Tips For Starting An Exercise Program When Everything Hurts

December 28, 2023 / Thomas Cohn, MD

Exercising and chronic pain can be like oil and water. It can be hard to start exercising if you have chronic pain, but there’s a good chance that your chronic pain condition will improve by pursuing an exercise program. But how can you overcome a chronic pain condition and begin a beneficial exercise regimen? In today’s blog, we share some tips for starting an exercise program when your body hurts as a result of a chronic pain condition.

Starting An Exercise Program In Spite Of Chronic Pain

Starting and sticking to an exercise routine that will see you become a healthier version of yourself is never easy, and that’s especially true if you have a chronic pain condition. That said, there are some ways to make it a little easier to exercise despite your chronic pain condition. Here’s how:

Get Creative – When people think of traditional exercise, they oftentimes think of a running program. Running is a great way to build your muscles and challenge your body, but it certainly isn’t the only way to exercise. Get creative when it comes to exercise and pursue an activity that you find enjoyable (or at least bearable). Consider doing some yoga, riding your bike around the city or swimming laps at the local pool.

Develop A Routine – We know that developing a standard routine isn’t always easy when you have to adapt to the challenges of chronic pain, but begin to carve out some regular time for exercise. Perhaps that means waking up a half hour earlier on Mondays and Thursdays, or stopping at the gym on your way home from work a couple days a week. Your body and your brain will slowly start to get used to this routine, which will make it easier to regularly pursue exercise.

Pay Attention To Your Recovery Period – Even if you don’t have a chronic pain condition, odds are you’ll have some soreness and discomfort after exercising. It’s important that you help your body recover after exercise so that this discomfort doesn’t linger. Eat a healthy diet, get up and move, do some light stretching and stay hydrated to make it easier for your body to recover from the rigors of exercise.

Set Attainable Exercise Goals – We’re more likely to keep coming back for more exercise if we set realistic and attainable goals. Don’t plan to exercise 4-5 times a week if you are starting a new program. Slowly begin a new exercise program and gradually push yourself to take on bigger challenges. If you bite off more than you can chew or your goals are too lofty, you can end up sabotaging your own exercise routine. Set challenging but realistic goals.

Work With A Pain Management Specialist – Finally, know that you don’t have to develop and pursue an exercise program while dealing with chronic pain on your own. Dr. Cohn and his team can help you develop an exercise routine tailored to your strengths and current limitations so that it’s easier for you to reach your goals. Chronic pain can be isolating, but you have resources that you can lean on when your pain condition makes daily activities like exercise difficult. Let us help you make is easier to pursue regular exercise in spite of your pain condition.

Exercise has countless benefits for your body, and oftentimes it can really help to lessen symptoms of a chronic pain condition. It won’t be easy to start an exercise program when everything hurts, but we know it will be worth it. For more information, or for help with a different chronic pain issue, reach out to Dr. Cohn’s office today at (952) 738-4580.

What Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

December 14, 2023 / Thomas Cohn, MD

A new report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that roughly 3.3 million Americans are battling what’s known as chronic fatigue syndrome. CDC Dr. Elizabeth Unger, co-author of the report, noted that chronic fatigue syndrome is clearly “not a rare illness.” But what is chronic fatigue syndrome, and can it be effectively treated? We take a closer look in today’s blog.

Understanding And Treating Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic pain and chronic fatigue syndrome are similar in that they both describe a condition that has gone unresolved for months. Pain is considered chronic when it remains present despite attempts at treatment for more than three months. Chronic fatigue syndrome is characterized by at least six months of severe fatigue and exhaustion that is not improved by bed rest. Other symptoms that commonly accompany chronic fatigue syndrome include:

Brain fog
Pain
Discomfort after physical activity

Medical professionals don’t really know a specific cause of chronic fatigue syndrome, but many believe the problem is housed in the immune system. If something triggers a reaction of the body’s natural immune response, it can be physically draining. It’s not just the presence of a virus or bacteria that is making your tired, it’s also because your body is working hard behind the scenes to fight off this foreign invader. For many patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, it’s believed that their immune system is hypersensitive or has been exposed to a prolonged overreaction.

Although there is currently no cure for chronic fatigue syndrome, that doesn’t mean that treatment is futile. Treatments can help to manage and relieve symptoms, so you have options when it comes to fighting back against chronic fatigue. Oftentimes a combination of the following treatments are recommended for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome:

Medications
Anti-depressants (if appropriate)
Pace training to avoid overexertion
Low-impact exercise
Improving sleep quality
Mental and emotional health counseling
Cognitive behavioral therapy

Like chronic pain, chronic fatigue syndrome is highly unique to the individual, so while the above treatment techniques are oftentimes recommended, it is in your best interest to connect with a specialist and develop a treatment plan tailored to your specific needs.

