Got chronic pain? Well, you’re not alone. 20.4% of adults in the US have chronic pain, and 8% of them have the high-impact type.
If you live with chronic pain, you’re probably suffering daily. Not only can this be detrimental for your physical health, but it may also take a huge toll on your mental health too.
However, you don’t have to always live life like this. Here are 8 pain management techniques that are sure to help.
1. Get a Spinal Adjustment
Many times, the root cause of our chronic pain is from a misaligned spine. This can give you pain anywhere from your neck to your feet.
You can see a professional chiropractor, who can give you a spinal adjustment. Make sure you go to someone who is reputable and experienced, as a slight mistake can cause you to be in more pain.
2. Try Some Light Exercise
This may sound counterintuitive, especially if you’re living with pain from the moment you wake until you sleep. Wouldn’t physical activity make your pain worse?
However, exercise has several benefits for pain management. For one, it strengthens your body so you can hold yourself up with less effort. That way, your body won’t have to work so hard.
Also, when you exercise, this releases endorphins, which make you feel happy. This can help to block your pain signals.
And last, but not least, exercise can aid in your weight loss journey. By shedding the pounds, you can also relieve some pain since your bones and muscles don’t have as much weight to support.
Make sure you don’t overexert yourself, as it might cause you more pain and injuries. Check with your doctor and get the all-clear before you start any physical activities.
3. Try Physical Therapy
This type of pain management also focuses on strengthening your muscles. Again, the reasoning behind this is if your body is more powerful, it won’t have to work as hard to perform daily tasks.
Physical therapy can also improve your range of motion, relax muscles that are tightened, and prevent future injuries from happening. This type of pain management is especially beneficial for shoulder, back, and knee pain.
4. Go for a Massage
In many cases, pain doesn’t just manifest from physical causes; it can occur because of mental health issues as well. For instance, if you’re stressed out and have high amounts of anxiety, a side effect may be tense muscles in your shoulders and jaw.
Booking a massage can do wonders for pain. Not only will the skilled therapists pinpoint and address problem areas in your body, but they’ll also provide a relaxing atmosphere where you can get away from all your life’s stressors.
Sometimes, all it takes is the touch of another person to feel relaxed. So this may be a great benefit from massage as well.
5. Get Botox Injections
Wait, what’s Botox doing on this list? Isn’t this an article for pain management?
While it’s true Botox injections are used for cosmetic reasons, what many people don’t know is it was originally created for medical purposes.
Originally, it was used to treat problems involving the eye muscles; mainly, strabismus (alignment problems) and blepharospasm (uncontrolled blinking). After it was used medically, people noticed its cosmetic benefits, which was when it exploded in popularity.
Today, you can use Botox injections to treat different types of pain, like ones that occur in your temples, neck, or jaws. The injections relax the muscles there so they don’t tense up and cause you discomfort.
6. Book Acupuncture Appointments
Acupuncture is a type of alternative medicine that originates from China. It’s been used for centuries in Eastern medicine and can be a good complement to its Western counterpart.
An acupuncturist will insert needs at various points in your body, depending on where your pain is and what your ailments are. While this sounds painful, it’s actually not. They expertly insert the needles shallowly so as to not cause you pain.
For some people, they don’t see any results from acupuncture, while others feel significant relief. You may have to book several appointments before seeing results.
7. Get Trigger Point Injections
If you suffer from painful knots all over your body, then this treatment may help you immensely. It also helps with fibromyalgia.
Trigger point injections are administered by a licensed professional. In these injections are either local anesthetic or saline; it may also contain a corticosteroid.
After your treatment, the knots should relax and you’ll feel some relief from pain. This isn’t a permanent solution, so you may have to make several appointments for trigger point injections to get long-term relief.
8. Take CBD Oil
CBD is a cannabinoid similar to THC, which is found in both recreational and medicinal marijuana. This is the active compound responsible for numerous things, such as the “high” feeling and pain relief.
CBD is a great alternative since it has all the same benefits of THC, but without the psychoactive effects. This means you’re sober and able to continue with your daily life while taking it.
CBD acts upon the endocannabinoid system, which is responsible for pain, moods, and much more. By this logic, CBD oil should help decrease the pain you’re feeling.
There are several ways to take CBD oil: smoking, vaping, sublingually, orally (through edibles), and topically (through creams). You may have to experiment with different methods of delivery and dosages before finding the right combination for you.
Use These Pain Management Techniques for Relief
Hopefully, with these helpful pain management techniques, you’ll find relief in your day-to-day life. However, please keep in mind that these are just tips and not official medical advice.
Always make sure you speak with your doctor about your chronic pain. Together, you can figure out what’s wrong and determine the best course of action for you to take to live life as pain-free as possible.
Looking to read more on improving your health? Then check out our other blog articles.
