8 Useful Tips for People Living With Chronic Pain

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Each person experiences occasional pain and aches from time to time. This is an important reaction of your body that helps you prevent injuries and avoid dangerous situations. When you injure a certain part of the body, a pain signal travels through the body to let your brain know about danger. When the injury heals, the pain becomes less severe and disappears over time. But chronic pain differs from the occasional pain.

Chronic pain is when your body continuously sends pain signals to your brain, even if the injury has already healed completely. Chronic pain can last up to several years. This can decrease the quality of your life, a general sense of well-being, and worsen physical health. 

Fortunately, there are many ways to relieve chronic pain so you don’t have to suffer. Below are 8 effective tips that can help you relieve and manage chronic pain.  

1. Reduce your alcohol intake

If you suffer from chronic pain, try to limit your alcohol intake. Chronic pain often interferes with healthy sleep. Some people mistakenly think that alcohol can help them fall asleep. In fact, alcohol can make your sleep problems worse because it decreases the quality of night’s sleep. Having not enough sleep can increase your pain sensitivity and worsen overall well-being. 

2. Try meditation

Meditation techniques are an effective option for dealing with chronic pain. Meditation can help you relax and distract you from painful sensations. While there are many meditation techniques, the most relaxing is considered the deep breathing technique. You can use video tutorials to learn how to meditate and relax your body. 

3. Eat the right foods

A healthy diet is an important part of a pain-free healthy lifestyle. It can help you control your blood sugar levels and manage the root cause of your chronic pain. While eating healthy foods is good for chronic pain, you can include foods that naturally reduce pain in your diet. Products that have pain-relieving properties include: blueberries, ginger, turmeric, chili pepper, and cherry. 

4. Manage your stress levels

Reducing your stress levels is crucial to managing chronic pain. Negative feelings like stress, anger, or depression can increase your pain sensitivity significantly. By managing your stress levels, you can improve the quality of your life and feel less pain. Relaxing techniques like meditation or yoga can be helpful to manage the pain and deal with stress. 

5. Stop smoking

Smoking can give you short-term relief from chronic pain. It causes the release of endorphins and tricks the body into feeling good. Despite the short-term pain relief, over time smoking can aggravate your chronic pain and worsen overall well-being. 

6. Boost your natural pain relievers

Your body has its natural pain relievers called endorphins. These are brain chemicals that can help enhance your mood and relieve the feeling of pain. One of the effective ways to boost your endorphins levels is strength training. If you have underlying health conditions, consult your doctor to choose exercises suitable for you. 

7. Try massage therapy

Massage therapy is another effective way to relieve chronic pain and tension. During a massage session, your body releases endorphins that have pain-relieving properties. Additionally, massage improves the blood supply to the painful area and launches your body’s healing properties. Having a massage regularly can lower stress levels and reduce your body’s sensitivity to pain. 

8. Distract yourself from pain

When you focus on pain, this can actually make it worse rather than better. If you feel pain, try to distract yourself. Find something that you like doing or an activity that keeps you busy. Thinking about things besides your pain can reduce the sense of pain and keep control over your life.