Living with chronic pain is not fun. Everyday activities are more difficult and the daily pain can get you down. But it’s important to stay positive during times of chronic pain, and remember to look after yourself. Below are 7 tips for simple, everyday things you can do to cope with chronic pain more effectively.
1. Eat Well
Eating a balanced diet is fundamental to almost every aspect of good health – and when it comes to pain relief, it’s no different. A good diet can reduce inflammation, reduce the risk of disease and speed up your body’s natural recovery process. Foods high in good fats – like fatty fish, olive oil and nuts – as well as leafy greens, turmeric and fruits high in vitamin C are natural anti-inflammatories. Include plenty of these in your diet to help relieve joint and back pain.
2. Reduce Alcohol Intake
While one glass of wine with dinner might help to relax symptoms of chronic pain, drinking more than the recommended amount is likely to leave you feeling dehydrated and sore. Your body will be too busy coping with the added alcohol to focus on relieving pain. Do it a favour and cut back on the weekend wines.
3. Exercise (if possible and safe)
In some cases, exercise is a great pain reliever. In other cases, some exercises can make your condition worse, so it’s always advisable to consult a physiotherapist before embarking on a program of exercise. If you’re able to exercise, the benefits are immense. Exercise helps with circulation and digestion; it improves muscle strength and has a host of other functions, all while releasing endorphins to make you feel happy – it’s a win-win!
4. Get a Remedial Massage
Remedial massage can assist pain relief in a number of ways. As well as relaxing sore, stiff muscles, remedial massage helps to reduce stress, relieve headaches, speed up soft tissue repair, improve circulation, improve sleep and help you recover from injuries faster.
5. Do Things You Love
Maintaining a normal lifestyle full of the things you love is important when coping with chronic pain. Aside from maintaining a sense of normality, it can help you to feel relaxed, in control and happy. Best of all, doing things you enjoy is a great way to distract yourself from the pain.
6. Practise Positive Thinking
Positive thinking is one of the most powerful tools you have to cope with chronic pain. Some studies indicate that positive thinking can even reduce the perception and processing of pain in the brain. To benefit from positive thought, try focussing on your improvements and reminding yourself how far you’ve come. (And don’t forget to do the things you love doing!)
7. Consult a Professional
Professional physiotherapists can recommend treatments to help relieve pain. Treatments can range from pharmaceutical pain relief medications to musculoskeletal manipulation to remedial massage. It can also include dry needling, exercises for lower back pain, physiotherapy for back pain and neck pain, hydrotherapy, ergonomics training and many other physiotherapy treatments.
If you’re looking for pain relief treatments in Adelaide, contact Aim Physiotherapy & Work Health Solutions in Adelaide to discuss your condition and start work towards a pain relief plan.
