If you’re one of the millions of people diagnosed with a condition that causes chronic pain, you know that your struggle goes beyond physical discomfort. Chronic pain impacts every area of your health and life, from your emotional well-being to your social life. Learning to live with it requires a multi-faceted approach that is geared toward your individual needs.
First, ask yourself whether you even have to live with it! If you’ve visited a number of medical doctors and received only grim prognoses and handfuls of prescription medications, don’t give up just yet. Visit a chiropractor, and get another opinion from a professional whose education, training, and perspective on chronic pain differs quite significantly from typical doctors.
In some cases, we can address the underlying cause of chronic pain, resolve it, and return you to a pain-free and happy life. In other cases, the problem isn’t completely curable, but regular chiropractic adjustments combined with other methods of coping can help you significantly improve your quality of life.
And just what are those other methods? Consider adding the following practices to your regular routine.
Modified exercise. Chronic pain can cause you to give up exercise entirely. But with certain modifications, you can probably find a way to continue exercise that keeps you healthier overall. This is important for a number of reasons. Preventing weight gain can help to ward off more health conditions that further complicate your situation.
And when you’re in pain, other parts of your body tend to compensate for lack of strength in one area. We want to keep those areas strong and healthy, so that you don’t end up with injuries.
Plus, exercise can be good for your mental and emotional health.
Addressing your stress. Living with chronic pain is stressful for a number of reasons. Before long, your mental health will be affected, and stress can actually make many conditions worse. We want to focus as much on mental health as the physical, and identify ways to lower stress levels and help you engage in regular self-care.
Combine chiropractic care with other modes of treatment. Visit us for a consultation on your condition, and we can help you explore other treatments that complement your regimen. Things like massage and acupuncture help with chronic pain, and certain diets can lower inflammation in the body if that’s a concern. Meditation, tai chi, or yoga might also benefit your particular situation.
Call us to schedule an appointment, and we’ll be happy to help. Whether we can resolve your condition or simply improve your symptoms, there’s no need to accept chronic pain as the final answer.