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!