Between physical labor, opioid painkillers and our shift towards a more sedentary lifestyle, the amount of physical pain humans are dealing with has increased. It’s no wonder why. We are living lives that are at odds with our biology.
When we do physical things, we aren’t ready for them. We don’t exercise enough. We eat poorly and increase inflammation with everything that we do. Whether you are in physical pain, know someone who is in pain, or just want to learn about how we decrease discomfort in general, below is a guide to mitigating physical pain.
Lower Inflammation
One of the simplest ways to mitigate physical pain is to lower inflammation. Inflammation is the cause of a lot of pain and other health complications. The first thing you should do to mitigate pain is to drink less alcohol. Alcohol inflames your body in many ways. It increases inflammation, leading to more pain and more problems. It helps the pain at the moment, but after it has worn off it leaves the person worse off than they were before.
Another thing you can do is take natural remedies to lower inflammation. Drinking tea is a good start. You can use CBD oil to help with inflammation. Eat better and exercise more. Even the sauna helps.
Go to Physical or Occupational Therapy
When you are struggling with chronic pain, you should do your best to see a physical (PT) or occupational (OT) therapist frequently. You need to work on this pain over time. This is especially the case if you were in an accident or had an injury. Chronic pain doesn’t just go away, it gets worse. It’s a gradual process to relieve pain. That’s why it takes a while. The worst thing to do is take the shortcut and use painkillers instead of doing the work it takes to get beyond chronic pain.
Avoid Opioid Prescription Painkillers
Perhaps the most important thing for your life and your pain is to avoid opioid prescription painkillers. When you are in a lot of pain, it is easy to give in to the relief. However, you won’t benefit from taking these drugs. They make the pain worse over time. They don’t help it. You will become dependent on these drugs to feel normal, and they will stop working. All kinds of people also go from taking prescription opioids to using heroin. When you have chronic pain, fixing the root cause of it is necessary. You can’t just get rid of it with drugs.
Take Advantage of Disability Benefits
If you have access to disability benefits, you should make use of them. Not only will you be able to stop working in a situation that is bad for your pain, but you will also be able to get the treatment you need. Furthermore, there are even disability benefits for family members. This means that your benefits will even provide funds and resources for your spouse and children.
Don’t be ashamed to take advantage of benefits, even if you aren’t as hurt as other people. Use the resources to get better, take time, and learn how to take care of yourself as you navigate the pain and recovery process.
Invest in Chairs and Furniture
When you are struggling with pain, it’s important to focus on your posture and physical well-being. If you work an office job, there are a few ways to decrease back and other pain. you should invest in an ergonomic chair. You should stand up frequently and take a walk.
At home, you should make sure to buy chairs and furniture that help you maintain posture and avoid pain. It’s worth it not to be struggling with pain all the time.
We have resources to help people overcome physical issues, but we don’t take advantage of them enough. Whether you were in an accident or just have a bad back it’s important to work on mitigating your physical pain so you can live a happy, healthy life.
