A Guide To Pain Management Techniques That Really Work

Did you know that 20.4% or 50 million adults in the US suffer from chronic pain?

Chronic joint pain and other types of pain are not only inconvenient, but can hurt your quality of life. Suffering from pain can make daily tasks harder and may even make you miss out on important events. If you suffer from pain issues, it’s time to learn pain management techniques.

At Integrated Pain Consultants, we perform pain management techniques that help our clients get the long-term relief they need. Continue reading and learn more about pain management techniques that work.

USING GEL PACKS

One of the most common methods of pain relief at home is by using gel packs. If you are an athlete or someone getting older and getting joint pain, consider investing in a gel pack. These gel packs can be hot or cold and help treat different kinds of pain.

Hot Pack

Using a hot pack works by helping improve your blood flow and circulation. Increasing the temperature in the pain area has soothing capabilities. Using hot packs helps soothe your muscles or treat damaged tissue.

There are also cases where you should not use a hot pack for pain. This is if the area in pain is swollen or bruised. You should also never use heat to treat pain from an open wound.

Preexisting conditions, such as diabetes and dermatitis, should avoid using heat for pain. This is because these conditions have a bigger risk of getting burned. Other conditions also include vein thrombosis, sclerosis, and vascular diseases.

Cold Pack

A cold pack can come in handy if you have pain from swelling. Cold packs reduce the flow of your blood to that area, which helps reduce inflammation. This is useful when you are experiencing tendon and joint pain.

Like hot packs, cold packs also have their limitations. Cold packs are not for those who have sensory disorders. People with diabetes also may not use cold therapy as it can damage the nerves.

One thing to note is that you should always wrap your cold packs in a cloth, like a small towel or t-shirt. This is because frozen cold packs can damage your skin or tissues. Only use ice and cold packs for 20 minutes at a time.

EXERCISING MORE

While exercising can make your muscles sore, it can also reduce other kinds of pain. This is possible when done in moderation. Increasing your physical activity through exercises helps ease pain and increases your mobility.

Exercise can reduce chronic pain from conditions such as arthritis and fibromyalgia. Aerobic activities such as walking, cycling, and swimming help reduce pain.

LEARNING MIND-BODY TECHNIQUES

Mind-body techniques include meditation, breathing exercises, and mindfulness to help you control pain. Your body’s response to pain can often worsen problems with chronic pain. Having a heightened “fight or flight” instinct worsens the chronic tension in muscles.

Meditation helps retrain the way your brain reacts to pain. This helps relax your body more, lessening the discomfort that your pain brings you.

A 2019 study concluded that mindfulness helps lower sensitivity to pain. Other mind-body techniques, such as meditation, also help reduce chronic pain issues. Meditation can also help you manage the stress that comes from the pain you are feeling.

One of the most common meditations is called mindful meditation. This meditation focuses on managing issues such as pain, stress, and even anxiety. This practice is something you can do by yourself at home or with an instructor.

Another type of meditation is breathwork meditation, which makes use of breathing exercises. These breathing exercises help you relax your mind and body. There are many breathing techniques that can help you manage and reduce pain.

CONSIDER GETTING CHIROPRACTIC CARE

A popular alternative pain management treatment for both acute and chronic pain is chiropractic care. Chiropractic treatment can help relieve various pains, such as back pain. This treatment also helps people who have suffered from accidents.

The most common pain issues that chiropractors help relieve are joint and muscle pain. It also can help if you have pain in bones or tissues, such as your cartilage, your tendons, or if you have spinal pain.

Studies have also shown chiropractic care to be effective in treating headaches and pain, and can also be used alongside conventional medical treatment.

PAIN MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES TO TRY TODAY

These are only a few pain management techniques on the market that you can use to help relieve pain. Follow these tips, and you’ll be on your way to potentially living a happier and pain-free life.

Are you looking for a clinic that uses effective pain management techniques? Then contact us at Integrated Pain Consultants. We have a team of qualified pain consultants ready to help ease your pain.