chronic pain condition

Looking On The Bright Side Of Chronic Pain

/ Thomas Cohn, MD

bright sideChronic pain can be a burden, and while we would never wish it on anybody, we always want to look for a silver lining in life. We’re hesitant to say that there are benefits associated with having a chronic pain condition, but we do think that going through a chronic pain battle gives you a unique outlook and life experience. In today’s blog, we want to look at the bright side of chronic pain.

The Silver Lining Of Life With Chronic Pain

Chronic pain has molded you into the person you are, and that can have an upside! Here’s a look at the bright side of life with chronic pain.

1. You Are Stronger Because Of It – It takes an incredibly strong person to get out of bed and face their chronic pain condition every day. You may not feel stronger because of your chronic pain condition, but trust us when we say that you are strong and resilient. You don’t need to be strong every single moment of every day, because chronic pain is incredibly draining, but in those moments where you force yourself to exercise, to complete your physical therapy routine or to simply eat a healthy meal, you are showing your strength in the face of chronic pain.

2. You Have Empathy – Nobody knows exactly what you are going through, but having chronic pain gives you a unique perspective when it comes to relating to the personal problems of others. Empathy is a trait that many people with chronic pain want others to have with them, so they are often great at giving that empathy to others. You know how to support others even when you don’t know exactly what they are dealing with.

3. You’re More Patient – Chronic pain is rarely overcome with one visit to the doctor or one trip to the physical therapist. Effective treatment takes time, and you need to have patience. Many chronic pain suffers come to the realization that this is going to take time to treat, and they become more patient as a result, and this patience spills over into other aspects of their life.

4. You’re Creative – Living with chronic pain forces you to adapt to flare ups at a moment’s notice. You end up finding creative ways to handle your condition and keep it from disrupting your life. There’s nothing like an unexpected challenge to bring out your creative side.

5. You’re More Perceptive – Finally, we find that chronic pain patients tend to be more perceptive not only to their own health but to the world around them. You begin to sense when a flare up may be coming and take steps to keep it from ruining your day, and you may be more perceptive when others just don’t seem like themselves. Many patients with chronic pain feel like they put on a mask in order to hide their chronic pain condition from the world, and this makes you more perceptive to when other people are putting their walls up.

Dealing with a chronic pain condition is no fun, but we urge you to look at the bright side and see what positive changes your condition has brought out in you. And for help managing a chronic pain issue, we hope you’ll reach out to Dr. Cohn and his team at (952) 738-4580.

What To Do When Pain Becomes Chronic

/ Thomas Cohn, MD

chronic pain womenAs we get older, we start to notice that our bodies simply don’t feel the same as they did when we were younger. Instead of jumping out of bed like a spry chicken, we may be a little stiff, have a few dull aches or even notice some pain in new places. This discomfort may fade as we start to move more throughout the day, but what if that dull pain never goes away, or it becomes more intense? When pain becomes more regular, it’s known as chronic pain, and treating it is one of Dr. Cohn’s specialties.

When Pain Becomes Chronic

If you’ve noticed that aches and pains are becoming more frequent, there are a few things you’ll want to do to get back to a pain-free way of living. Here are some things you should do if you are dealing with constant or chronic pain.

1. Acknowledge It – Don’t try to keep pushing through each day as if this chronic condition is normal. Even though you’re getting older, it’s important to remember that chronic pain is never normal and is not just a part of the aging process. If you continue to do the same actions that led to its onset in the first place, symptoms are only going to get worse, which can also make treatment much harder.

2. Assess Your Daily Activities – Take a step back and consider how your lifestyle may be contributing to or working to relieve the pain. A healthy diet and regular exercise can oftentimes help to fight back against chronic pain, whereas a sedentary lifestyle and poor posture could be the direct cause of your chronic low back pain. Conduct a self-assessment of your daily activities and work to make some positive changes to see if that helps.

3. Talk To A Doctor – Whether it is your primary care physician or a pain management specialist like Dr. Cohn, you need to talk to a professional about your pain. When pain becomes chronic, you owe it to yourself to connect with a specialist who can provide you with a comprehensive diagnosis and set you up with an individualized treatment plan. Oftentimes treatment is simpler than expected once you connect with someone with decades of experience helping others overcome similar conditions.

4. Get Regular Sleep – Sleep is essential for your body and your mind. A number of bodily functions reset and rest while you’re asleep, and it also helps you destress from the day. All of this is imperative for pain control. If you’re not getting good sleep, don’t be surprised if you pain worsens. Make your bedroom an environment that is conducive to restful and uninterrupted sleep.

5. Increase Your Activity – A final thing to do if you have chronic pain is to increase your daily activity. That may seem counter-intuitive, but activity will drive muscle development and stability in areas that may be causing your pain. You don’t need to run a marathon, but go for a 30-minute walk or find simple ways to move more each day. Your body thrives with movement, whereas muscles can atrophy if we don’t work to develop them. It won’t always be easy if you have chronic pain, but movement is typically very helpful for a variety of pain conditions.

Don’t let chronic pain become your new normal. For help overcoming your chronic pain condition, reach out to Dr. Cohn and his team today.

Why Chronic Pain Is A Family Affair

/ Thomas Cohn, MD

spouse painYour family deserves you at your best, but sometimes chronic pain can make it difficult to be completely in the moment with your family. It’s important to realize the role your family plays in treating and overcoming your chronic pain condition, and they’ll benefit too from a mother or father who is living without chronic pain. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at the reciprocal relationship between your chronic pain condition and your family.

