When You Don’t Have Time For Chronic Pain

/ Thomas Cohn, MD

busy chronic painNobody has time for a chronic pain condition, but for busy individuals who try to push through the pain to get on with their day, taking the time to appropriately treat their condition may be the first item that they skip when they are trying to plan their hectic schedule.

You may even convince yourself that you don’t have time to receive treatment for your chronic pain because between getting the kids to school, working, planning dinner and doing chores around the house, there simply aren’t enough hours in the day.

If this sounds like your life, this blog is for you. Below, we explain how you can work to improve your chronic pain condition when you’re struggling to find the time to treat it.

Treating Chronic Pain On A Bust Schedule

Here are some tips for how you can work towards a healthier version of yourself and treat your chronic pain condition when you don’t have a lot of extra time to spare.

1. Incorporate More Movement In Your Life – Movement is wonderful for your body and your chronic pain condition. Activity helps to strengthen muscles, boost your circulation and avoid weight gain that can further stress your body. Find little ways to become more active throughout the day if you find it hard to get to the gym for a full workout. Take the stairs over the elevator, park further away from the entrance to work or the grocery store, or walk around while you’re on a phone call or waiting for your kids to finish soccer practice. Strive to take more steps every day.

2. Make The Time – This is obviously easier said than done, because you can’t physically create more hours in the day, so any time you carve out for physical therapy or exercise will come by sacrificing something else. Our best advice here is to make 15-20 minutes each day where you turn off all the distractions and focus on yourself and your health. That may mean waking up 15 minutes earlier, staying up a little later, or simply having a conversation with your family about how you need a few quiet minutes after dinner to focus on yourself and your health. Finding just a few minutes each day where it’s only about you will do wonders for your physical and mental health.

3. Improve Your Diet – Your diet can help or hurt your chronic pain treatment, so make some simple adjustments to ensure it’s working to solve your chronic pain. Busy people can sometimes over-rely on unhealthy options like fast food or flash frozen options. Meal plan for the week or take a few minutes each night to prep your meals for tomorrow so that you know where your meals are coming from and you can make healthier choices. Also, consider investing in a water bottle so that you can always stay hydrated when you’re on the go, as dehydration can lead to blood pressure issues and muscle pain.

4. Reevaluate Your Priorities – We understand that exercise and physical therapy may not be the most fun thing in the world, but few things are more important than your health, so you’ll want to keep that in mind when you’re planning your day. Really start to get in the habit of making time each day for your health, and soon it will become easier to follow through with your exercises as you develop a routine. Make sure your priorities are in the right order.

5. Connect With A Professional – Finally, if you’re too busy to fight your chronic pain condition on your own, enlist a professional. A pain specialist can figure out what’s going on, develop an individualized care routine and may even be able to see you through a virtual visit so that you don’t have to take time driving to and from the clinic. Let a professional make sure that you get the most out of the limited time you have to commit to a pain management program. In the greater Twin Cities area, connect with Dr. Thomas Cohn for help with your chronic pain problem. Give his clinic a call today at (952) 738-4580.

How Can We Do More For Chronic Pain Patients?

/ Thomas Cohn, MD

chronic pain patientsChronic pain affects more than 50 million people in the US alone, and yet it doesn’t seem to be an issue that is getting the attention it deserves. We need to be doing more for the millions of people who battle a chronic pain diagnosis on a daily basis, but how can we provide better care?

We don’t pretend to have all the answers, but we’re going to use today’s blog to talk about some of the ways that pain care in America and across the globe could be improved.

Solving Chronic Pain On An Individual Level

Let’s first look at the problem on a local level. What can a pain care physician do to help solve chronic pain? They need to focus on what they can do to provide the best level of care to the patients they are seeing in their office. This involves:

Taking the time to listen – Everyone’s pain is different, and there are no one-size-fits-all solutions to chronic pain. Doctors need to take the time to really get to know their patients and their condition so that they can help them find a treatment that works for them.

Don’t go for the quick short-term fix – Opioids can help mask the symptoms of chronic pain, but they won’t treat the underlying issue. As we’ve said on the blog countless times in the past, prescription medications can play a pivotal role in a comprehensive treatment plan, but they should not be the only form of treatment. Doctors should not rush to medicate without pursuing more active treatment methods.

