When you’re dealing with chronic pain, you’re willing to do almost anything to find respite. You’ve probably done some research online or talked to others with similar issues and come up with a plan. But what if you’re treating your chronic pain condition incorrectly? Not only can this prevent you from finding pain relief, in some cases, it can actually make pain worse. Below, we take a look at four ways you may be incorrectly treating your pain condition.
4 Wrong Ways To Treat Pain
It is in your best interest to talk to your doctor about how you can manage your specific condition, but in general, here are four ways that you may be mistreating your pain condition.
1. Not Exercising – You might think that rest is the best thing you can do for your body, and while it may be good in the short term, it may not be the best bet for your long term health. Exercise helps to increase healthy blood flow throughout your body and strengthen key structures that can help prevent pain. For example, if you’re dealing with back pain, although it may cause some discomfort to exercise because of your spine pain, strengthening your core and your back muscles can help to treat the underlying issue. Don’t just assume that rest is what you need to take care of your pain.
2. Over-Reliance on Opioids – Opioids certainly have a place in a pain care management plan, but they shouldn’t be your only source of treatment. Many people assume that because opioids help dull or eliminate their pain, that it is their best source of treatment. However, opioids do nothing to treat the underlying cause of pain. They may make it easier to exercise or fall asleep, but they need to be paired with active treatment options in order to be the most effective. Make sure you follow through on your other treatment options if you are given painkillers to help with your condition.
3. Isolation – There are times when it can feel great to have the house to yourself to do as you please or to shut out the world for a night, but if you’re constantly isolating yourself from others, it’s not going to help with your pain condition. Some people with pain problems avoid group settings or cancel plans because they don’t want to feel like a burden for others, but there have been studies on the importance of human and social interaction when it comes to pain management. We’re not saying you need to take up public speaking or be the office chatterbox, but social interaction, even if it’s just talking with a family member on the phone or having a friend over for dinner one night a week can really help your mental and emotional state. You’d be amazed at how much your mental and emotional health affects your physical health, so don’t shut out the world because of your pain.
4. Not Seeing A Specialist – The rise of the internet has made it much easier for people to research their symptoms and come up with a diagnosis and care plan of their own. The problem is that it’s easy to fall down a rabbit hole of misinformation or incorrectly diagnosis yourself based on inaccurate or surface level symptoms. If you truly want to get a grip on managing your pain, visit a Pain Management Specialist like Dr. Cohn. He’ll be able to provide a comprehensive diagnosis and set you up with an individualized care plan. Contact his office today to learn more about your options.