1. Acknowledge Your Pain as Normal
When you begin to face chronic pain, it's normal to visit new doctors, seek second opinions and spend time searching the Internet for clues to a pain-free life. While modern medicine can offer hope for previously hopeless conditions, you may eventually exhaust conventional treatments. One of the first steps in dealing with chronic pain is to acknowledge that it will be part of your life, at least for now. Taking ownership of your pain may involve a grieving process, but once you and your family decide to live life as normally as possible DESPITE your pain, emotional healing can begin. Acknowledging your pain does not mean that you give up hope for a future resolution. Instead, it means you plan to make the most of life in the meantime.
2. Get Your Body Moving
No matter what kind of pain you're facing, it's important to make exercise a part of your routine. Though it may feel like the last thing you want to do when your pain level is high, exercise builds your immune system, strengthens your heart and body, releases chemicals that make you happy and temporarily distracts you from your discomfort. If you aren't up for vigorous exercise, walk around the mall or take the stairs at work. Lack of exercise leads to deconditioning and muscle atrophy, which can lead to declining health AND increasing pain
If intense cardiovascular work and weight training won't work with your pain condition, try gentle exercises like yoga or Pilates. These core-based practices focus on a mind-body connection, encouraging you to think mindfully about each movement and become aware of alignment, posture and breathing. Another benefit of these forms of exercise is stress reduction, which is especially important if you deal with daily chronic pain.
3. Try Hypnotherapy
Many people are reluctant to try hypnosis because they believe they'll lose control of their bodies and minds, abandoning their free will to a "trance" state. This is not the case. With the help of a hypnotherapist, you can learn to manage your pain levels through improved concentration, mindful focus and relaxation. When you feel pain, it is a combination of physical and neurological sensations. Signals are sent by affected nerve endings to the brain, where they're perceived as painful. Hypnotherapy attempts to close the door on some of these pain signals by relaxing the body and mind and training your subconscious to shut out chronic pain
If you decide to try hypnotherapy, look for a reputable practitioner who is licensed by a national certifying body like the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis (asch.net). Motivation and willingness to be open to hypnosis may have an effect on how much relief you get from this modality, so try to approach treatment with an open mind.
4. Pursue Your Passions
If you've been dealing with chronic pain for awhile, you may find that you've allowed it to disrupt every aspect of your life, including your hobbies, leisure time and relationships. When you spend inordinate amounts of time thinking and talking about your pain, it's difficult to focus on "doing life." Sit down and make a list of what you're passionate about, whether it's hiking, traveling, spending time with friends or babysitting your grandchildren. Then, come up with a plan for re-engaging in these activities. If your pain inhibits you from sitting comfortably through dinner, make plans to meet a friend for coffee instead. Begin to take short walks to build your endurance, working up to a beginner-level hike when you're ready. Rather than allowing your pain to prevent you from pursuing your passions, develop workarounds by modifying your activities.
