Pain can have a significant negative impact on your quality of life. Managing your Pain and Health
It can influence your mood, cause you to sleep less, and interfere with your daily activities. Pain is highly subjective, and it is critical to understand that no two people experience pain in the same way. This section will assist you in determining what to do if you are experiencing pain or uncontrollable symptoms.
When you suffer from chronic pain, getting through each day can be a battle. Using these suggestions, the good days will outnumber the bad days — and the overall quality of life will improve.
Defining your anguish – Pain Management Questions
It is critical to be able to describe your level of pain to your nurse so that they can manage your comfort level accurately. Consider the following questions when attempting to describe your pain:
- What is the source of the pain?
- When did it all start?
- How does it make you feel?
- Is it continuous, or does it come and go?
- Is it stationary or does it move around?
- Is it a mild or severe case?
- Which of the following best describes the pain: (For example, shooting, burning, stabbing, aching, etc.)
Scales of Pain
Two different scales will be used by members of your care team to better understand how you are feeling. This will allow them to be consistent in their efforts to make you feel better.
Scale 1: How do you feel on a scale of 1 to 10, with 0 being no pain and 10 being unbearable pain?
Scale 2: Which of the following faces best describes your current state of mind?
If you are unable to manage your pain at home and are experiencing uncontrollable symptoms, we may need to assess you for a higher level of care.
Find Stress Relief for Pain & Pain Medicines
In addition to other body parts, stress, particularly chronic stress, can have a negative impact on your heart and lungs, muscles, and digestive system, among other things. Over time, this can result in pain and inflammation, which makes it difficult to perform the activities necessary to maintain your health.
That being said, the good news is that there are natural remedies that you can incorporate into your daily routine that may help to reduce both stress and the resulting discomfort.
Body Response to Stress & Pain
Before you can understand how natural pain relief works, you must first understand how stress affects your body and how it contributes to pain. Your heart rate and blood pressure rise when you are in pain or stressed, your breathing becomes rapid and shallow, and your muscles tighten as a result of the stress or pain.
When you are confronted with a sudden, stressful event, such as fearing that a car is about to hit you, you can actually feel your body’s response. After a while, the car forgets about you and your system returns to normal. You take it easy.
The episode results in the release of hormones such as cortisol, which can assist you in dealing with a difficult situation. However, if this occurs on a regular basis, it can begin to take a toll on your immune system, making it more difficult for your body to fight infection and disease.
Stress can also cause you to experience the sensation of having “butterflies in your stomach,” as well as increase your awareness of pain, bloating, and nausea. People have even been known to vomit when they are under a lot of pressure. In this case, the effects of stress extend beyond the stomach and into the rest of the digestive system. It can even have an impact on your mental function and mood, in part due to the presence of special hormone receptors in your gut that are linked to your nervous system.
Chronic stress, such as worrying about one’s health or finances, feeling trapped in a bad job or marriage, or fearing that something bad will happen, causes the nervous system to overreact and keep the body on high alert. This has a significant impact on your physical health. Stress hormone levels rise, and muscles remain in a state of near constant tension as a result of this increase. A chronic state of inflammation in your body can also result from smoking and can lead to high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke in some individuals.
Coping with Chronic Pain
Learn how to relax by practicing deep breathing or meditation for pain
Deep breathing and meditation are two techniques that can help your body relax, which may help to alleviate discomfort. Muscle tension and tightness are released as a result of a quiet message telling them to relax.
Despite the fact that there are numerous methods of meditation, the soothing power of repetition is at the heart of some of the most popular. The body relaxes when the mind is focused on the breath, thoughts are ignored, and a word or phrase is repeated over and over again — a mantra. While it is possible to learn meditation on your own, it is recommended that you take a class.
Reduce the amount of stress in your life. Chronic pain is exacerbated by stress.
Anger, stress, and other negative emotions can make the body more sensitive to pain. Some relief from chronic pain can be obtained by learning how to control stress and manage it effectively.
Several techniques can aid in the reduction of stress and the promotion of relaxation. It is possible to improve your mood by listening to soothing, calming music — and to make living with chronic pain more bearable. There are even relaxation tapes or CDs that are specifically designed for this purpose. Mental imagery relaxation (also known as guided imagery) is a type of mental escape that can help you feel more at ease and relaxed. It entails conjuring up images of calm and peace in your imagination. Progressive muscle relaxation is another technique that can be used to promote relaxation and reduce stress.
The natural endorphins released by exercise can help to alleviate chronic pain symptoms.
Endorphins are chemicals produced by the brain that help to improve your mood while also blocking pain signals. Other pain-relieving effects of exercise include strengthening the muscles, which helps to prevent re-injury and further discomfort. Furthermore, exercise can assist you in maintaining a healthy weight, lowering your risk of heart disease, and maintaining healthy blood sugar levels — all of which are particularly important if you have diabetes. Inquire with your doctor about an exercise regimen that is appropriate for you. With certain health conditions, such as diabetic neuropathy, you will need to be cautious about the types of physical activities you participate in; your doctor can advise you on the most appropriate types of exercise to participate in.
Participate in a pain support group. Meet other people who are dealing with chronic pain.
Being around other people who have chronic pain and understand what you’re going through makes you feel less alone in your suffering. Furthermore, their experience in dealing with pain is beneficial to you.
In addition, you should consider consulting with a mental health professional. Anyone who suffers from chronic pain has a higher risk of developing depression. Getting counseling can help you learn to cope better with your pain and avoid negative thoughts that make your pain worse — allowing you to have a more positive outlook on life. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness, but rather of strength.
If you or your elderly loved one is struggling with Pain Management, contact a pain specialist at Oasis Hospice and Palliative Care at (708) 564-4838 and get the pain relief you deserve.
