Living with pain is no walk in the park. Between severe plantar fasciitis, a misaligned shoulder and pain up the neck that comes with it, IBS, diabetes and PCOS; I have my (un)fair share. When managing your pain, some might gave to change the way they do things and the pain can be restrictive. It is important to be proactive but also to avoid certain actions that can make living with pain harder than it sometimes needs to be. Here are a few examples.
Living With Pain: Hiding That You’re Hurting
When most people first start feeling pain, they put up with it and ignore it for a while. Guilty as charged. The problem with this is that, as you wait, your symptoms could be getting worse. This means, when you do eventually see a doctor, there will be a much larger issue to treat. Pain can trigger or contribute to a number of mental health issues. It’s crucial that you get professional help before this happens.
Skipping Your Doctor Visits
Although you can find ways to manage your pain alone, you must still see your doctor regularly. The most obvious reason for this is to be sure that your pain isn’t being caused by a medical problem that needs treatment. Visiting your doctor will also help you to keep track of your pain. If it seems to be getting worse, you’ll know you have to try a different pain management method.
Forgetting To Take Medications
Everyone forgets things now and then. However, when you forget to take the medications you’ve been prescribed, it can cause huge problems. If you have trouble remembering to take your pills, then order a pillbox and timer from Spring Chicken. This will help you to take the right medicine at the right time. Without taking your medication, your symptoms aren’t going to get any better. I now have a dated pillbox and wouldn’t be without it.
Avoiding All Physical Activity Does Always Help When Living With Pain
After an injury, you’re usually told to rest until your pain subsides. When this pain is chronic, however, you often can’t afford to do that. Exercise strengthens your muscles and increases your blood flow, both of which reduce the pressure on joints and bones. It also triggers the release of endorphins. This means, when you choose the right exercise, it can ease the pain. A physiotherapist should be able to help you identify the correct exercise types and frequency.
Holding On To Stress
There isn’t anything fun about being in pain. Because of this, it should be no surprise that pain can cause a great deal of stress. Unfortunately, the stress you feel can also make the pain worse, trapping you in a cycle. This is why you must find ways to manage your stress. There are many things you can do, including exercising daily, getting plenty of sleep, and eating right. An example of this is that I clench my shoulders up when I’m stressed, particularly about pain. This makes the problem much worse and triggers a flare up.
Living Life As Before
Living with pain shouldn’t put your life on hold. However, you can’t expect it to be exactly the same either. There may be activities you have to quit, foods you can’t eat, and habits you must overcome. Living life as you did before can make your pain even worse. For this reason, you should speak to your doctor about the things you do and ask them to suggest any changes you can make.
Living with pain is difficult, but with clever workarounds and some support, you can do much to improve your situation.