5 Unexpected Tricks Patients Use To Manage Their Pain In 2022

Pain management is a term that has become very well known in recent years. For individuals suffering from chronic conditions, medications can only do so much. As a result, many home remedies have found their way into the mainstream simply because of how successful they have become in helping those with pain issues cope with their symptoms. The interesting thing about many of the tricks patients use these days is that the majority of them cost little or nothing and can bring different degrees of relief. So, if you happen to have a chronic condition that keeps you in pain, try any of the five suggestions below to see if they assist with your pain management.

1 – Watch What You Eat

Your diet can either help or hurt your condition. Fortunately, several foods fight inflammation and those are the ones you should be leaning on heavily in your daily meal plan. Some examples include omega-3 fatty acids, cherries, leafy greens, cranberries, soy products, and asparagus. Conversely, there are foods you should avoid when treating pain as they may add to your pain by increasing inflammation. These foods include chocolate, red meat, eggs, dairy products, eggplant, and tomatoes. There is a reason why you keep hearing that it is important to eat a well-balanced diet. That’s because the combination of the right foods builds your body’s immune system, adds strength, and keeps all of your bodily functions operating properly. By reducing or avoiding processed foods, carbohydrates, unhealthy fats, and high sugars, you can build a healthy and strong body. Eating the right foods will also assist in treating many ailments including chronic pain.

2 – Keep Your Body Hydrated

If dehydration can make the pain more severe, it only makes sense to stay hydrated to reduce pain. But to stay hydrated, you must drink water. Coffee, tea, and alcohol, although liquids, will work against you as they will dehydrate you. But how exactly does drinking water help relieve pain? All you have to do is think of water as a lubricant. When there is not enough water in the cells that surround joints or make up muscle tissue, swelling can develop. If you suffer from any joint pain condition you will completely understand how swelling in the fingers or feet at the joints can produce different levels of pain. However, by drinking water, synovial fluid is produced which encourages new cell growth and essentially lubricates joints so that swelling reduces. With inflammation decreased, the amount of pain experienced also disappears. You should consume no less than 2-liters of water per day to stay properly hydrated. More if you lead an active lifestyle.

3 – Get Some Exercise

Exercise happens to be a very effective way to manage pain. That is because movement assists in stretching and strengthening muscles. It also increases circulation and helps to eliminate joint stiffness. However, as great as exercise is for the relief of pain, depending on the source of your discomfort, you have to choose the correct type of exercise to realize any benefit. For example, if you suffer from chronic pain, running is very likely not the best form of exercise for you. But low impact activities such as cycling or swimming will provide the same benefits without the additional stresses on your joints. In addition to helping manage pain, exercise can also help you with weight loss and weight management. The key to success in adding any type of exercise program to your routine comes from easing into the workout. In other words, start slow and work your way up by increasing the intensity, frequency, or time spent with the activity you have chosen to incorporate.

4 – Practice Yoga and Meditation

While yoga is a bit like the exercise trick, meditation assists you with the mental parts of dealing with chronic pain issues. Where yoga will help you to build physical strength and flexibility, meditation will help with building your mind’s strength and flexibility. The way yoga can help you is simple. By improving your overall body function and mobility through stretching, you can reduce the intensity of pain. Plus, if you do not have the mobility to exercise in any other way, yoga stretches and breathing techniques will still give your muscles and joints a workout. As for meditation, being able to spend time in a quiet place to reflect and relax your mind allows you to remove the stresses you may experience as a result of your chronic pain. Being able to remove the emotional connection that results from feeling pain can do wonders in your pain treatment plan. There are many benefits to fighting pain that come from yoga and meditation. You just have to try them to see.

5 – Start Using CBD Products

You have probably heard that CBD (cannabidiol) is frequently used for pain management. Yes, this is from a plant that is in the cannabis family but does not come from the marijuana plant. That is the plant that contains high concentrations of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and traces of CBD. It is the THC that creates the “high” and CBD does not. However, CBD does have the calming effects that have been used to help reduce pain. As seen on chron.com, CBD possesses an anti-inflammation property that eases pain in joints and muscles. Plus, as an anti-psychotic, CBD can reduce anxiety and stresses that can be triggered by pain. Where CBD is most effective is how it can be consumed. That’s because it is available in so many different formats ranging from supplements and oils to lotions and inhalants. Depending on where you live, you should have easy access to CBD products or, if you prefer, you can order them from many different sources found online.

Summary

Chronic pain can severely impact the quality of life for those individuals who suffer from it. However, many home remedies can help ease the symptoms to where the pain is much easier to manage. While the list above covers a handful of suggestions that do not require a doctor’s prescription, it is always wise to consult with your family physician before trying any of these pain management tricks to ensure that you are in the right position to try something different and that you don’t end up complicating medications you are taking or a pre-existing condition. Your doctor is likely to support your choice, but it is always good to get clearance first.