Managing chronic pain can be a challenge even for the most knowledgeable about about how pain works. Everyone experiences pain at some time or another. There is a big difference between the pain you may experience with a broken leg or surgery which may be acute but fades away as your wound heals. While acute pain like this is short-lived,
chronic pain is pain that is ongoing. Fibromyalgia, low back pain, pain from an old injury are some examples of chronic pain. Most people recover from acute pain, often using short-term pain medications. More problematic, however, is how to cope with chronic pain. I have it, so I’ve been working on this myself. I have learned over time that there are techniques I can use for managing my chronic pain.
Managing chronic pain means accepting doesn’t mean you have to suffer
Everyone has pain but not everyone responds to pain in the same manner. If you have chronic pain you know it is going to be there but how you deal with this pain is the difference. If you choose to moan, complain, and focus on suffering, then you will get just that – suffering. Most of us start with that suffering attitude, and it only makes the situation worse. Chronic pain is distracting, so you have to distract yourself from it.
Managing Chronic Pain Starts with knowing what ails you
Learn about your pain condition for education is power. More importantly, learn coping skills specific for pain and learn how others cope. Check out
Know your medications.
Follow Healthy Living Basics Every Day
This means getting enough sleep, eating healthy foods, exercising as suggested by your physician/s, not using drugs and alcohol to cope, and taking care of your hygiene. Understand
how pain triggers addiction.
Learn coping skills to distract yourself
Distraction skills help you to get your mind away from the pain; these are our healthy coping skills. Immerse yourself in a good book, go for a walk with the kids or dog, play with the cat, play music, sing and dance, write in a journal, write poetry, color or draw, do a household task, call a friend, meditate, attend a virtual book club, and any other activities that help you go beyond the pain.
Talk To Others/Find Support
Recognize that you are not alone. Be social because pain may increase with isolation as you focus on the pain. Talk to your family and friends but be careful not to overburden them with your stories of pain. Have them help you distract yourself by talking about anything other than your pain.
Find a pain support group. Listen to others’ to see how they cope. Talk to your spiritual leader. Find a therapist that specializes in pain management so you can deal with the emotions of pain.
Spend Time Alone
Being social and talking to others does not mean that you shouldn’t be alone. Spending time alone can help 1. process your pain, 2. to let go of your suffering, and 3. find individual things you can do to feel better. This is the time to meditate, read a good book, read about ways to heal, listen to books on tape, watch a good movie, soak in the tub, sing in the shower, or take a class or go back to school.
Find A Spiritual Practice
This may be new for you, or encompass different approaches. For some, spiritual practice is attending a religious service. For others, it may be a spiritual group, meditating, doing creative activities, praying, playing, being in nature, writing in a journal, learning about others’ beliefs, and learning how past and present mystics have coped with their own pain through spiritual or religious practices. Check out
the meaning of wellness
Focus On Gratitude
Whether this is part of a spiritual practice or not, focusing on gratitude for what you have and not what you want can be healing for this helps in the acceptance of what you are going through. No, you may not be grateful for the pain, (although for many people, going through struggles and coming out on the other side with more compassion and love is valuable), but you can examine the other things that are going well in your life.
Learn How To Let Go
This is similar to #1, but learning to not be defined by your pain is a tremendous value. In this manner, the refrain is: “I have pain but I am not my pain.” Check out finding
Peace after Covid
If You Need Medications, Find Pain Doctor To Work With You
For some, the use of narcotics is needed. If so, learn to work with the medication and with the medical provider to help you cope with the severity of the pain, and thereby, freeing up ways to use other healthy coping skills.
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