Ways to Manage Chronic Pain at Home
Chronic pain is a common concern for many people with arthritis, osteoporosis, back pain and nerve disorders. Living with chronic pain not only makes it hard to perform daily activities like cleaning, dressing and running errands but also simple activities like walking and sitting as the pain may occur frequently. So, if you are one of those people who are looking for ways to manage chronic pain at home and improve your quality of life, then here are few simple tips and tricks that can help you to win the battle. Let’s get started!
How to Manage Chronic Pain?
As chronic pain mostly occurs due to a past injury or damage, it is important to keep a tab on your health, especially if you are suffering from any chronic conditions such as arthritis.
1. Exercise without fail
It goes without saying that exercising can be a bit difficult for people suffering from chronic pain. However, simple exercises like walking and stretching can go a long way in managing your condition. Also, exercising regularly not only helps you to stay fit but also helps you to lose weight and improve your core strength. It can also help your muscles stay flexible, enhance blood circulation and improve joint mobility. Simple exercises like brisk walking, jogging can go a long way in strengthening your muscles and joints, thereby helping you to prevent pain. Additionally, exercising can aid in weight loss as excessive body weight is one of the major causes of pain in the joints and bones.
3. Opt for simple at-home techniques
Alternative therapies like massages and yoga can help relieve pain along with easing the stress. Massaging involves pressing and gradually rubbing the muscles and soft tissues with hands. This pressure on the trigger points can help ease pain. It also relaxes the muscles, tendons and joints and may even impede pain messages to the brain. Yoga and other mind-body techniques not only help to improve breathing but also help to stretch and strengthen muscles. This in turn may help to improve the symptoms and pain associated with chronic conditions such as fibromyalgia, low back pain, arthritis, or headaches.
2. Use topical gels/creams/sprays
Topical pain relievers3 like Iodex UltraGel contain diclofenac which not only relieves pain but also provides effective relief in a short period of time. Most of these topical pain relievers are available over the counter and are known to be effective against mild to moderate pain.
4.Take a look at your lifestyle
One of the key reasons for chronic pain is the inability to follow proper lifestyle habits that include maintaining the posture as well as keeping a tab on your weight. It is known that excessive weight can put pressure on your joints, which in turn can worsen joint pain. Also, poor posture can add strain to your back and spine, increasing the risk of backache and shoulder pain. Hence, it is important to ensure proper posture while standing, sitting, walking and driving. Also, when lifting and bending, make sure your posture is right. Maintaining these lifestyle measures every day can have a long and positive impact on your joints as well as your life.
1. Exercise without fail
It goes without saying that exercising can be a bit difficult for people suffering from chronic pain. However, simple exercises like walking and stretching can go a long way in managing your condition. Also, exercising regularly not only helps you to stay fit but also helps you to lose weight and improve your core strength. It can also help your muscles stay flexible, enhance blood circulation and improve joint mobility. Simple exercises like brisk walking, jogging can go a long way in strengthening your muscles and joints, thereby helping you to prevent pain. Additionally, exercising can aid in weight loss as excessive body weight is one of the major causes of pain in the joints and bones.
2. Use topical gels/creams/sprays
Topical pain relievers3 like Iodex UltraGel contain diclofenac which not only relieves pain but also provides effective relief in a short period of time. Most of these topical pain relievers are available over the counter and are known to be effective against mild to moderate pain.
3. Opt for simple at-home techniques
Alternative therapies like massages and yoga can help relieve pain along with easing the stress. Massaging involves pressing and gradually rubbing the muscles and soft tissues with hands. This pressure on the trigger points can help ease pain. It also relaxes the muscles, tendons and joints and may even impede pain messages to the brain. Yoga and other mind-body techniques not only help to improve breathing but also help to stretch and strengthen muscles. This in turn may help to improve the symptoms and pain associated with chronic conditions such as fibromyalgia, low back pain, arthritis, or headaches.
4.Take a look at your lifestyle
One of the key reasons for chronic pain is the inability to follow proper lifestyle habits that include maintaining the posture as well as keeping a tab on your weight. It is known that excessive weight can put pressure on your joints, which in turn can worsen joint pain. Also, poor posture can add strain to your back and spine, increasing the risk of backache and shoulder pain. Hence, it is important to ensure proper posture while standing, sitting, walking and driving. Also, when lifting and bending, make sure your posture is right. Maintaining these lifestyle measures every day can have a long and positive impact on your joints as well as your life.
Do follow these simple steps to manage chronic pain at home and live a healthy life. All said and done, if your symptoms fail to improve with these at-home techniques, then do not hesitate to get in touch with your doctor to know the underlying cause of the pain and get it treated.
It is to be taken into consideration that this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It is always advisable to seek the advice of your physician with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Reference:
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/pain-management-techniques#physical-methods
- https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/ss/slideshow-treat-pain-home
- Non-opioid options for managing chronic pain. Harvard Health Education. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/non-opioid-options-for-managing-chronic-pain
- Treatment options for chronic pain. American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA). https://www.asra.com/page/46/treatment-options-for-chronic-pain
- Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. Managing Chronic Pain in Adults With or in Recovery From Substance Use Disorders. Rockville (MD): Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US); 2012. (Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series, No. 54.) 3, Chronic Pain Management. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92054/