Tips on coping with chronic pain
Eating well, getting plenty of sleep and engaging in approved physical activity are all positive ways for you to handle your stress and pain. Talk to yourself constructively. Positive thinking is a powerful tool.
Positive self-talk before you feel pain again
I'll make plans to control it”. “I'm not hurting right now. By thinking of other things I can make this good feeling last longer. I'll make the pain less severe when it comes.”
Reduce stress in your life. Stress intensifies chronic pain. Negative feelings like depression, anxiety, stress, and anger can increase the body's sensitivity to pain. By learning to take control of stress, you may find some relief from chronic pain.
Acetaminophen is generally a safe option to try first for many types of pain, including chronic pain. Ask your health care provider for guidance about other medications to avoid while taking acetaminophen. Acetaminophen is not as effective as NSAIDs for the treatment of knee and hip pain related to osteoarthritis.
There are many different kinds of pain scales, but a common one is a numerical scale from 0 to 10. Here, 0 means you have no pain; one to three means mild pain; four to seven is considered moderate pain; eight and above is severe pain.
People living with chronic pain are at heightened risk for mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. Chronic pain can affect sleep, increase stress levels and contribute to depression. An estimated 35% to 45% of people with chronic pain experience depression.
The primary goal in chronic pain management is that the cause of the pain should be found and cured, enabling the individual to resume with normal activity and daily life.
Research published last month in the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report estimated that more than 51 million people – more than 20% of US adults – have chronic pain and 17 million – almost 7% of adults – have high-impact chronic pain.
The Numerical Rating Pain Scale is a simple pain scale that grades pain levels from 0 (No pain), 1,2, and 3 (Mild), 4,5, and 6 (Moderate), 7,8, and 9 (Severe) to 10 (Worst Pain Possible).
Because of the complex relationship between the brain, the nervous system and the body's hormones, chronic pain requires a multidisciplinary treatment approach. It's not like having infection, where you take antibiotics and it's gone. Chronic pain is complex and there isn't one treatment or one pill that will cure it.
When used as directed by your doctor, opioid medications safely help control acute pain, such as pain you experience after surgery. There are risks, though, when the medications are used incorrectly. Opioids are a broad group of pain-relieving drugs that work by interacting with opioid receptors in your cells.
If you're experiencing pain for more than 12 weeks that doesn't respond to over-the-counter pain relievers, it's time to make an appointment with your doctor to discuss your options for treatment.
Thus chronic pain is best managed with a multimodal and interprofessional approach. Managing chronic pain requires an interprofessional team of healthcare professionals, including a primary care physician, nursing team, pharmacist, and pain medicine specialists.
Chronic pain can interfere with your daily activities, such as working, having a social life and taking care of yourself or others. It can lead to depression, anxiety and trouble sleeping, which can make your pain worse. This response creates a cycle that's difficult to break.
Chronic pain is far from just aching bones and sore muscles. It's a whole-body condition that takes a toll on your emotions and moods and can lead to significant mental health issues.
Physical pain is your body's way of letting you know that something is wrong. It leads you to address ailments or seek treatment for injuries. However, there's also a psychological aspect to pain. People who experience chronic pain are much more likely to develop mood and anxiety disorders.
The most powerful pain relievers are opioids. They are very effective, but they can sometimes have serious side effects. There is also a risk of addiction. Because of the risks, you must use them only under a doctor's supervision.
Codeine, fentanyl, hydrocodone and morphine are all opioids. Steroids: Corticosteroids are strong anti-inflammatory drugs. Like NSAIDs, they stop your body from making chemicals that cause irritation and inflammation. Steroids such as Prednisone® treat migraines and severe arthritis and back pain.
Opioids do provide relief by blocking pain. But as a result, your body reacts by increasing the number of receptors to try to get the pain signal through again. So when the drug wears off, you will experience more pain for about three days.
Chronic or persistent pain is pain that carries on for longer than 12 weeks despite medication or treatment. Most people get back to normal after pain following an injury or operation. But sometimes the pain carries on for longer or comes on without any history of an injury or operation.
If your pain medication isn't working, call your health care provider. Remember: Don't change the dosage without talking to your health care provider. Don't abruptly stop taking your medication.
If your pain management doesn't work, your doctor may recommend the following: Increased dosage. Change in prescription to a different drug category or class. Assessment for possible drug-drug interaction or drug-food interaction.