Also known as “Persistent pain”, chronic pain can be hard to live with. Health professionals used to insist that sufferers get bed rest to help with their pain. However, these days they know there are far more effective forms of treatment, no matter how nice bed rest sounds.
Get Plenty of Exercise
One of the best things you can do is to get plenty of exercise. While this might be easier said than done at times, exercise can help. However, you should opt for exercises that don’t put a lot of strain on your body.
Exercises such as this include:
- Dancing
- Pilates
- Riding an exercise bike
- Swimming
- Walking
- Yoga
You should also try to be active every day. It is tempting to be less active on bad days. However, when you’re active every day it can help to reduce the number of bad days. In addition to this, you could also feel more in control of your pain.
Look for People Who Can Help You
There are people out there in addition to your doctor who can help you. Physical therapy and chiropractic care, for example, can help. This is because these therapies can help you to move better while also relieving your pain. They can also help to make day-to-day activities such as going up or down the stairs and walking a little easier.
You might also be given a few exercises to do that could help your joints and muscles loosen up.
Go to Work
It can be tempting to take the day off work when you’re in a lot of pain. However, studies have shown that those who don’t work are less likely to be active and more likely to be depressed.
Although the thought of being at work can seem a bit too much, it can help. This is because your work will help to distract you from your pain. There’s also a chance that it won’t make your pain any worse.
If you do have to take time off work try to find a way to go back gradually. For example, you could go back 1-2 days a week, to begin with. After a while, you could slowly but surely increase the amount of time that you spend at work.
Take Painkillers
If you’re in chronic pain, chances are you have already spoken to your doctor. You’ll probably have painkillers to take but it’s likely you can also take others.
Please make sure that you only ever take medication that your doctor recommends. Remember, there could be side effects.
Some over the counter medications can work quite effectively. However, you might need to take them every 4 to 6 hours so they work properly.
If you haven’t be prescribed painkillers, take over the counter medication for 2 weeks. If they don’t make a difference or they don’t work well enough it’s time to speak to your doctor.
Use the above tips to help you manage your chronic pain. If you find yourself struggling, please speak to your doctor.
