In the last few years, there have been lots of diagnoses that center around chronic pain, and how it can impact the lives of those who’ve been diagnosed with this disease. Chronic pain has a way of impacting your daily life, with everything from how you interact with others, to how you feel emotionally. Too much pain can keep you from eating, and can impact your overall physical health. Because this is a growing issue, there are some ways that you can work to manage this pain. While they won’t completely take the pain away, they will help with some of the symptoms and make it easier to manage over time.
1. Botox
One of the best ways to help fight this chronic pain is with the help of Botox treatments. Botox has the ability to reduce muscle action where it’s injected temporarily. It also has the ability to stop the release of some nerve sensitivities, which makes the nerves stop sending pain signals. For a little while, the pain in these areas is reduced significantly so that you can move forward with your life and continue with the activities that you enjoy the most.
Botox treatments for migraines is also another method, and they have shown to significantly reduce the amount of migraines those who suffer from them have experienced. While they don’t stop them completely, those who were used to getting several a month have started to see the benefits of having Botox in the upper part of their face. These muscles and nerves aren’t able to release the same signals that would otherwise trigger the migraine, allowing these individuals to work, shop, and spend time with their family, embracing a higher quality of life.
2. Cold Laser Treatment
Another type of service that has shown to safely manage chronic pain is cold laser therapy. This type of treatment at its basic form is just low levels of light that is used to focus on areas of pain, and work to improve that area. For example, if someone is having chronic joint pain, then the inflamed area is treated with this low level light to enact a chemical change. When the body starts this chemical change, the cells around the area will start to regenerate, New cells mean that the healing process has started in that area and the body will start to fight that inflammation.
Cold laser therapy is used for a lot of people who have chronic pain like arthritis an fibromyalgia. The doctor will take the light and place it on the area for about a minute. You can treat several areas during this treatment, and it can last up to a half hour. This treatment’s done only in the office, but it’s outpatient and you can come more or less, depending on how much pain you might be experiencing. Most patients that undergo his treatment have opted out of medications and pills for these diseases and are using this one as the alternative.
3. Physical Therapy
A great way to restore good health to an affected area is to take advantage of physical therapy. The purpose of this area is to work the parts of your body that have pain, and attempt to fight the pain by making that area stronger. Physical therapy techniques are meant to restore use in that part of the body, getting it back as close to 100% as possible. This is something that can be done in addition to medications, but physical therapy will require that you put in the work to fight the pain.
When you meet with local physical therapists, they will evaluate your situation and determine if physical therapy is right for you. Based on what your goals may be for restoration in that part of your body, they will develop a care plan. This will include exercises to do while you’re at therapy, and other things that can be done while you’re at home to improve your body. What you’ll find is that some exercises will work, but others will be life-changing. You’ll catch yourself doing them at home when you’re having issues instead of running to a pill bottle first.
Physical therapists will also show these patients how to properly stretch, so that they can start their days with less pain. If they have rigorous activities that they will be engaging in periodically, they can also give them guidance on how to keep their body from getting stressed during this time. Too much stress can cause the body to tense up, and for someone with chronic pain, that can get even worse than what you’re imagining.
4. Shoe Inserts
If you suffer from varicose vein syndrome or arthritis, you’ll find that your legs and lower back may hurt a lot when you walk. This is especially true when you try to take long walks, and find that even going out to shop is a chore that you aren’t looking forward to. With the help of shoe inserts, walking can be less of a chore and give you back some of your independence over your life.
Orthopedic physicians have determined that patients who suffer from chronic pain in their legs and lower back do well to have good soles on their feet regularly. This means adding in shoe inserts that offer a different layer of protection and comfort. Some of these individuals work long hours and jobs that require them to be on their feet. This will only make chronic pain worse over time if you don’t have the foot protection that you need when working and being on those feet regularly.
5. Chiropractics
Your medical doctor won’t be a fan of this one, but chiropractic care is one of the best ways to help manage chronic pain that you may be experiencing. Too many times patients go to doctors about pain in their back and body, just to be told to lose weight and exercise more. Even with all that, there are still some issues that need to be addressed, and that’s where chiropractors come in to help.
