halloween

Making Chronic Pain Less Scary

/ Thomas Cohn, MD

pain scary halloweenHalloween is right around the corner, and we want to stay on theme with the spooky holiday by talking about ways to make your chronic pain condition less scary. So below, read up on some tips that can help you take more control over your chronic pain and prevent you from living in fear of your condition.

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.

Surviving Halloween If You Have Chronic Pain

/ Thomas Cohn, MD

halloween painChronic pain can make any day a pain, but some days are just worse than others. Halloween is one of those days that many people with chronic pain want to avoid, but with a little foresight and planning, you can not only survive, but thrive this Halloween if you have chronic pain.

Below, we share some tips for having a fun Halloween night even if you’re burdened by chronic pain.

Halloween and Chronic Pain

We want to help you plan for any occasion, so whether you’re planning on handing out candy, Trick or Treating around the neighborhood with your kids or hitting up a friend’s Halloween party, we’ve got some helpful tips for you.

1. Comfort if Key – Regardless of what you plan on doing tonight, make sure you are comfortable. Having poor posture or being in an uncomfortable costume can be a recipe for a chronic pain flareup. Set up a table and chair on your porch to hand out candy so you’re not always moving and opening your door to get to Trick or Treaters. When it comes to making your costume, prioritize comfort over style. You’re not going to be much fun in your costume if it contributes to your chronic pain condition.

2. Stay Warm – It’s going to be pretty cold here in Minnesota on Halloween, so dress appropriately. If you’re not dressed for the weather, blood vessels can constrict and affect healthy blood flow throughout your body, which can contribute to a pain flareup. Check the whether, plan for the cold and stay warm if you’re going to be outdoors to help avoid a painful flareup.

3. Candy Consumption – If your child comes home with a pillowcase full of candy, or the party you’re at has mounds of chocolate, practice some self-control and limit your sugar intake. Over-consumption of sugar can lead to the onset of inflammation in your joints and spine, leading to painful movements and compressed structures. A Kit Kat here or there isn’t going to kill you, but don’t just mindlessly work your way through your leftover candy while you watch a movie on the couch, or you may have some aches in the near future.

4. Know Your Limits – Another reason why chronic pain patients have bad days is because they overdid it the night before. Don’t stay out until all hours of the night or walk miles around the neighborhood, because the lack of sleep and all that walking will affect your total body health. Don’t be afraid to say “no” on Halloween, and try not to deviate too much from your normal routine. Otherwise you may be hurting later in the evening or when you wake up in the morning.

If you can follow these tips, we’re confident you’ll thrive this Halloween. And for help with your chronic pain condition, don’t hesitate to reach out to Dr. Cohn’s office!