The Battle of Living with Chronic Pain

Anyone who has suffered from chronic pain knows that it is a constant battle with pain that never seems to subside. Unlike injuries that can heal after rehabilitation, chronic pain lingers and for some it never goes away. The reality of living with chronic pain is that the only option is to try and manage the pain as best you can. Many years ago, doctors would advise sufferers to rest the affected areas and keep weight off them, but research has proven that this was actually the worst treatment you could opt for.

Now doctors advise you to do as much exercise as you can to try and strengthen the area around the pain. Yoga is used by many to help strengthen the body without being overly energetic. The best types of exercise are the ones where there is less weight bearing on the joints, such as swimming and using an exercise bike. Swimming is particularly good for back pain and arthritis as the water supports you to lessen the likelihood of feeling further pain.

Other treatments that are recommended include acupuncture, heat therapy and taking fish oil supplements. Many people will turn to strong medication to try and reduce pain but the longer you take a certain medication, the more your body will build up a tolerance to the drugs, and the less effective they become. That is why it is important to explore all other methods of treatment as well, instead of taking painkillers.

It can be really tempting to take more painkillers when the pain scale increases, but there can be severe consequences of doing this regularly. From becoming drug dependent to the risk of accidental overdose, the habit of taking painkillers is a hard one to break. Medical experts would always advise that you try out all the other pain relief options before settling on painkillers.

There are also adjustments that you can make around your home, and if you work, at your workplace too. You can get supportive braces for neck and arm related pains, or bandages for joints. Your doctor will be able to advise you on which types to try.

If you work at a desk and suffer from back, neck or wrist pain then there may be a number of solutions to help make you more comfortable at work. Your employer should organize for an assessment of your working environment to analyze what support you can be provided with. This will vary depending on your symptoms, but a common diagnosis for back pain would be to improve posture through a  customized chair or to adjust your computer screen height if this is causing problems. You can also get foot or wrist supports, or cushions to add to your seat to support your back.

If you have been suffering with chronic pain then inform your employer so that they can support you as best they can. Some small changes could make a huge difference to your life and help relieve that agonizing pain.