A lot of this chronic pain that these patients suffer from will come from bulging and herniated disc along the spinal cord. In fact, there could be multiple of them. There can be several causes, but it may just be something that happened gradually over time. When you visit the chiropractor, many will loosen you up with some therapy treatments first, even going as far as a massage, before going to have an adjustment and get your body prepared for what’s coming. You’ll hear your back and body crack during the adjustment when they call you in there, but you’ll also see that you have pain relief following the treatment. Depending on how long these treatments last, you can visit a chiropractor once or multiple times a week.
6. Acupuncture
More of an alternative medicine option, acupuncture is one of the most common options for chronic pain. It can’t cure the pain, but with the right placements of the needles in the body, the nerves are properly manipulated so that they can stop some of the reaction of the nerve endings of certain areas. Needles are placed all over the body to help reduce the pain from pressure points. Acupuncture has a long history of being used in Chinese medicine, and while it isn’t considered medical, it has a lot of traction with patients who suffer from chronic pain.
Massages
The idea of getting a massage may sound like spa treatment, but for those with chronic pain, deep tissue massages are able to help with relieving pain, even if it’s temporary so someone who has chronic pain can get through the work week, or a big event that they’ve been planning. Massage therapists will work with their patients to see where they’re currently experiencing pain, and see how to work deep into that tissue to relieve that pain. Most massage therapists will have a certain routine for each patient, especially as they build a relationship with them and learn where their bad spots are, working to offer that relief and trying to encourage restoration in the muscles.
Some massage options use heat and different types of oils that are meant to work into the body and help with pain. If you’ve found relief with essential oils in the past, you may find that this is a great addition to the massages. Heating these oils can also relax the muscles in your body, and help ease the tension that could be causing issues with your nerves. Many massage therapists will offer some suggestions based on the issues you’re having and work to design a massage that helps you feel better going out the door than you did when you came in.
7. Meditation and Relaxation
While you can feel your chronic pain physically, you want to be able to manage it from your brain and perhaps change the way you’re viewing it so that you can do better about beating it. It’s a good idea several times a week to take the opportunity to just relax and meditate. During these sessions, find a way to clear your mind so that you aren’t thinking about the pain and give your body a chance to catch up with the rest of the functions going on. A relaxed body means that the muscles and tissues in your body aren’t working so hard to cause so much pain.
8. Medical Treatment
Probably the best way to manage chronic pain is with medical treatment. Once you’ve been diagnosed with one of these conditions, you’ll be given a prescription of medication to use when the pain gets unbearable and you need to take these drugs. Keep in mind that you’ll probably have an everyday pill, and then a bottle of something strong that will be used only when the pain is too much. Your physician will likely monitor you several times a year to make sure you haven’t developed an addiction. They may up your doses for this medicine, but it will be once these tests determine it’s safe to do that for you.
A legal nurse consultant is usually available at your doctor’s office for assistance, or through a telehealth plan that you may have with your insurance. Not only will they help you with questions surrounding your medication, but they can also assist you with different ways to ensure that you’re managing your pain. You want to be sure that you’re taking all the necessary recommendations and precautions. Also, you need to let someone know if something isn’t right or doesn’t feel good. They can give you recommendations on where to go, and help you get scheduled in for an appointment if that’s what you need.
If you’ve been in pain, maybe out of your medication or not having it filled correctly, you can seek out medical attention at local emergency rooms. They will need to know your name and if you’ve been visiting your doctor regularly. They will check for your diagnosis and any active prescriptions that you may have. Keep in mind that because they aren’t your regular doctor, you will be monitored much closer and when they do give you pain medicine, it will come in through an IV. This means that it will start working faster than you’re used to.
Manage Your Chronic Pain
Trying to manage chronic pain is a long-term battle that can be frustrating, and you need to make sure that you have all the tools in your arsenal to fight it. This is especially true if you have a disorder that is only going to get worse with time. These tips are meant to help you with the pain you’re experiencing, so that you can have some relief and get back some quality of life so that you can do things you enjoy and spend time with the people you love. Take advantage of what works for you so you can get to living.
