5 Lifestyle Changes to Include in Any Chronic Pain Treatment Plan
5 Lifestyle Changes to Include in Any Chronic Pain Treatment Plan
Have you recently been diagnosed with a medical condition that can cause chronic pain? Or even a chronic pain condition? Finding out that you have a chronic disease or a condition like fibromyalgia can be pretty unnerving. You may feel like you’ve lost some control over your body when these conditions have you dealing with regular discomfort. Getting that control back can be easier than you think, though, especially when you include these steps in your treatment plan.
Switch to a Medicare Advantage Plan
If you are a senior who is dealing with chronic pain, having access to personal service benefits via your Medicare plan can give you more options for treating your symptoms. These personal service benefits can include therapies such as acupuncture, massage, or even healthy meals. When you sign up for a Medicare Advantage plan, you will also get additional help with vision care, dental checkups, and prescriptions so that you can worry less about paying for your care and more about taking care of your chronic pain symptoms.
Hire Help for Household Chores
If your chronic pain makes it too difficult to carry on with your regular chores, look to hire some help. For example, you can bring in a maid service once a week (or bimonthly) to clean your home so you can avoid worsening your pain. Maid services typically charge between $87 and $200 in Cleveland. Another service you can bring in is a local lawn care company to mow your lawn (mowing services average $30 - $45 for a medium-sized lawn).
Improve Pain Symptoms With More Exercise
When you’re in pain, you may not feel like moving. Regular physical activity, however, is one of the most effective ways to reduce and manage chronic pain conditions. For fibromyalgia, a common source of chronic inflammation and pain, a regular fitness routine can provide the stress relief and energy boost needed to control flare-ups. Other mental health benefits that can be gained from exercise can also help you manage your newly diagnosed condition. One such benefit is the increase in the production of endorphins, which is a vital chemical that helps your body and brain feel less impacted by pain. So try to find gentle ways to ease into exercise.
Research the Benefits of Anti-Inflammatory Diets
What you eat can also have an impact on your pain condition. In terms of chronic pain, researchers have found that anti-inflammatory foods can be used to manage or treat symptoms. Those foods include whole grains, produce, and healthy fats, but you have to manage your portions to successfully manage your pain symptoms via your diet. If figuring out those ratios feels too difficult, you can also try following the Mediterranean Diet, which focuses on the healthy foods recommended to fight chronic inflammation and improve overall health. Start with small swaps, like trading white bread for whole wheat, and then gradually make other healthy changes so that your body will get the nutrients needed to fight inflammation and discomfort.
Find Healthy Ways to Minimize Negative Stress
Finding out that your medical condition can cause chronic pain can be a traumatic experience. So, it’s normal to feel a bit shocked and angry that you have a chronic condition, but you should know that getting stuck in these sorts of stress cycles will only make your pain worse. So allow yourself some time to process those feelings, then look for effective stress relievers to get your emotions back on track. Evidence points to mindfulness practices as the most effective way to reduce chronic pain, which can include meditation, yoga, or simple breathing exercises. As you develop a treatment plan for your new condition, be sure to include time every single day for these self-care habits. Because taking a few moments to relax can provide much-needed relief.
Don’t let your newly diagnosed condition or chronic pain symptoms take over your life. Focus on the ways you can manage that pain and discomfort so that you can slowly take back control of your body and your life. Because living with chronic pain doesn’t have to stop you from living!
Writer: Jackie Waters of hyper-tidy.com