Having a chronic pain condition can be debilitating. It can impact not only your body, but also your mental health – as well as areas of your wider life including family, friends and work. Many chronic pain sufferers struggle to get through each day due to the agony that they experience. Whilst not all methods of relief work for everyone, there are some things you can try to help make pain more manageable. Here are 4 ways to cope with a chronic pain condition.
Take regular baths
Many sufferers say that taking regular baths helps their bodies to feel less tense as well as providing some temporary pain relief. Adding Epsom salts to a bath is said to help relax the muscles and alleviate pain – even if only temporarily.
Many sufferers from illnesses such as fibromyalgia also make regular visits to spas with floatation tanks. These tanks are filled with saltwater which makes the body float. In fact, the feeling of weightlessness has been known to make some sufferers very emotional due to the relief from pain it can provide.
Consider CBD Oil
CBD is one of over 100 cannabinoids extracted from hemp plants and has become an extremely popular method of dealing with chronic pain. Either taken orally, via vape or by other means such as capsule form, studies have shown that it can interrupt pain signals that travel to the brain. CBD can also help if the source of chronic pain is from an inflammatory condition such as arthritis due to its anti-inflammatory properties. In addition to pain relief, CBD users do not have to deal with the unwanted side effects that many prescribed pain killers and other drugs can cause.
We recommend looking into CBD Oils from ulu.com. ULU CBD is 100% natural, contains 0% THC (the chemical that causes a ‘high’,) and completely organic.
Get as much sleep as possible
Many MS or fibromyalgia sufferers say that lack of sleep can make their symptoms worse. However, often getting a good night’s sleep can be difficult due to chronic pain. In fact, insomnia is often a side-effect of pain-related conditions. Cutting out caffeine can help aid better sleep, as can staying hydrated.
Alternatively, if you’ve had your current bed or mattress for a while, you could consider investing in a new one. Getting comfortable when you are in pain is not an easy task, but having a good-quality, supportive mattress that’s designed to reduce back pain can make all the difference!
Talk about it
The frustrating thing about being a chronic pain sufferer is that these illnesses are not widely recognised, which often causes people to feel isolated or misunderstood. Many chronic pain sufferers have reported that they’ve been made to feel lazy or exaggerative if they ever mention their condition. This makes sufferers less likely to open up and more likely to become depressed and feel even more alone.
As a result, it’s can be really beneficial to talk to others who are going through similar experiences. There are many online and local groups where you can meet people who will understand what you’re going through. Ultimately, even just having someone there to say they are going through the same thing and can understand how it affects you can make a world of difference.
Author: Mandy Kloppers
Mandy is a qualified therapist who treats depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, trauma, and many other types of mental health issues. She provides online therapy around the world for those needing support and also provides relationship counselling.
