If you suffer from chronic pain, it’s time to take some steps to alleviate the pain that affects your everyday life. Although some diseases associated with chronic pain cannot be cured, there are ways to lessen the pain and get back to living happy and well. Here are the three most important things you can do to lessen some common chronic pain symptoms.
- Stay hydrated and eat well.
Before you begin to manage the pain, you?ll need to care for your body inside and out. What you eat and drink can greatly affect how you feel. If you aren?t drinking enough water, chronic pain symptoms like headaches and back pain may become exacerbated. Water is the best fluid you can put into your body. Do not drink a lot of sugar-heavy liquids like sodas or even juices. Even without the cream and sugar, coffee has a diuretic effect which makes it a poor source of hydration. If you must have some caffeine, opt for tea instead but drink a lot of water above all.
Depending on your illness, certain foods can cause extreme pain by increasing inflammation. You?ll want to avoid dairy, processed foods, high-fat or high-sugar foods and wheat products. The best food you can eat to alleviate inflammation are leafy greens, foods high on omega-3 fatty acids and asparagus to name a few. Eating healthier will not only help with pain management, but may lead to weight loss as well. - Try Yoga or meditation.
Yoga is a great form of exercise that also calms the mind and reduces stress. A centuries-old practice, many believe that the stress relief associated with yoga can be effective in chronic pain management.Focused breathing, meditation and yoga all relax the muscle spasms caused by stress. If you suffer from muscle spasms or muscle tightness, practicing yoga just may help your body relax.
Body pain is often suffered in your joints and bones if the surrounding muscle isn’t strong enough to support the stress placed on it. Consult a pain management specialist to see if yoga and other forms of light exercise to target the weak muscles is right for you. - Develop a treatment plan with your physician.
Specialists suggest writing down all of your pain symptoms so that you can discuss them with your doctor. They will be able to determine which types of pain management techniques and lifestyle changes you can implement to best help your specific condition. Although there may not be a way to completely eliminate chronic pain, speaking with a specialist will help manage the pain and improve your outlook on life. By addressing both physical and psychological symptoms, you can better manage your pain and lead a happy, healthy life.
Before you make any serious lifestyle or diet changes, be sure to contact your primary care physician or family medicine doctor.
