How You Can Survive Chronic Pain

People who have not faced persistent, unending, chronic pain do not always understand what it's like. Chronic pain--the kind of pain that never really goes away (or goes away only to come back shortly)--can take over your life. If you have chronic pain, you are not alone. According to the American Academy of Pain Management, as many as 50 million Americans suffer from chronic pain.

No matter whether your persistent pain is mild or excruciating, it can change your life--and not in a good way. Depression and other mental health conditions frequently afflict people forced to cope with long-term pain.

There are important steps that people with long-term pain can take to help manage their pain.

First, you need to develop realistic expectations. Of course, most of us hope that we can find that perfect pill or magic ointment that we can use once that will make our pain go away forever. While that is a wonderful thought, it may not be the case. You may have to do more than just take a pill to manage your pain. Many times pain control involves lifestyle changes, and those can be difficult to make. Furthermore, your pain may never go away completely. You may be able to reduce your pain by half, or three-quarters, or even 90% but for many people, some degree of pain may still be something they have to live with.

Second, you have to be willing to do what it takes to manage your pain. This means being open minded about pain management therapies, trying things you thought you would never try, and changing the way you live and do things to help defeat your pain.

There are lots of things that we know help some people cope with some types of pains. You should be willing to give these things a fair try. If they help ease your pain, even a little, keep doing them. Even if something only helps a little bit, say by reducing your pain by 10%, keep doing it because lots of little things can add up. Anything that can help improve your pain by that amount is worth doing--and adding to.

Some things that work on pain include ice packs, heating pads, hot baths, hot showers, massage, acupuncture, essential oils, aromatherapy, music therapy, regular sleep schedule (going to bed and getting up at the same time every day), exercise, better diet, eliminating sugar and artificial sweeteners from your diet, losing weight, taking long walks, spending some quiet time alone every day, getting more rest, becoming active in a cause larger than yourself, and taking vitamins.

Looking at this list, you probably think some of these ideas are goofy. That may be. But every one of them has been used by at least some pain patients to get significant relief. You cannot afford to be too critical of things that might turn out to actually help you. The point is to try things and see what works for you. Give things a fair chance, even if they seem a little silly. And do not give up doing something even if it offers only modest relief.

Third, you have to start playing the percentages. Your goal is to get 100% relief (knowing that may or may not be attainable). Instead of looking for that silver bullet that will give you 100% relief, look for lots of things to provide a portion of your pain relief. For instance, losing weight may reduce your pain by 20%. You may also find that eating a more healthful diet improves your pain about 10%. Then you may find that a weekly massage improves your pain 40%. Add to that an occasional ice pack (10%) and exercise (10%) and you have a "recipe" to eliminate 90% of your pain.

While you might think this is just some theoretical pie-in-the-sky example, it is an example based on successful strategies used by real people with pain. Notice that pain relief does not necessarily require drugs. In fact, you should try to do everything you can without drugs for as long as you can, since drugs are powerful chemicals that can cause side effects.

Of course, many people with chronic pain need to take drugs. You should discuss the best type of medication to take with your doctor, even if it is an over-the-counter medication. Learn all you can about drugs since drugs can interact with other drugs (and even some foods) and some common over-the-counter medications can present serious health risks if not taken as directed.

You may feel that your doctor and other people in your life do not understand what you're going through. To be quite fair to them, people who do not live with constant pain find it hard to grasp what it means to live like you do. Instead of arguing with them or getting annoyed with them, realize that they just do not know.

When it comes to your physician, do tell your physician about your pain. If you think your current physician is not doing all he or she can do to help you, ask for a referral to a pain management specialist. To be fair to your doctor, pain is a very complex subject and specialists are more up-to-date with the latest treatments than general practitioners. A pain specialist can be an important player in your battle against pain. Even if you have to drive a long distance to see one, it may be worth the trouble.

If your doctor prescribes drugs or tells you about over-the-counter drugs to take, make sure you understand how to take them and follow your doctor's instructions. If you experience side effects or if you still have pain, call your doctor before you stop taking the drug or double-up on the dose.

For people who suffer from severe chronic pain, there are potent drugs and other remedies that can be considered. There are implantable devices such as neurostimulators or infusion pumps that can help you manage your pain. You should ask a pain specialist about these things if your pain is unbearable using other strategies.

Finally, if you are facing chronic pain you need to deal with your pain on a day-by-day basis. Be grateful for good days and enjoy them. Take time to be thankful for all the wonderful people and things in your life. Keep doing the things that help you, even if they are inconvenient or boring (such as exercise, eating healthier, getting more rest). Keep learning all you can about your condition and pain. You may never find a magic cure, but you can find at least some degree of improvement.