Chronic pain is one which doesn’t go away. Sufferers of chronic pain will likely have been dealing with it for a very long time which can be difficult to come to terms with. Thankfully, there are ways to help manage your chronic pain from gentle exercise, to what you eat, there are things that could help. So here are just 5 ways you could manage chronic pain.
Do Gentle Exercise
In the past, people with chronic pain were told to take to their bed and rest for days and sometimes weeks on end, but we now know that this is possibly the worst thing you can do. Laying in bed can actually make the pain worse by causing your muscles and joints to stiffen up whilst giving your mind nothing better to do than focus on what hurts. Instead, try to keep moving by doing some form of gentle exercise. This could be walking, swimming or doing yoga, it’s important to find something you enjoy. Exercise can cause your body to release endorphins which can help to reduce your feeling of pain.
After you do your exercises be sure to use warm or cold compress on any joints. You can also use a product like Hondrox to ease your pain.
Practice Healthy Eating
What you eat can have a big influence on the severity of your chronic pain. Certain foods such as turmeric, cherries and leafy greens can help to reduce inflammation whereas foods such as dairy, eggs, processed meat and chocolate may cause inflammation making you feel worse. It’s also important to stay hydrated as dehydration has been found to worsen symptoms of chronic pain, try to avoid drinking too much coffee or too many fizzy drinks and instead stick to water.
Use the Cannabis Plant
Depending on where you live, you may have legal access to the health benefits of the cannabis plant. Cannabis has been found to help relieve nerve pain and can also act as an effective placebo in the treatment of debilitating pain. With more and more people becoming aware of the potential health benefits of cannabis you can now buy cannabis flower online or at legal dispensaries.
Seek Support
One of the hardest parts of living with chronic pain is the feeling of being alone and it is easy for other mental health issues such as depression to creep in. Try to surround yourself with a support network, this could be in the form of friends, family or a chronic pain support group. Coping with pain is an important part of pain management as negative feelings can increase feelings of pain.
Keep Up Your Routine
Many people who suffer from chronic pain feel that they can no longer keep up their daily routines, such as going to work or practicing their hobbies but this can make the pain worse. Maintaining your usual routine will help to distract you from the pain and may also help you to feel better mentally. Try to stay in work even if you are in pain, in most cases working will not make your pain worse but will help to keep your mind active and give you a greater sense of purpose.