Be ready to pivot – If one treatment isn’t working, it means that doctors need to be ready to pivot to another treatment. As we’ve mentioned, pain is highly individualized, so what works for one person isn’t guaranteed to work for another, and providers need to be flexible in their approach.

Continue to learn – Pain care is always evolving, and pain physicians need to keep furthering their understanding of chronic pain and how to best treat difficult cases. Doctors need to continue to seek out highly credible research in order to provide patients with the highest level of care.

Solving Chronic Pain On A Global Level

Solving chronic pain on a global level will take a more concentrated effort. Obviously there is no simple solution, but there are two main areas we should be focusing on. For starters, chronic pain prevalence needs to become more mainstream. Roughly one in five Americans deal with a chronic pain condition, so odds are a number of your family and friends are fighting an invisible fight each and every day, and many of them aren’t talking about it. We need to combat the stigma of chronic pain and find ways to talk about it so that more people are willing to take the necessary steps to treat their issue head on. Chronic pain patients shouldn’t have to live in the shadows, hiding their pain from those around them.

The other main way to work towards an effective solution to chronic pain is to increase funding for research. As we mentioned above, 50 million Americans battle a chronic pain condition on a regular basis, so there is clearly an audience ready to jump towards more effective treatments. We just need to find them, and the best way to do that is to invest in research programs dedicated to better understanding chronic pain.

If you want to speak to a pain management specialist who will work hard to accomplish those individual tasks and champion the idea of tackling chronic pain on a larger scale, trust your care to Dr. Cohn and his team. For more information or to set up an appointment, give his office a call today at (952) 738-4580.

Will I Ever Celebrate Independence From Chronic Pain?

/ Thomas Cohn, MD

indepedent painIndependence Day is right around the corner, and the holiday got us thinking about the notion that everyone hopes to eventually become independent from their chronic pain condition. But how can we break free from our chronic pain condition and find that independence? In today’s blog, we share some some tips for becoming independent of your chronic pain condition.

Chronic pain conditions are highly unique to the individual, so there’s no one-size-fits-all path to break free from chronic pain. That said, many people who have been able to overcome their chronic pain condition have been able to do so by following some similar techniques. Here’s a look at some helpful ways to work towards independence from your chronic pain condition.

Be Active – We know it’s easier said than done to say “be active” when pain can make movement uncomfortable, but movement is crucial for your total body health. Activity gets your heart pumping, which pushes healthy blood throughout your body, ensuring that structures get the nutrients and oxygen they need to thrive. Exercise and activity has also been shown to release endorphins in the brain that can act as natural pain relievers.

Tweak Your Diet – There’s no magical diet that can cure your of your chronic pain, but if you are smart about what you put in your body, your diet can play a positive role in chronic pain relief. High fiber vegetables, fatty fish and vitamin-packed fruits can all help your body get the nutrients it needs to thrive. On the flip side, foods that are high in fat or carbohydrates can contribute to inflammation onset, which can make joint movement more uncomfortable. Strive to improve your diet or create a food journal so that you can get a better idea of what’s working and what’s not when it comes to your diet.

Work With A Specialist – Don’t try to overcome a chronic pain condition on your own, because it can be extremely daunting. Instead, connect with a specialist who can help develop an individualized treatment plan based on your specific needs. Knowing you have an ally in your corner can go a long way in helping your mental health, which is imperative for overcoming chronic pain, because pain conditions aren’t just a physical issue. Let a professional help guide you to independence from chronic pain.

Stay Hydrated – Your joints and muscles work optimally when they are appropriately hydrated, so drinking plenty of water throughout the day can help your body function and reduce instances of chronic pain. Being appropriately hydrated improves your circulation and makes it easier on your heart to effectively pump this blood throughout your body. Being hydrated won’t solve your chronic pain by itself, but it can make it easier for your muscles to move effectively during exercise.

We hope you have a wonderful 4th of July, and if you want help becoming independent from your chronic pain condition, consider syncing up with Dr. Cohn and his team. For more information, or for help with your chronic pain issue, give Dr. Cohn’s office a call today at (952) 738-4580.

Tips For Managing Your Fibromyalgia During The Summer

/ Thomas Cohn, MD

fibromyalgia summerThe summer weather is here to stay for a while in Minnesota, and while warmer temperatures may be a treat to some, they can also make it more likely that you’ll experience a flareup with your fibromyalgia. Studies have shown that our joints tend to work better in warmer temperatures than in colder temps, but summer heat can make it more likely for muscles to cramp, headaches to develop or fibromyalgia flareups, none of which are enjoyable.

