chronic pain scary Archives - Minnesota Physical Medicine Blog

Chronic pain, like Halloween, can be scary, and one driving factor behind our fear of our chronic pain condition is that certain aspects of our care are not easy to talk about. However, we’re here to shine a light on these issues and bring them to the forefront so that they are easier to talk about and less stigmatized. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at five scary side effects of chronic pain that we don’t always talk about.

Scary Side Effects Of Chronic Pain

Chronic pain can be scary for a number of reasons outside of the physical pain. Here’s a look at some of the scary side effects of chronic pain that we don’t always talk about.

1. Isolating – Chronic pain can be extremely isolating. It can make you not want to get out of bed and negatively affect your social life. You may not want to go out with friends or family because you’re scared of a flare up. You may also feel like the only person who knows what you’re going through, and if other people can’t relate to your pain, you can feel all alone. However, you don’t have to feel alone. Really open up with your friends about why your chronic pain is limiting, and strive to reach out on good days. Also, know that there are support groups and pain management specialists who want to help treat your pain any way we can so you have fewer bad days.

2. Self-Defeating – Chronic pain can make it so you don’t want to get out of bed, and this inactivity can worsen a chronic pain condition. A chronic pain condition can be self-defeating, but only if you allow it to be. It won’t always be easy, but fight through your discomfort and find ways to win some small battles on even the worst of days. Get up, get moving and do your therapy exercises. It will make it easier to get out of bed the next day.

3. Pain Is So Individualized – Pain is so unique to the individual, and so it can be tough to really find someone who knows exactly what you’re going through. That’s why it can be so difficult to find relief through online forums and your inner circle. Nobody can really relate to your specific pain. That said, a pain management specialist has likely seen very similar cases and has experience helping those patients overcome their pain. Pain is very individualized, but a professional can help find individualized solutions to your pain.

4. It Will Never Go Away – Many patients feel like their chronic pain condition will never go away, but the good news is that’s not typically true. While we may not be able to fully resolve your pain, the vast majority of patients can see a significant reduction in symptoms by working with a specialist and really committing to an active treatment plan. Pain is only defeating if you allow it to be, so focus on your progress and know that it’s possible to feel better in the near future.

5. The Psychological Effects – Finally, chronic pain can have a significant effect on a person’s mental health. A restricting condition can leave a person feeling as if they are less of a parent or a spouse because of the way their condition affects them. This is entirely untrue, but that doesn’t mean that it always feels untrue. It’s imperative to treat the physical and the psychological effects of chronic pain, because physical pain can take a huge toll on our mental well-being.

To talk with someone about any of these five aspects, or to get in contact with a specialist who will put your health first, reach out to Dr. Cohn’s office today.

Making Pain Less Scary

One of the reasons why a chronic pain condition can be so frightening is because of our lack of control over the situation. Patients don’t know if today will be a good day or a bad day, and the anxiety with not having control over your pain condition can make physical symptoms worse. Below, we share some tips for regaining control over your chronic pain condition.

1. Stay Active – A pain condition can make it easier for a person to want to lie in bed and avoid participating in daily life, but that only serves to make your condition worse in the long run. Activity and exercise help to build muscle and release endorphins that act as a natural pain reliever. Being active also helps your mental mindset, which can go a long way in helping you calm fears or anxiety over your chronic pain condition. Force yourself to do some physical activity each day, even if it’s just walking around the block.

2. Get A Diagnosis – You might be hoping that chronic pain will just go away on its own, but that’s rarely the case. Passively treating the condition by looking for information online is limited in its ability to help you, and in many cases it can actually make a person more anxious over their pain due to over-diagnosing the issue. To get peace of mind over your condition, get a confirmed and individualized diagnosis from a pain management specialist.

3. Control What You Can Control – As we mentioned above, a lot of our fears over our condition stem from our inability to control the situation. And while you can’t control everything, you need to focus your attention and efforts on the things you can control, like your exercise levels, your diet and your willingness to actively treat your condition head-on each and every day. If you can say you’ve done all you can to help keep your condition at bay, then you shouldn’t lose sleep over your condition. You’re controlling what you can control, and sometimes that’s all you can do.

4. Improve Your Diet – Eating healthier won’t cause your back pain to vanish, but it does play a crucial role in being able to work towards less daily pain. A healthy diet will give you more energy to be active or to fight through the days when you just want to lay in bed. It can also help you keep off extra weight, which can sometimes exacerbate a pain condition. You don’t need to eat perfectly every meal, but keep your health in mind when meal planning.

5. Education – The more we learn about our pain condition, the less fear it holds over us. Never be afraid to turn to your pain specialist for answers to questions or concerns you might have. The internet can also be a helpful option if you make sure you’re finding information from reputable sources, but again, your care team will be able to provide the best advice for your specific situation, so lean on them for help along the way!

For more information, or for help with your chronic pain condition, reach out to Dr. Cohn’s office today.