Shawn Bradley 
Meta Description: Pain doesn’t have to be something you accept. Check out these six tips to help decrease the chances of pain for a more joyful life.
We put our bodies through a lot on a daily basis, so, understandably, we probably experience pain from time to time. However, that doesn’t mean we should not do what we can to try and limit it as much as possible. From taking precautionary measures to what to do after pain strikes, there are multiple tips to keep in mind that can help. (Just remember to talk to your doctor first!)
Check out these six steps that could help decrease pain:
-
Think About Nutrition
As cliche as it sounds, food is fuel. While treats are great to indulge in occasionally, let’s talk about healthy foods that can help fight pain — ginger, blueberries, and mint.
Research suggests that foods associated with increased lower back pain can include:
- Salt
- Hydrogenated fat
- Refined grains
- Tea
- Coffee
- Sugary items like soft drinks and desserts
-
Go to the Doctor When You Feel Like Something is Not Right
Pain can be a major sign that something is wrong in a particular spot in, or throughout, your body.
If you are already experiencing pain and/or you feel like something is not right, it is time to go to a reputable pain management doctor who can help you, like Dr. Brandon Claflin. Finding pain management solutions tailored to your unique experiences and needs could help move you to a pain-free life.
-
Move your Body
Let’s hear it for endorphins! Exercise releases endorphins and endorphins can help reduce pain. Exercising daily can be fantastic for your body and overall health, and the possible decrease in pain is a much-appreciated added perk.
Some people love the idea of a morning run or an evening weight-lifting session, while others don’t. The good news is that many activities give you a good workout without feeling like work. For instance, you can go hiking, go swimming, take a dance class, go golfing, join a local sports team, or walk a neighbor’s dog. Bring a friend for a little extra motivation.
Moving Safely
There are times when professional guidance is suggested to do an activity safely and reduce the possibility of current and future pain.
Let’s say you want to take up golf. Rather than going to a driving range and swinging wildly, hire a professional to teach you proper form. Most places have them on staff, so all you have to do is book an appointment.
Another example is if you want to take up yoga. Proper forms in yoga can help prevent strains and sprains — potentially increasing the pain you’re already in. Consider signing up for in-person classes so the instructor can correct your form as needed.
-
Do Not Push Your Body Beyond its Limits
We have all had times where we pushed our bodies past the point we should have. Maybe we decided to move heavy furniture on our own rather than asking for help, or we went for a run that we knew was past our current distance limits.
There’s a difference between increasing our limits incrementally and pushing our bodies past them all at once. The latter tends to result in short- and/or long-term pain. Our bodies help tell us what our limitations are, even in the moment. It is our job to listen to it if the goal is to decrease our chances of experiencing pain.
-
Take Measures to Decrease Stress
Increased stress levels can worsen pain.
Some people have probably told you at some point to “just relax.” As we all know, that is much easier said than done, especially when it feels like everything is coming at you all at once.
Do what you can to reduce your stress levels. This can include anything like life additions like trying yoga, going to therapy, increasing activity levels, or improving sleeping. Other bigger changes might be trying to find a new job or creating new organizational systems for getting things done around your home and at work.
-
Improve Sleep Hygiene
Many things have the ability to negatively impact your sleep, including (but certainly not limited to):
- Having your phone near your bed where you can see notifications coming in
- Keeping your room too hot or too cold (optimal temperatures for sleep are between 60 and 67℉.)
- Sleeping pillows that feel like you have to fold them to get them to a tolerable form
- Eating large meals before bedtime or food/drinks with sugar or caffeine
- Not adhering to a sleep schedule
Quite a few people in pain have difficulty sleeping, and unfortunately, a lack of sleep can also lead to body pain. Make a list of common things that negatively affect your sleep. Go down the list one by one and come up with a viable solution for eliminating (or at least decreasing) the problem.
It’s Time To Live Your Best Life
There is no way to completely eliminate pain from your life, but you can at least take steps to prevent it from happening and/or reduce it as much as possible. Doing so can make a world of difference in your quality of life in the short- and long-term. Remember to speak to a medical professional before making any changes to your health and exercise routine.
Sources:
How sleep disruption can exacerbate pain | ScienceDaily
The Best Temperature for Sleep | Cleveland Clinic
The Stress-Pain Connection | Stanford Medicine Children’s Health
Endorphins: The brain’s natural pain reliever | Harvard Health