With that in mind, we wanted to share some tips for preventing fibromyalgia flareups during the warm summer months.

Preventing Fibro Flareup This Summer

Everyone’s fibromyalgia condition is unique to them, so there’s no guanrantee that these techniques will prevent any and all flareups. That being said, many people notice that their flareups are less common when they strive to keep these tips in mind throughout the summer.

Stay Hydrated – Stay hydrated so that it’s easier for your heart to pump healthy blood to structures that need it the most. If you’re dehydrated, it will be harder for your muscles to get the oxygen they need to work efficiently, which can lead to cramps, spasms and fibromyalgia-related pain. It’s helpful to keep a water bottle nearby at all times, but that’s especially true in the summer.

Dress Appropriately – Tight, restrictive clothing or heavy options that make it harder for your body to regulate its temperature can also make it more likely that you’ll have a flareup. Patients with fibromyalgia or Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) will want to wear light, breathable options to help keep nerve irritation at bay.

Stay Cool – Look for shady spots if you have to be outdoors, and do your best to avoid extended periods out in the hot summer sun. Again, this can make it harder for your body to keep itself cool and regulate its temperature, which can send nerves into overdrive. Find ways to stay cool and avoid becoming overheated when outdoors this summer.

Eye The Air Quality Index – Keep an eye on the air quality index this summer. Low air quality can lead to more inflammation in your muscles and joints, making a fibro flareup more likely. You can’t control the air quality, but be mindful of how low quality days may affect your condition.

Mind Your Diet – Eating a healthy diet can sometimes make fibromyalgia symptoms less noticeable, so consider tracking what you eat and removing trigger foods from your diet. Summer is oftentimes a time when we are tempted with unhealthier options at barbecues and picnics, so while it’s fine to indulge here or there, take note of which foods seem to help alleviate your symptoms or which ones make things worse.

Speak To A Specialist – Finally, if you dread summer because of how it affects your fibromyalgia, now is the time to speak to a specialist like Dr. Cohn. We can get to the bottom of your condition and set you up with an individualized care plan based on your specific needs. For more information, or for help with your chronic pain issue, give Dr. Cohn’s office a call today at (952) 738-4580.

Five Tips For Alleviating Chronic Headaches

/ Thomas Cohn, MD

headachesA headache can ruin your day and affect your mood. Even if your headaches are only presenting with dull soreness or pressure, these symptoms can make every day a challenge. Headaches can seem difficult to treat because their cause isn’t as obvious as a condition like a broken arm or a herniated spinal disc, which is why it’s important to know a few different helpful ways to alleviate your headaches. In today’s blog, we focus on five of them.

How To Reduce Headache Symptoms And Frequency

Here’s a look at a few different conservative methods for reducing headache symptoms or preventing their onset:

1. Staying Hydrated – A number of different health issues can be caused or exacerbated by being dehydrated, and headaches are one of them. Dehydration can lead to muscle tension or cramping in facial muscles that can contribute to tension headaches.

2. Exercise – Daily exercise helps to improve circulation, which can ward off headache onset. Strive to become more active, and you may find that your headaches are fewer and farther between.

3. The Daith Piercing – As we’ve talked about numerous times on the blog in the past, the Daith piercing is a low-cost option that may help provide headache relief. You can learn more about the piercing itself and why researchers believe it may prove beneficial by taking a look at some of our blogs on the subject.

4. Yoga and Meditation – Yoga, meditation and other mindfulness techniques can all help improve blood flow, which as we talked about in the exercise section, can help to relieve headache symptom and prevent their onset. Additionally, yoga and meditation can help a person reduce their stress and anxiety levels, which are also closely related to headache onset. If yoga and meditation aren’t for you, find some other ways to manage stress in your life.

5. Consult With A Specialist – Finally, if you’re still struggling to overcome your chronic headaches, it’s time to set up a consultation with a pain management specialist like Dr. Cohn. He can use a number of different tools to help pinpoint the contributing factors to your headache onset and set you up with an individualized treatment plan to reduce or eliminate them.

If you are bothered by daily or chronic headaches, take the first step on the road to recovery and reach out to Dr. Cohn and his team today.

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