Chronic pain is a consistent pain that is usually felt for over six months. There are many different forms of chronic pain, for example, some patients describe chronic pain as an ongoing shooting pain whilst others describe it as a burning or aching pain. Aside from the physical pain, chronic pain often has other side effects such as fatigue, stiffness and depression. If you are suffering from chronic pain, there are steps you can take to try and reduce the pain and improve your lifestyle.
1. Relaxation exercises
Learning relaxation exercises, such as deep breathing or meditation, for when your chronic pain feels particularly debilitating, can help keep your body calm and reduce the amount of stress the body feels under. Try to focus on deep, repetitive breathing and not the pain your body is in.
2. Regular exercise
There are multiple benefits to exercise, such as building your muscle strength, improving your mood and reducing your risk of heart disease. Due to your chronic pain, you may not be able to take part in high-intensity exercise but low impact exercises such as walking or yoga can be just as effective.
3. Quit smoking and limit alcohol intake
Smoking can make existing circulation problems worse, increasing chronic pain for some individuals. Aside from this, smoking has numerous other negative health side effects, such as increasing an individual’s risk of being diagnosed with cancer. Many people who deal with chronic pain have trouble sleeping and alcohol, contrary to popular belief, actually makes sleep problems worse. Alcohol should, therefore, be consumed in limitation and rarely if you have chronic pain.
4. See a chronic pain specialist
This is the most important tip in our list. If you have been suffering from chronic pain in your muscles, bones, joints or tendons, you should seek the help of a rheumatologist. A rheumatologist is a chronic joint pain doctor who can help you understand your pain and help you find the right treatment plan.
Contact a private London rheumatologist
If you are looking for a chronic pain doctor, contact Dr Naveen Bhadauria today, he offers his services in luxurious clinic rooms at 25 Harley Street in London, Spire London East, BMI Cavell and King’s Oak.
Article by Dr. Naveen Bhadauria
