Chronic Pain

Self-management techniques:

• Activity modification or pacing
  Restricting or modifying your activities may seem obvious, but it can be difficult to adjust when you’re used to being able to do certain things a certain way. It can take many years of trial and error to identify your body’s limitations and specific triggers for pain, and then to find strategies to work with or around them. Be patient with yourself as you explore your body’s limits—and abilities.You will need to determine what your limitations are, but perhaps it’s that you need to lie down for 10 minutes every two hours. Or maybe you find you can go for a 30-minute walk, but you need to allow 30 minutes of rest before and afterward. Perhaps you need a standing desk instead of a seated one to work at your computer comfortably. As you get to know your body, keep in mind there is a fine balance between getting appropriate rest and recuperation—and keeping up your strength, mobility, and stamina as much as possible. Don’t be afraid to get creative with accommodating your body’s needs. Investigate assistive devices, like braces or mobility tools, such as canes. Consider adaptive technology, too. For example, if typing on a computer is challenging, you may want to look into dictation software.
• Assistive devices or technologies
• Diet and nutrition
  A thoughtful, balanced diet is key to maintaining a healthy weight, reducing inflammation, and getting important nutrients that support your overall wellbeing. Some people find that certain types of diets lessen their pain, such as an anti-inflammatory diet; a vegetarian or vegan diet; a paleo diet; a gluten-free diet; and so on. Explore different diets to find out what works for you!Regardless of whether you follow a specific set of guidelines surrounding food, here are some key principals that hold true:
  • Eat as many fresh vegetables and fruits as humanly possible.
  • Limit extremely sugary and processed foods.
  • Avoid foods with “bad” fats, like trans fats and saturated fats.
  • Eat more foods that have “good” fats, like fish, avocados, nuts, and olive oil.
  • Stay hydrated. The Institute of Medicine recommends 7 liters (15 cups) for the average adult male and 2.7 liters (11 cups) for the average adult female.
• MovementAs difficult as it is to get yourself moving when you have chronic pain, it’s also extremely important. Here are four key reasons to get moving:
  
  • Maintaining a healthy weight
    Excess body weight puts extra strain on your joints, muscles and organs.
  • Cardiovascular health
    Too little activity can result in disabling cardiovascular conditions, from orthostatic intolerance to heart disease. Your body already has enough to deal with with chronic pain – don’t add heart, circulation, and lung problems to the list!
    
  • Strength, flexibility, and stamina
    Chronic pain can negatively impact your strength, flexibility, and stamina, which in turn increase your pain and level of disability.
  • Endorphins!
    Aerobic exercise produces endorphins, the feel-good chemicals that act as your body’s natural painkillers.
• Meditation and mindfulness
• Sleep hygiene (building habits that promote healthy, consistent sleep). Learn moreAn estimated 50 % of people with chronic pain have ongoing sleep difficulties. Inadequate sleep can exacerbate pain. Here are some tips for ensuring you get a good night’s rest despite pain:
  • Establish a routine. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day—even on the weekends—reinforces the natural sleep-wake cycle in your body. You can also help reinforce bedtime by establishing a wind-down routine, e.g. by taking a bath, meditating, reading or listening to soothing music.
    Create a restful environment. Turn on white noise, use ear plugs, invest in comfortable bedding, and keep the room temperature cool. Exposure to light is especially important: dim or turn off the lights in your house 30 to 60 minutes before going to bed. The light from cell phone and TV screens can also interfere with circadian rhythms, so shut down all devices as you prepare for bed.
  • Watch what you eat and drink. Caffeinated products—like tea or coffee, chocolate—anything containing nicotine, or any other stimulants should be avoided for at least four to six hours before you plan to go to sleep. Even alcohol, which initially makes you feel tired, makes it harder to get high-quality sleepy. Furthermore, heavy meals and too many fluids before bed might keep you up because you are uncomfortable or need to use the bathroom.
  • Get tired! Napping during the day can interfere with sleep at night. If you must, limit your snooze to 30 minutes, and give yourself at least four hours between the nap and bedtime. In addition, exercising during the day helps tire out your body and can foster better sleep at night. Try to work out at least a few hours before bed, if possible.
• Stress reduction techniques

Restorative therapies:

• Bodywork (such as chiropractic care or trigger point therapy)
• Dry needling
• Exercise programs
• Flotation therapy
• Heat and cold therapy
• Kinesiology taping
• Massage therapy
• Occupational therapy
• Osteopathic medicine
• Physical therapy
• Pool or aquatic therapy
• Postural training
• Traction therapy

Complementary and integrative health options:

• Acupressure
• Acupuncture
• Aromatherapy
• Art, music, dance, and equine therapy
• Ayurvedic medicine
• Craniosacral therapy
• Cupping Herbal and vitamin products
• Hypnosis
• Reflexology
• Reiki
• Tai Chi
• Traditional Chinese medicine
• Yoga

Join us on Facebook and let’s talk about pain, especially during the Global Day Against Pain on the third Wednesday in October.