According to the CDC, an estimated 50 million Americans live with chronic pain, which is described as pain that lasts longer than three months. While you may never experience permanent relief, there are many changes you can make to possibly help your body manage the symptoms better. Consider making these lifestyle changes with the guidance of medical professionals.
If you are managing a chronic condition, one great option is to switch from a conventional doctor to a Functional or Integrative Medicine Doctor. Wisdom Health offers full service functional medicine to patients anywhere in the US for just $149 / month.
Manage Your Stress Levels
Stress is one of the four pillars of chronic pain, so it makes sense to target it with different approaches like mindfulness meditation, massage therapy, Tension Release Therapy through Trace Body Rejuvenation, and deep breathing exercises.
Mindfulness has long been seen as a helpful way to reduce stress levels, while advanced techniques like Tension Release Therapy identify tension in your body and prepare your body for rapid healing. Identifying the sources of your stress can also be crucial, allowing you to learn your triggers and potentially reduce their impact.
Exercise
Exercising is one of the last things many people experiencing chronic pain feel like doing. However, as painful as it might be, it may also be beneficial. Before trying anything new, always talk to a health professional, but you may experience relief with low-intensity exercises like swimming and walking for half an hour per day.
Exercise also produces other well-known benefits, such as weight control, mood enhancements, increased energy levels, and improved sleep.
Focus On Your Diet
It’s hard to believe that what you put in your mouth may worsen your chronic pain, but diet can be a contributing factor. Talk to a medical professional about the types of food you’re currently eating and changes you could make to potentially improve your pain levels.
Many people try anti-inflammatory diets to see if they can experience some relief, which involves cutting out refined inflammatory-causing foods like carbohydrates and red meat, among many others.
Fortunately, there are plenty of nutritious and delicious inflammation-fighting foods to include in your diet, such as green leafy vegetables, fruit, nuts, tomatoes, fatty fish, and olive oil.
Improve Your Sleep Hygiene
Most of us are aware of the importance of sleep to improve our overall health, but what you may not know is that poor sleep habits can contribute to weight gain that may ultimately make chronic pain worse for some people. If you know your sleep habits aren’t as good as they could be, this could be an excellent place to begin.
Make your bedroom a place of rest and sleep, rather than another room in your house to enjoy during the day and night. This means that you may like to remove technology, add blackout curtains, and invest in comfortable bedding and a high-quality mattress to promote a peaceful night’s slumber.
You can then begin going to bed at the same time each night, getting up at the same time each morning, and avoiding technology, caffeine, and alcohol within a few hours of bedtime.
Chronic pain can be frustrating and exhausting, but it can also be manageable in many situations. Focus on these four areas above, and see if they put you on the right track to alleviate some of your daily pain and discomfort