Ten Coping Tips To Manage Chronic Pain

Any pain that lasts for more than six months can be defined as chronic pain. This pain can range from mild to severe, it can be continuous or episodic, and exists on a spectrum from slightly irritating to completely debilitating. Pain can come from numerous different sources, some of which can be treated while others cannot.

The anxiety, helplessness and despair that are so often associated with constant pain leaves you fatigued. This also depresses the production of natural painkillers in the body, in turn making the pain even worse. The negative thoughts arising in the brain about the quality of life boost the production of chemicals in body which can further amplify the pain sensations. Thus, you end up in a vicious cycle where pain leads to depression which, in turn, leads to more pain.

Experts say that this cycle can even weaken the body’s natural immune mechanism, making you more susceptible to different kinds of infections.

Chronic pain can be a result of an injury or infection or some other ongoing cause of pain, like a debilitating disease. There may be instances when no apparent reason for the chronic pain can be determined. Some of the most common causes of chronic pain include headaches, backache and joint pains. Long standing muscle pain or painful conditions of nerves like the carpal tunnel syndrome are also termed as chronic pain.

Managing chronic pain involves not only relief from the physical pain but also dealing with the mental and emotional aspects of the chronic pain. It is only when both the fronts are addressed simultaneously that one can break the vicious cycle. It often has to be a joint effort with physicians and psychologists.

Apart from taking your medicines to cope up with the physical aspect of chronic pain, here are some tips which can help in dealing with the mental and emotional aspect of chronic pain.

1. Accept your condition

The first and foremost step of coping with your chronic pain involves coming to terms with the fact that you suffer from a form of chronic pain which may take a considerable time to go away, or you may even have to bear with it for your entire life. It is easier said than done. Acknowledging that you suffer from a chronic condition is almost like accepting defeat. You always considered yourself fit and fine and now suddenly you are in a situation which is affecting both your body and soul. And it is not going to go away easily.

But remember that only if you accept the situation that you will be able to regain the mental strength to fight with the condition. Living in denial would never give you the courage to meet the situation head-on. And do away with the grief as soon as possible. It is only natural to feel sad about your condition but remaining sad throughout is certainly not the way you would like to spend your life. 

Once you accept the chronic nature of your pain, you can switch modes — instead of being stuck in grief mode, you can now find ways to deal with the situation, making your life the best it can be with the condition you have. This proactive decision can be the start of feeling better.

Dealing With Chronic Pain

2. Exercise

Innumerable studies have proven that exercise is extremely beneficial in case of depression. It stimulates the release of brain chemicals called as endorphins which block the pain signals in the brain and helps in improving your mood.

Not only is exercise helpful for your mental health, it has physical benefits too. Exercising helps in strengthening your body muscles and helps in preventing re-injury. Moreover, it reduces the levels of sugar and fat, which may be helpful in treating the underlying cause of your chronic pain.

Depending on the nature of your pain, it is always a good idea to check with your doctor to find out what exercises are safest for you.

3. Meditation

Meditation has long been an important form of therapy in the East and now the people in the West are also discovering its positive aspects. During meditation you simply focus on our breath while shutting your mind to any other thoughts and repeat a phrase. It helps to relax your body. The tension and tightness that has seeped inside the muscles of your body disseminates and you get relief from the chronic pain. More and more people are switching to meditation and breathing techniques for pain relief without any side effects.

4. Stress therapy by mental relaxation

Mental relaxation through various stress therapies helps in uplifting your mood so that living with your pain becomes bearable. One such stress therapy is listening to calming music. Research has shown that music is a great stress-buster and relaxes your mind almost immediately. There are specially designed CDs and tapes available in the market for this purpose.

Another form of stress therapy is called guided imagery. In this form of therapy you train your mind to make calming peaceful images in your mind. It is a form of mental escape which shifts your focus away from your pain. Another technique called as progressive muscle relaxation also helps in relaxing your mind and providing pain relief.

5. Maintain a pain log

Maintaining a journal where you chart your level of pain daily on a score of 1 and 10 and also enlisting the activities you undertake every day will help in understanding your pain better. It would guide you in knowing on what particular days is your pain at its peak and what type of activities help in bringing it down. This log may also help your physician in individualizing your pain therapy to cater to your needs.

6. Massage

Massage therapy is another great way of relaxing your body and getting relief from the pain.

7. Healthy diet

The importance of eating a well-balanced healthy diet cannot be stressed enough. It is good for your digestion, helps in maintaining the sugar and salt levels of your body in check, controls your weight and keeps your blood vessels in good condition. All this may help in beating the cause of your chronic pain.

8. Find ways to distract you from pain

Become active and engaged in any activity that you are passionate about. It makes you feel good and distracts your mind from the pain. If you are idle, your mind invariably focusses on the pain and makes it feel worse. But when you are busy with something else, your focus shifts and you tend to forget about your pain.

9. Find support group

Finding ways and means to deal with your pain all alone can be a daunting task. But remember that you are not the only one who is in this situation. There are other people as well who are trying to cope with chronic pain. Discussing your problem with them and learning about the measures they take to tackle their condition may provide you further insight into dealing with your pain.

10. Cut down on alcohol and smoking

Alcohol can cause problems like insomnia whereas smoking can cause problems with the blood circulation and increase the risk of cancer and heart disease.

Ty to remain in a positive frame of mind! It is true that dealing with chronic pain can be difficult but remember the old adage- Where there is a will, there is a way!