Why You Need Your Family If You Have Chronic Pain

One of the biggest problems that individuals with chronic pain face is the feeling of isolation caused by their condition. Chronic pain can be incredibly isolating for a number of reasons. You may feel like you’re the only person dealing with your specific condition, or that others can’t fully understand what you’re going through. A pain condition can also lead you to withdraw from your favorite activities or to grow apart form your social circle, which only serves to make isolation feel worse.

That’s why it’s so important to have a family that supports your quest for successful treatment. Find your number one supporter and lean on them when times get tough. Whether that’s a spouse, a boyfriend, a sister or a parent, you need to have someone who you can turn to when a flare up is making daily life difficult. Some of you already know who this person is, but others may not have someone they can easily lean on. Our advice is to sit down with a loved one, explain that you’ll have bad days and that you hope you can count on them for support, and that they’d be welcome to attend an appointment with you to help better understand your condition and what you’re going through.

Leaning on family for support throughout your chronic pain treatment is extremely important. Knowing you’re not alone can help relieve some of the burden of your pain condition, and having someone who understands what you’re going through helps to alleviate some of the guilt and mental anguish that can accompany your pain. You’d be amazed at the physical progress we can make treating chronic pain when we also address some of the mental stressors in our life.

Why Your Family Needs You

Conversely, your family will also reap the benefits of a spouse or a parent who is in control of their chronic pain condition. The most obvious reason behind this claim is that we function better when we’re not in constant or intense pain. We can think more clearly, react more appropriately and be in a better mood when we’re not dealing with a flareup, and your family will appropriate this. Even if you do a great job thinking clearly, reacting appropriately and controlling your mood when you’re in pain, you know how exhausting this can be. You’re simply not at your best when you’re dealing with chronic pain, and your family deserves to have you at your best.

Chronic pain can also provide you with a teaching moment for your family. While they may never truly understand your pain, your spouse and your children will certainly take note of how your handle and overcome chronic pain. Show them that you are a warrior and what true strength looks like. Overcoming your chronic pain doesn’t mean hiding your condition and living a life of silent pain, it means being open with those closest to you so you can give yourself the best chance of effectively treating the issue. Make them proud of what you’ve overcome by working to treat your chronic pain condition, and you’ll be a role model for your entire family.

Overcoming chronic pain isn’t easy, but it’s something both you and your family deserve. To connect with a physician who understands this and who wants to be part of your solution, reach out to Dr. Cohn’s office today.

Surviving The Holidays If You Have Chronic Pain

/ Thomas Cohn, MD

holidays painThe holiday season is upon us, and while it’s often marketed as the happiest time of the year, for individuals with chronic pain, the holiday season is often filled with stress and pain. Those two things – stress and pain – often go hand in hand with one another because stress can be a chronic pain trigger, and the holidays can be one of the most stressful times of the year, in turn making it a painful time of the year for chronic pain sufferers.

And while we don’t have all the answers to make your holiday season perfect, there is a playbook you should follow if you want to help prevent against painful flareups. Below, we share some tips for surviving the holiday season if you have chronic pain.

Pain, Stress and the Holidays

This blog is going to focus on some of the major stressors of the holiday season and tips for alleviating this stress so that they don’t become a source of a chronic pain flareup.

Finances – Money can easily become tight during the holiday season if we’re not careful, and money is one of the most common sources of stress during everyday life. Develop a budget, limit your spending and make sure that you don’t go into a financial hole trying to buy things during the holiday, because this can lead to stress and pain flareups.

Diet – A poor diet can also trigger inflammation and a pain flareup, so try to eat somewhat healthy over the holidays. It can be easy to indulge in Christmas candy and stocking stuffers, but if you eat too much sugar, your pain condition may be more present throughout the holidays. Strive to make more healthy food choices during the holidays.

Limited Exercise – Exercise is a great way for us to manage stress, but oftentimes it can be tough to perform your regular exercise during the holidays. You may be crunched for time because of the holidays or find it difficult to perform a workout when it’s cold and dark most of the day, but don’t avoid physical activity. If you find yourself getting stressed, carve out time for some simple exercise, because it will be beneficial for both your mind and body.

COVID Stress – Obviously the coronavirus is still a major problem in Minnesota and throughout the United States, and fear of contracting the virus during family gatherings or church can lead to a lot of internal stress. Put your health first and avoid unsafe gatherings. You’re not a Grinch or a Scrooge if you skip out on certain events this year because of rightful concerns over the coronavirus. Don’t add stress to your plate because you felt obligated to go to an unsafe gathering.

Take Time For Yourself – If you’re one of those people who wants to please everyone else during the holidays, you need to make sure you’re taking some time for yourself. Because if you don’t, stress will catch up with you. Practice some yoga or meditation, or just wake up 30 minutes before everyone else and take some time to enjoy your morning coffee in peace. If you take time for yourself, you’ll be better able to care for others during the holiday.

Sleep – Finally, make sure you are getting enough quality sleep each and every day. Lack of sleep can lead to inflammation and chronic pain flareups. We know that this is easier said than done, but force yourself to head to bed at a reasonable time and make your bedroom an ideal sleep environment. Improving your sleep quality is one of the easiest ways to limit stress and chronic pain flareups.

If you need help with any of the above aspects, or you want professional assistance with your pain condition, reach out to Dr. Cohn’s office today.