Finally, chronic pain can oftentimes be misclassified as chronic fatigue syndrome. Pain is physically, mentally and emotionally draining, and this can leave you feeling tired and unmotivated. However, there oftentimes is a cure for chronic pain conditions, so don’t give up on your quest to find relief. If you are wondering if your fatigue is tied to a chronic pain issue, consider reaching out to a pain management specialist in your area. Dr. Cohn specializes in helping patients find the true source of their issue and so that they can get access to the specific types of treatment they need to overcome their condition. If pain is truly at the heart of your fatigue, let us be a resource for you.

For more information about chronic fatigue syndrome, or for assistance overcoming a chronic pain problem, reach out to Dr. Cohn and his team today at (952) 738-4580.

1 in 4 Chronic Pain Patients Treating Their Condition With Medications Only

November 22, 2023 / Thomas Cohn, MD

New data from the National Institutes of Health found that more than 1 in 4 patients with a chronic pain condition were pursuing pharmacologic treatments as their only form of care. As we’ve said on this blog time and time again, chronic pain is a complex issue that needs to be treated with a combination of active and passive treatments.

Pharmacologic treatments are considered a passive treatment and involve things like over-the-counter medications, prescription nonopioids and opioids. Non-pharmacologic treatments tend to be more active in nature, like exercise, physical therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. Dr. Cohn and his team follow the current recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which suggest that chronic pain treatment oftentimes works best with a mix of nonpharacologic and pharmacologic therapies.

However, a recent NIH survey found that a fair amount of chronic pain patients are pursuing passive care as their only treatment option for their chronic pain condition. A survey of 7,422 patients with chronic pain uncovered that 26.6 percent of adults said pharmacologic therapy was their only form of chronic pain treatment.

Chronic Pain Treatment Findings

Additional findings from the survey include:

60.2 percent of adults were pursuing both pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic therapies for their pain condition.

The most common pharmacologic treatments used were over-the-counter pain relievers (75.5%), prescription nonopioids (31.1%) and prescription opioids (13.5%).

The most common nonpharmacologic therapies used were exercise (55%), complementary therapies (36.7%), physical or occupation therapy (17.2%) and cognitive behavioral therapy (2.2%).

Older adults with more severe pain and those on public insurance were more likely to treat their pain with prescription opioids

The most concerning finding from the survey was that more than 1 in 4 patients are taking medications as their only form of chronic pain management. These medications treat the symptoms, and while they can calm inflammation or make movement more comfortable, they won’t serve to address the underlying issue that is causing inflammation or similar joint issues. You absolutely need to pair passive techniques like rest and medications with active techniques like exercise and physical therapy. These active treatments help you become stronger so that you can better handle stress, and they also work to stabilize structures that could be suffering from instability or mobility issues. Medications won’t solve your root problem, and while they can be a great compliment to a comprehensive treatment program, they are never a good stand alone option!

To connect with a provider who can develop a treatment plan suited to your specific needs, or to help create a treatment plan that incorporates the right balance of active and passive treatments, reach out to Dr. Cohn and his team today at (952) 738-4580.

How To Tackle The Physical, Mental And Emotional Sides Of Chronic Pain

November 17, 2023 / Thomas Cohn, MD

The physical pain of a chronic pain condition gets most of the attention, but a pain issue affects you in more than just a physical manner. There is also a significant mental and emotional side of chronic pain, and if you aren’t careful in how you treat the problem, you may find that the issue never fully resolves. In today’s blog, we take a look at some ways to tackle these three sides of a chronic pain problem.

Managing The Physical Side Of Chronic Pain

Let’s start by looking at the physical ways you can fight back against your chronic pain condition. These are some of the most common treatments that will be recommended from your pain management specialist. Odds are they suggest a combination of some of the following techniques:

Daily exercise
Controlled stretching
Physical therapy
Posture improvements
Weight loss

All of these techniques serve to make you physically stronger or make it easier for your body to handle the stress that you are putting on it. Because chronic pain is oftentimes tied to a stability issue or problematic inflammation, working to improving your body’s functional performance through physical activity and exertion and be extremely beneficial.

Managing The Mental Side Of Chronic Pain

A chronic pain condition can also put a significant burden on your mental health, so it’s important that you don’t ignore your mental health while you’re pursuing some of the physical treatments listed above. Chronic pain can leave you feeling worried and anxious, so you’ll want to make sure that you are stimulating your brain and working to appropriately frame your chronic pain condition in your mind. For example, don’t just lay in bed all day and hope that pain goes away. Find ways to stimulate your brain and take your mind off chronic pain. Pursuing mentally stimulating activities can lead to the production of hormones that can help drown out pain signals.

