Let’s talk about managing chronic pain. In this post, I share 5 tips you can implement starting today. But first, for those of you out there who wonder what it’s like for disabled people to get through a day with constant pain, I’d like to give you an example:
Imagine you’re swimming in the deep end of a pool. You tread water, maintaining your head above the surface for five minutes. These minutes initially seem easy, but it steadily becomes more difficult. You start to struggle. At that moment when you’re desperately trying to keep paddling with your muscles burning, your brain in a panic, and your energy rapidly draining away while trying to keep your head above water… you paddle another hour, because your life is dependent on you never giving up no matter how worn out you feel.
Could you do this each day? What thoughts come to mind when confronted with this question? This is the daily challenge we face with chronic pain.
When someone is managing pain, they may also feel like they’re always on trial. When they display their pain in public, people may react negatively. Seeing others distance themselves can leave you with the impression that your only option is letting your pain out in private. People living with pain and exhaustion from their limitations work very hard to keep their emotions in check. They also dream and have aspirations of a day when they are liberated from their bonds. Please be kind and non-judgmental as you walk with them along their journey.
So how do we manage our pain, relax our minds, and uplift our souls? Here are 5 tips to achieve just that:
1. Try Massage Therapy
Sometimes our pain is due to our nervous systems being overstimulated. In other words, when this type of stress occurs you may be tightening the muscles in your body and clenching your teeth. This all lends toward an avalanche of stress which isn’t easy to undo. Some might want to turn to pharmaceuticals for the answer, but something as simple as massage therapy can be the perfect way to begin calming your body.
2. Give an Act of Kindness
When we find ourselves in the midst of our disability, getting caught up in the words “I CAN’T” can make us feel useless. No matter what, each of us has the ability to give an act of kindness. It would be easy to say volunteer, but that requires a level of physical exertion you may or may not have. If you have it, by all means give volunteering a try! Having said that, how about thanking the people who always help you or giving of yourself in some other manner? Thank those who help you regularly. You know, the ones who help because they love you unconditionally. Acts of kindness don’t always need to require physical exertion to achieve — sometimes all it takes is a willing effort to draft a message or do whatever is capably possible. This is also a great place to set goals for yourself!
3. Aim to Meditate
Pain isn’t just physical: it’s psychological, too. Meditation is a fantastic way to relax the mind and soul. This is also a great way to find self-control through concentration. How often do you find that it’s so easy to absorb every little thing in your world to the extent that things like paranoia and depression set in? Dealing with our pain and limitations is already a full-time job, and last thing we need is external tormentors added to our heap. Meditating can help you calm your inner-self through simple breathing. One of the best ways to get there, as I mentioned in a previous blog, is to lay on the floor face up with your legs bent at the knees and your lower legs, below your knees, resting on a chair or ottoman. Grounding yourself here (maybe even with a heavy blanket over you) can help you feel protected and breathe a little easier. Now that you’re there inhaling and exhaling with a clear mind, you might consider letting in only what’s positive, like setting an intention for the day or week. You might consider opening yourself up to your feelings. What makes you feel good? What brings discomfort and stress? By respecting and acknowledging these emotions, you can gradually become more prepared for what’s less than good and more able to appreciate what’s great.
4. Keep a Journal
Journaling is another way of managing your pain in the interest of finding peace of mind. You have the ability to be your own support group. Journaling helps you become your your own therapist by comfortably putting what makes you happy or sad on paper. By doing so, you let what concerns or stresses you out. Your concerns see the light of day without you constantly internalizing everything. Don’t be ashamed to write or show your feelings on paper — you’re allowed to be human, too! Others don’t always realize we have feelings and we can be hurt deeply. When this happens, what do you do with that negative energy? This is where journaling comes in. By writing and ridding yourself of what hurts, you can use journaling as a wonderful way to find your way back to a more balanced version of yourself.
5. Plan to Exercise
Send in the endorphins when you need to be rescued! For those of us who deal with high levels of pain each day, one of best miracle drugs ever are your very own naturally produced endorphins. Yes that’s right — a prescription isn’t needed, it’s free, and all you need to acquire endorphins is exercise! Endorphins are produced in your hypothalamus and pituitary glands, and they block pain signals. There are various ways to boost these effects to feel better. Walking regularly, trying yoga, and even laughing are a few methods to boost your endorphin levels!
Managing pain isn’t like throwing a light switch on and ta-da, you’re done. Speaking for myself, alternative therapy such as neuromuscular massage therapy, yoga, Pilates, and meditating have been some of the best therapies to shut down all the stress in my brain and begin the process of easing the pain within my mind and soul. Relaxing to me is an immersion requiring regular updates to reach a calm and tranquil muscle memory, achievable due to repetitive practice.
Think about it like this: if you receive a steady diet of pain, your body grows muscle memory to clench and hold you in a particular position when you hurt at unbelievable levels. To remove it and reverse the effects, you need a steady diet of something else. Until you get there, pain and all that comes with it like unexpected mood swings and depression are doing all the talking for you. Your own results may not be immediate, but they will be worth it!
I encourage you to share your thoughts on this subject in the comments below, with your loved ones, and with care providers. I hope these interactions create further questions and valuable positive conversations so you can better manage your pain, relax your mind, and enrich your soul.