Living with Chronic Pain can diminish your quality of life but you don’t have to let it stop you from living a full life. For many, managing chronic pain is a daily battle, but it doesn’t have to take over your life. Chronic pain drastically reduces a person’s quality of life. By putting these permanent lifestyle changes in place, you can regain control and start living again. Below are ten tips for living with and managing chronic pain:
Cut Back On Alcohol
Alcohol affects your quality of sleep, and lack of sleep can lead to increased pain in the body. Drinking alcohol too close to bedtime reduces your sleep quality because it changes your natural sleep pattern. Removing alcohol or cutting your intake can help increase your quality of sleep thus ensuring your body is well rested.
Practice Deep Breathing and Meditation
Deep breathing and meditation techniques relax your body which in turn, can ease your pain. There are various ways to meditate, so try different techniques to see which one works perfectly for you. Focusing on your breathing and repetition is important.
Maintain a Healthy Diet
A well-balanced diet helps your digestive processes, improves blood sugar levels, and reduces the risk of heart disease. Healthier foods are highly recommended to help lessen chronic pain: sweet potatoes, salmon, garlic, onions, and blueberries.
Get a Massage
Even though massage can decrease tension and promote relaxation if wrongly administered it can aggravate chronic pain. Ensure you only receive a massage from a registered massage therapist if you suffer from chronic pain.
Track Your Daily Pain Levels and Activities
Start keeping a daily log of your ‘pain score’ into a journal to track your pain. Don’t forget to also write down the activities you did that day. Take this journal with you every time you visit your doctor to help your doctor understand how you live and where your level of physical functioning is at.
Quit Smoking
Smoking impedes circulation, leading to more pain. Chronic pain patients who smoke have more pain as a result of the byproducts in cigarettes. Smoking also puts you at higher risk of heart disease and cancer.
Do Something You Enjoy
The higher your focus on your pain, the worse it will feel. By staying busy doing other things that you enjoy, it will distract you from the pain and help you begin to feel normal again.
Join A Support Group
Locate and join a support group. Knowing that there are other people in your shoes, and sharing your challenges with others makes the burden lighter. Share your triumphs and frustrations with others who understand what you’re going through. This will help you feel less alone, and you’ll also learn from them, their coping strategies.
Adding these lifestyle changes to your life can help you regain control over your daily life. Managing chronic pain with good habits and a proper treatment regimen recommended by your doctor.
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