sleep, according to the APF survey. If there is a chance that your chronic pain is causing you sleepless nights, know that there are ways to ensure a restful sleep. The health benefits of a good night’s sleep are well-documented, and your pain may actually be worse due to lack of sleep.

Getting enough sleep may simply mean cutting out caffeine during the day or not watching TV in bed. In more serious cases, you may have to try an over-the-counter sleep aid or speak with a therapist. In either case, you will likely find that your pain lessens once you are able to maintain a good sleep schedule.

Join a Support Group

Nobody will be able to understand how chronic pain affects you like other sufferers. Joining a support group can give you the outlet you need to openly talk about your condition and exchange useful tips for how to better manage pain. There is likely a support group near you, either for chronic pain generally or one specific to your condition. Just talking about things with others who understand what you are experiencing may actually help to alleviate pain.

Don’t Hide It

If you suffer from chronic pain, it may be tempting to hide it from your family and friends. You may not want to feel like you are constantly complaining about your pain, or that you are trying to garner sympathy. But not talking about it can cause you to feel more tense, resulting in increased pain.

Opening up to your loved ones can provide you extra support, and they probably would like to be kept in the loop about something that is causing you so much trouble. Sharing what you are experiencing is the only way people will actually know what is going on. They may have some ideas for pain management and support that you would not have discovered if you didn’t share.

Take Care of Your Body

Exercising is one of the best ways to help alleviate pain because it loosens your joints and muscles, but you may be in so much pain that just the idea of moving causes you to hurt. If you are physically unable to exercise, try massage or chiropractic care to help you relieve stress, improve circulation and restore mobility to affected areas. The health benefits are not exactly the same as those gained by exercise, but you will notice an improvement in your overall stress level and pain.

Free Your Mind

It has been shown that mental techniques such as meditation, relaxation, hypnosis and guided imagery can alleviate chronic pain. Use of these techniques can help refocus your attention by releasing tension and having you concentrate on things other than your pain. Producing changes in your body using these techniques is not for everyone, but if you are able to focus on them they can be effective in lessening your pain.

Seek Treatment

If any of the above methods is not enough to make your pain more manageable, you may want to attend an accredited pain management program, like that offered by Sierra Tucson in Arizona. Sierra Tucson offers an innovative and comprehensive mind-body approach for the treatment of chronic pain that addresses the various concurrent bio-psycho-social-spiritual factors that contribute to pain. The program, which lasts about 45 days, successfully treats patients with various types of chronic pain. Experts at Sierra Tucson can also help you address any issues associated with your chronic pain, such as sleep disorders and addiction to pain medication.

Living with chronic pain is not always easy, but finding ways to manage it can help you be the person you were before the pain took over.