Chronic pain affects the lives of millions of people around the world. The most common causes of chronic pain include diseases such as arthritis or spondylosis, which can really impact one’s quality of life. People who live with chronic pain every day may end up frustrated with mainstream pain management practices. They may have become ineffective because of increased tolerance, or their health impacts might be too significant to ignore. Fortunately, there are alternative treatments for pain management. Here, we discuss some of these treatments and lifestyle modifications.
Trying out Different Therapies
There are many non-invasive therapies that you can try. They don’t involve taking high doses of painkillers, or putting your body through other unpleasant procedures. If you live in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, you can try ozone therapy for joint pain that is refusing to go away. Different therapies work for different people. Try out a few methods, such as acupuncture, cupping, or music therapy, and see what has resonated with you.
Exercising Regularly
This has too many benefits to list within one article. Most importantly, for you, it has been scientifically linked to reducing chronic pain from diseases such as fibromyalgia. Even if you have a condition such as arthritis, you can choose non-impact exercises that will keep your muscles strong and reduce the pressure on your bones.
Practicing Meditation
Chronic pain fires up your brain’s neural pathways, which have gotten used to feeling pain. This can make the experience much more intense. You can try various mindfulness and mind-body techniques to take your mind off this pain. It can reduce tension in your muscles and help you focus your attention away from the pain. You will also benefit from indulging in the pain; this will stop your body from producing stress hormones to avoid the unpleasant stimuli.
Changing Your Diet
Most people don’t associate pain with diet. But there is a strong link between certain kinds of food and your body’s inflammatory response. Inflammation can make most types of pain worse. Avoid food that triggers this reaction, such as unhealthy fats, excess sugar, and salt. Try to eat a higher proportion of vegetables and whole grain. This will also keep your immune response system in top shape.
Trying out Herbal Remedies
Not a lot of research has been conducted on herbal remedies for pain relief. Chemical painkillers can affect your internal organs, starting from your liver to your kidney. Instead of risking tolerance or even dependence, you can try out natural, herbal alternatives such as hemp tea or valerian roots. For centuries, people have sworn by their powers. However, always do proper research and consult your doctor before taking any herbal supplements.
The most important thing to remember about living with chronic pain is that it is here to stay. You need to make lifestyle adjustments that will accommodate this constant fixture. With this in mind, you will get more out of your alternative treatments as you will have gained a realistic expectation of the extent of pain management that you can hope for.