Coping successfully with chronic pain may mean making changes to parts of your lifestyle that aren’t supporting you. Here’s a look at some habits you may want to reconsider.
Skimping on sleep. Not getting enough sleep makes all sorts of things worse, including pain. Of course, getting to sleep when you’re in pain can be a problem in itself. Learn more about strategies to fall asleep and stay asleep despite your pain in this blog post.
Avoiding exercise. Sometimes when we’re in pain, we just want to curl up under a blanket and hide. While adequate rest is important, movement is also critical. Aerobic exercise releases feel-good chemicals in the brain that can help with pain and depression. If you can’t seem to exercise without making your pain worse, talk to your doctor about strategies to get you moving. A physical therapist may be able to you build an exercise program that works around your pain and over time decreases it.
Not planning ahead. In our busy world, it can be hard to find the time to plan ahead, but it can pay off if you do. Leaving early for appointments can help you avoid stress, which can aggravate pain. If you know an event will leave you exhausted and in pain, try to arrange to take some time off before and after to recuperate.
Eating a lot of processed foods. Comfort foods have their place when you’re dealing with chronic pain, but too much binging on things like chips, candy, and mac and cheese from a box can cause you to pack on pounds, and excess weight can exacerbate many chronic pain conditions. Eating better is especially important if inflammation is part of the cause of your pain. Try to eat more anti-inflammatory foods, such as fish, nuts, berries, olive oil, and leafy greens.
Saying yes too often. Of course, you want to be helpful and you want to participate in social events. And it’s important to volunteer and be part of the community when you feel well enough. But if you’re overextending yourself and finding yourself stressed out with no time to exercise or eat right, you’re likely to find yourself in pain. You deserve better. Give yourself permission to say no.
Not getting expert help. If your pain is not getting better, keep looking until you find a doctor knowledgeable about your condition who takes it seriously and can help you manage your pain.
If you need help coping with pain, please contact the specialists at Tulsa Pain.
Tulsa Pain is a pain management practice in Oklahoma that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic pain. We are dedicated to helping those who are suffering find the relief they deserve. Our team uses a balanced approach by incorporating minimally invasive, outpatient procedures, complementary and alternative medicine, and medication to help patients take control of their pain. Call 918-742-7030 or Request An Appointment to meet with one of our talented pain management specialists today!
The advice and information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace or counter a physician’s advice or judgment. Please always consult your physician before taking any advice learned here or in any other educational medical material.
