Tips For Living Well With Chronic Pain!

Pain can impact nearly every aspect of your daily life from cleaning the house to going to work or playing with your kids. In fact, according to the Institute of Medicine, 100 million Americans, or more than 30 percent of the population of America, suffer from chronic pain, which is pain lasting 3-6 months or longer.

Most often, chronic pain is treated using prescription opioids. However, the National Institutes of Health estimates 2 million people in the U.S. suffer from substance use disorders related to prescription pain relievers, while 60 people die every day as a result of opioid overdoses, according to the National Safety Council.

So, consider some of these tips for chronic pain management in Oceanside.

Set goals for yourself

Setting realistic, measurable goals that focus on functional health and quality of life is essential to managing chronic pain. Outline specific, measurable goals you hope to achieve, such as exercising for 30 minutes three days a week or cleaning at least one room in the house twice a week and track your progress toward reaching them.

Use relaxation techniques

There are a variety of techniques, including meditation and deep breathing, that can help your body relax by slowing breathing, lowering blood pressure and instilling feelings of well-being. Giving your muscles a chance to relax can release tension, which may ease pain. Practicing yoga or tai chi, which involve a series of physical postures in addition to breathing and relaxation techniques, may also help reduce pain.

Consider Non-Pharmaceutical treatment options

With concerns mounting about the prevalence of opioid use and abuse in the U.S., complementary, natural treatments such as acupuncture can help alleviate pain and reduce the number of opioids prescribed. Using practices derived from traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncturists stimulate specific points on the body, most often by inserting thin needles through the skin.

Say attention on your diet

A well-balanced diet is vital to overall health and well-being and can also influence chronic pain. As food choices can increase or decrease inflammation, which leads to many chronic diseases, consider a diet low in sugar and carbohydrates that includes fresh, organic fruits and vegetables; lean, grass-fed meats; legumes; nuts; whole grains; and organic dairy products.

Keep track of the progress

To effectively manage and treat your pain, consider keeping a journal to note your pain level on a scale of 1-10 each day. Also track your activity during the day – including time on your feet, exercise and even sitting at your desk – so you can identify patterns based on what you do and how you feel afterward. Then use the connections you’ve made to modify your environment and schedule as necessary for standard pain management in Chula Vista.

Manage your stress

Stress can wreak havoc on the body, causing it to release chemicals like adrenaline, which can cause your heart to beat faster, your blood pressure to go up and your breathing to become more shallow.

This can lead to chronic pain over time. That’s why specific ways to manage your stress — including regular physical activity, meditation and deep breathing — can help avoid or reduce chronic pain.

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Created on Jul 27th 2020 23:07. Viewed 440 times.

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