{"id":1957,"date":"2016-03-01T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-03-01T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/live-ati-pt-2025.pantheonsite.io\/?p=1957"},"modified":"2024-12-17T17:34:07","modified_gmt":"2024-12-17T17:34:07","slug":"how-to-relieve-chronic-pain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.atipt.com\/how-to-relieve-chronic-pain\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Relieve Chronic Pain"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Are you dealing with Chronic Pain? You\u2019re not alone.<\/h2>\n

Chronic pain impacts approximately\u00a020 percent<\/a>\u00a0of Americans, resulting in restricted mobility, opioid dependency, anxiety, depression and reduced quality of life. Chronic pain is estimated to cost between\u00a0$560 billion to $635 billion<\/a>\u00a0annually in lost work days and medical expenses annually in the U.S. Despite the variety of treatments available for treating chronic pain, evidence shows that\u00a040-70 percent<\/a>\u00a0of chronic pain patients are not receiving proper medical treatment. To find relief, here are five care tips for chronic pain that can be applied immediately in your daily schedule.<\/p>\n

Tip 1: Learn About Chronic Pain<\/h2>\n

An important first step in finding chronic pain help is to educate yourself. The common understanding of pain is an unpleasant sensation that is associated with injury or tissue damage. Evidence shows that patients with pain that persists beyond three months demonstrate healing of most tissues, including spinal disc structures. Therefore, a more accurate description of pain was presented by researchers Ronald Melzack and Lorimer Mosely, stating \u201cPain is a decision by the brain based on the perception of threat.\u201d The persistent presence of pain has been found to raise the level of \u201chigh alert,\u201d which makes the brain and nervous system more sensitive. Now, just thinking about pain or reading the word pain can trigger pain sensations. For a more in-depth explanation to learn more about these concepts, watch\u00a0Understanding Pain in Less Than 5 Minutes and What to Do About It<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Tip 2: Select an Informed Chronic Pain Medical Team<\/h2>\n

Once you have a better understanding about your chronic pain, you need to seek out a team of health professionals to help you learn how to effectively manage your symptoms and regain control over your life. Select a primary care doctor or physiatrist (pain specialist) who will partner you with a physical therapist. Be sure your team provides evidence-based treatments to reduce the sensitivity of your nervous system. Most importantly, understand that results require you to commit to at least three months of care to effectively quiet your sensitive nervous system. Patients who bounce quickly from one practitioner to another seeking a \u201cquick fix\u201d seldom achieve successful long-term pain management.<\/p>\n

Tip 3: Strengthen Social Network<\/h2>\n

Patients suffering from chronic pain often begin to avoid social gatherings and even withdraw from family members. In addition, chronic pain can lead to reduction or complete loss of employment. This increasing social isolation may worsen symptoms of depression or anxiety. Become proactive in combating this. Locate a local support group to share your feelings and experiences. Join a walking group or find an exercise buddy to help you get out of the house and to get moving. Host a game\/craft night at your home for fun and relaxation. Know that you do not need to battle chronic pain alone.<\/p>\n

Tip 4: Stay Active<\/h2>\n

Chronic pain patients often use the terms \u201cgood day\u201d or \u201cbad day\u201d to relate how well they manage their pain and complete their daily routine. They share that a \u201cbad day\u201d often means struggling to get out of bed as they wake up feeling like they are in a fog. On these \u201cbad days\u201d their nervous system sets off the alarm system even with low levels of activity. Patients often choose to head back to bed and will reduce their overall physical activity for the day.<\/p>\n

While a period of rest is an important protective measure for acute pain, it can be harmful for patients with chronic pain. Prolonged inactivity can result in loss of muscle strength and endurance, osteoporosis and decreased cardiovascular function. When a \u201cbad day\u201d occurs, try taking a brisk 10-minute walk. Moderate aerobic exercise produces an immediate post-exercise reduction in pain.<\/p>\n

According to the book \u201cPain Neuroscience Education: Teaching People About Pain,\u201d inactivity impacts the brain as well. In a healthy person, each body part is mapped in a specific part of the brain. When an injury occurs such as to the right arm and the patient places that arm in a sling to rest, the map of the right arm has now become \u201cfuzzy\u201d in the brain. The brain responds to this by increasing pain perception to the right arm. Once the patient removes the sling and begins to use the right arm as before, then the brain map clears up and the signal for increased pain perception stops.<\/p>\n

Tip 5: Graded Activity<\/h2>\n

A safe choice for chronic pain patients to combat the effects of prolonged rest is graded activity. Graded activity programs introduce small doses of exercises that stimulate the nervous system while reducing overload that may set off the alarm system and plunge the patient into another \u201cbad day.\u201d Physical therapists are particularly skilled in helping chronic pain patients identify their starting baseline, setting goals with a realistic time frame and determining the proper amount of graded progression. The physical therapist will instruct in proper posture and exercise form while monitoring the patient\u2019s tolerance of each new dosage of exercises. Chronic pain patients generally need to commit to a minimum of three times per week for 8-10 weeks for safe and gradual activity progression. Choose a graded activity approach to reduce the intensity and frequency of those \u201cbad days\u201d and regain some control over your life.<\/p>\n

Are you dealing with chronic pain?<\/h2>\n

If simple home interventions are not helping to lessen aches, pains and discomfort, it\u2019s time to see a physical therapist. Stop by\u00a0your nearest ATI Physical Therapy clinic<\/a>\u00a0for a\u00a0complimentary screening<\/a>\u00a0and get back to being you.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Are you dealing with Chronic Pain? You\u2019re not alone. Chronic pain impacts approximately\u00a020 percent\u00a0of Americans, resulting in restricted mobility, opioid […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1957","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-health"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHow to Relieve Chronic Pain<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Explore effective ways to relieve chronic pain through physical therapy, exercise, lifestyle changes, and other therapeutic treatments to improve your quality of life.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"http:\/\/www.atipt.com\/how-to-relieve-chronic-pain\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta 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