It’s also important that you have the right mindset when it comes to your chronic pain condition. It can be easy to catastrophize your pain condition or always view things with a “glass half empty” perspective. You can’t always control your pain, but there are certain aspects you can control, and if you put your time and effort into the aspects of your condition that you can control (like diet, exercise, mental stimulation), you can take solace in knowing you are doing what you need to do to fight back against chronic pain. Try not to focus on the uncontrollable and reframe how you approach your care, and you’ll find that you have more peace over your condition, which can actually help you overcome your pain!

Managing The Emotional Side Of Chronic Pain

Finally, chronic pain can also be very emotionally draining. If you’ve had your pain condition for a while, odds are you’ve had to cancel plans to stop pursuing certain activities you love because of your pain, and that can really wear on a person’s emotions. Similar to the above point on how you need to pursue activities that are mentally stimulating and rewarding, you need to also throw yourself into activities that are emotionally rewarding. Have a friend over for dinner, go for a walk with your sister, call your friend who moved across the country, etc.

You can also find emotionally rewarding activities that don’t depend on other people. Force yourself to go see that new movie, volunteer to walk a dog at the adoption shelter every Friday, or simply curl up with a new book. Chronic pain can be isolating and emotionally draining, so you also want to make sure that you are finding ways to add a little joy to your life. When you’re happier and emotionally balanced, it will be much easier to manage the ups and downs of a pain condition.

If you need help with any of these aspects, or your want to create an individualized care plan for your pain issue, reach out to Dr. Cohn and his team today at (952) 738-4580.

When Your Pain Concerns Are Being Ignored By Your Doctor

November 2, 2023 / Thomas Cohn, MD

As we’ve talked about on the blog numerous times in the past, chronic pain can be an extremely frustrating condition, and that frustration only ratchets up another level when you feel like your needs are not being met by your pain care provider. The one person who should have your back during your battle with chronic pain is your doctor, so what should you do if you feel like you’re not being heard or your needs aren’t being met? We share some tips on what you should do in this situation.

When You’re Not Being Heard By Your Pain Specialist

If you feel like your concerns simply aren’t being met by your pain care provider, take a deep breath and follow some of this advice.

1. Let Your Doctor Know – First and foremost, you’ll want to have a conversation with your doctor. There’s a very good chance that you and your doctor have different expectations or goals for your pain care, and oftentimes you can get on the same page with a simple conversation. When communicating with your doctor, be specific. Give examples of situations where you felt like you weren’t being heard or your needs weren’t met. We want this communication to be conversational, meaning that you want to talk and you also want to listen to what the other side has to say. You’d be amazed at how often care problems can be resolved with a constructive conversation.

2. Self-Evaluate – It’s also important that you take time to reflect on yourself and your situation to make sure that your frustrations are valid and directed in the right place. As we mentioned above, chronic pain can be extremely frustrating, and it’s not uncommon for patients to take that frustration out on their provider, despite the fact that their doctor is doing everything in their power to help them manage their condition. We’re not saying that your concerns aren’t valid, but self-evaluation is important in all walks of life, and it would be a shame for misplaced frustration to cause a rift between you and your care provider.

3. Ask For An Explanation – One thing many providers are guilty of is not deeply explaining the “why” behind their treatment recommendations. Whether it’s because they assume the patient has a better understanding of their condition and treatment than they do, or they simply focus on the end result and not the method itself, it’s easy for doctors to overlook important aspects of your care. Perhaps you feel like your concerns aren’t being met because you don’t understand why they are recommending the treatment they are, so please ask for clarification. We’d be more than happy to explain exactly why we believe our recommended treatment course is right for your specific situation.

4. Don’t Dwell On One Specific Instance – If you’re working to overcome a chronic pain condition, odds are you’ve visited your provider on a number of occasions. Many of those visits probably went fine, but it can be easy to really focus on one negative experience. Try not to let one bad interaction sour your experience with your doctor. We all have bad days and are juggling personal and professionally responsibilities, and we’d all like a do-over from time to time. Try to grant your provider some grace, but if the behavior becomes a pattern, move on to the last tip.

5. Find A New Provider – Finally, if you’ve tried all of the above and still feel like your doctor isn’t the right provider for you, it’s time to look elsewhere for care. We know that switching providers can be a headache, but it will be worth it to connect with a professional who truly puts your needs first. We’d love to be that provider for you, so if you want to connect with a doctor who will make sure your concerns are always heard, reach out to Dr. Cohn and his team today at (952) 738-4580.