How to manage chronic pain at home

Through Pain Relief Institute of America

There are many causes of chronic back pain. Sometimes, since the pain prolongs over time and has been affected for so long, it is difficult to properly address it without seeking medical care. Usually, chronic pain is a response to a birth injury or structural problem, i.e., diseases such as scoliosis.

If the pain originates from an injury, a simple sprain or stress from overwork can put you at risk of chronic pain; or something more painful, like a fall or car accident. You can also experience chronic pain of arthritis in the spine’s small joints along the spine.

Others may suffer from degenerative disc problems, such as: degenerative disc disease or herniated disc. The disc can act as a shock absorber; therefore, these conditions usually occur when the disc tear or becomes normalized due to injury or movement. In most people over the age of 60, some form of degenerative disk barrier is often seen. However, not everyone of every age will suffer from chronic back pain.

Another degenerative disease that can cause severe back pain is spinal stenosis or spinal cord pinch. Stenosis can cause serious and prolonged problems, not just pain in your lower back. You can get sciatica, the pain spreads on your legs and hips. And your lower back is numb or weak feet. If the stenosis is poor, it may lead to paralysis.

All of these different reasons are why it is so important to have lower back pain and personal management at home regularly. Controlling pain can help you avoid complete immobility, potential paralysis and pain in other parts of your body.

How do you manage chronic pain at home?

There are several things you can do to help you control your pain. The most important thing you can do for yourself is stay active. Lying in bed or sitting on a work table all day can worsen the pain or spread to other parts of the body. I recommend taking a regular break during the day, even if you want to get up and stretch. You can also do activities such as yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, and other low impact exercises to help you with pain.

To reduce inflation, I recommend eating non-inflammatory foods or sticking to a non-inflammatory diet. You can also take medications such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), ibuprofen or live. They have no contraindications and show better than taking acetaminophen or aspirin because they can cope with inflammation and pain, not just the latter. You can also use a topical cream containing menthol, camphor, or lidocaine as it activates the cold sensory nerve and makes the local numb.

You can also choose to apply heat and ice in the area. The heat can soothe local area, while cooling can also cope with inflammation. Alternating between the two is the greatest relief.

Are there more overall remedies?

Holistic therapy can help you with chronic back pain, such as certain vitamins or acupuncture. You can also try some topical CBD face creams, although CBD is still very unregulated and sometimes it can be hard to know what you get in each product.

You can also try a deep tissue massage if it helps; however, make sure you know who you are going to so they don’t cause further damage to your back or other areas where you may experience pain. If you want to explore more holistic treatments, it’s best to check out using them with your doctor before trying new things. The last thing you want to do is to cause more damage.

When should I see a doctor for chronic pain?

Unfortunately, chronic pain can cause serious problems in the body. Even if you have been managing the pain for more than a week, it has not improved or worsened. Your doctor can do an X-ray and perform further tests to rule out the pain spreading to other parts of the body, something you’ve never experienced before. Especially, if you feel numb, tingling, weak or pain in your hips or legs, see your doctor. This may indicate that your back pain has developed into sciatica.

It is also great to see your doctor right after an injury in the gym due to a fall or a serious accident. They can support your recovery through rehabilitation, surgery, medication, outpatient surgery and prevent further or long-term injuries in the future.

Chronic pain is not usually caused by tumors, infections, or even kidney stones, but it can. If you are suffering, or think you may have suffered any of these, you will want to see a doctor. In particular, if you suffer from fever, rapid or unexplained weight loss, bowel or bladder problems, or any other unexplained, seemingly unrelated symptoms. Also, if you see any swelling, redness or sores on your back; contact your doctor.