Creative Coping: 4 Tricks for Living with Chronic Pain

Chronic pain can be caused by a wide variety of ailments, and it will eventually take over your life if you aren’t careful. While prescription painkillers are one option, patients should only think of those drugs as a temporary solution to their problems. Here are a few tips you can use to minimize your discomfort and live your life to the fullest.

Stay Hydrated

Dehydration can aggravate many of the medical issues that cause chronic pain including arthritis, nerve damage, and cancer. Staying hydrated typically won't cure your chronic pain, but it could drastically improve your quality of life. Those who are having a tough time drinking enough water should speak with a doctor about their hydration needs. Some of the medication that you are currently taking could be affecting your thirst or how much water you are able to absorb.

Exercise as Much as Possible

Trying to exercise while you are in pain is extremely difficult, but regularly raising your heart rate could lower your pain levels. Within moments of working out, your body will be flooded with a variety of natural chemicals that suppress pain including serotonin and dopamine. Those chemicals will then linger in your body for hours and help you get through the day. Exercising can also lessen some of the side effects of chronic pain such as depression and anxiety.

Revamp Your Diet

Changing your diet will most likely not eradicate your discomfort, but it will help you live your life to the fullest. Some of the foods that you are currently eating could actually be pain triggers, and you will need to start a food journal in order to track those particular dishes and ingredients. As a general rule, those who are living with chronic pain should fill their plates with fresh produce, whole grains, and lean protein sources. You also need to limit your intake of stimulants like coffee and tea.

Establish a Professional Support Team

Anyone who is struggling with chronic pain should have a professional support team ready to assist them at all times. In addition to routinely meeting with your primary doctor, you also need to contact a pain management clinic like Potter's House Apothecary or a similar firm to explore your treatment options. Your pain management team can help you come up with a comprehensive plan to overcome your pain instead of merely treating the side effects. Some of the treatments that your support team might suggest include guided meditation, acupuncture, breathing exercises, cryotherapy, and physical therapy.

The final step in this process is to address your emotional and psychological needs. Many patients benefit from regularly speaking with therapists or joining support groups designed specifically for those who have chronic ailments.