10 Ways to help your pain

1) Don’t worry about not having a diagnosis

Finding the causes of chronic pain can be difficult and you may find that your diagnosis is more of a process of elimination.  You don’t need a diagnosis to claim benefits

2) Calm your worries about being damaged

When pain persists you may feel that something is seriously damaged, but it rarely is. Continue to move and work as naturally as possible, don’t restrict your movements unnecessarily.

3) Return to activity gradually

Returning to activity when pain you have persistent is important.  Start low levels of activity and slowly increase them. I may hurt more to begin with but remember that it’s not causing you any damage to move. It will start to feel easier as you do more little by little.

4) Check your thoughts

Research tell us that people who think the worst when they

have a pain flare up, take longer to recover.

When pain gets worse or flares up try to think positively “I will

get better soon” “A flare up doesn’t mean I’m not getting

better” take one day at a time and try to keep positive about

your future.

5) Do some breathing exercises

When pain persists it is common for muscles to feel tense and tight. You may experience sudden of pain without reason. These episodes are due to your nervous system being oversensitive. Breathing exercises such as the 7-11 method (breathe in through your nose for the count of 7 and breathe out through your nose for the count of 11) will calm down the nervous system and the muscle they connect to.

6) Exercise regularly

Don’t think of exercise as being in the gym running or lifting weights. You need to keep all your muscles active despite the pain you are experiencing. 

You may have physiotherapy exercises to do, which will help improve your mobility and help your pain.

Try doing an activity you enjoy like walking your dog, yoga or swimming, if you enjoy what you are doing the pain will affect you less. 

7) Manage the stressors in your life

Ongoing unresolved distress in your life will wind up your body’s fight and flight system, raising tension in your muscles which will likely cause more frequent flare ups. Any situation that regularly causes you stress that you can avoid or change will help reduce tension and pain.

8) Involve your family and friends in your recovery

Those close to you want to do the best for you when you are suffering with pain. Sometimes they can be overprotective and do everything for you. While this is well intentioned, it can prevent you from trying things out that may promote your recovery. Rather than people doing things for you, do things together so that you can be offered support and help only when its needed. 

9) Focus on a structured pain to help you sleep better

Restful sleep is essential for our general health and well-being. Avoid using TVs, mobiles and computers in bed. Have a regular routine leading up to you going to bed to sleep and try to sleep and wake at the same time each day. An hour before going to bed take your medication to ensure its working before to settle down at night.

10) Be prepared for some bumps along the way

Applying these techniques or others may not cure your pain, having a backup plan for when things go wrong is important. You will have setbacks along the way but this won’t stop you recovering in the long term.

Try to keep positive about your future and except your limitations so that you can start to adjust and work around them.

On Youtube you will find a film called

“struggling to be me with chronic pain”  and other videos that may give you ideas for your own care or recovery.