Everyone has experienced pain at one time or the other. A burn from a hot iron, a cut from a sharp object or when your blind little toe hits a hard object. I can see you wince. This kind of pain that has a known cause and will normally be relieved once the “culprit” is taken care of is referred to as acute pain. Acute pain tends to warn the body of danger or an injury. Contrast this with chronic pain, which lasts for months or years, performs no function but rather leaves us angry, frustrated and sometimes isolated. A person suffering from chronic pain has psychological challenges in addition to the pain to deal with. Loss of self-esteem, which leads to depression and isolation, often triggers more pain that leads to further disability; a vicious downward spiral of pain and disability.
Many of us continue to experience pain long after recovering from an injury and this may often raise eyebrows especially you are reputable “complainer” at work. Chronic pain can be caused or is associated with conditions such as cancer, arthritis, fibromyalgia, back injury and nerve injury. You probably know at least one person who has so much pain they decide to “live with the pain” instead of helping to fatten the pockets of health professionals or pharmaceutical companies. That may not be a smart choice though since help may be available so keep asking, keep knocking and do some research on your own. At the very least our bible tells us “it is more blessed to give than to receive.”
Anxiety often makes chronic pain worse, and who wouldn’t be anxious especially when you do not know the cause of your pain and no one appears to care. It eventually makes life so unbearable that we tend to depend on others in extreme cases.
Treatment of chronic pain ranges from orthodox medicine to alternative therapies such as acupuncture, biofeedback and physiotherapy. When you are in pain for a long time many people are willing to try anything some as ridiculous as drinking their own urine, sleeping on a rock-pillow or blaming the pain on an elderly lady who is also quietly nursing her pain.
There is good news for us all, you can get help from your health professional and make life more pleasant by adopting these changes:
1. Appropriate Exercises
a. Proper exercise is crucial to maintain significant strength and mobility, in order to optimize function. I agree that a person with chronic pain is afraid to exercise for fear that it will worsen the pain but this may be your best “medicine”. Start very slowly and you will make progress and reap the benefits of less pain.
b. Low impact exercise such as walking is an ideal start and you may increase the pace or intensity over time. Stationary biking, swimming (don’t get drowned if you do not know how) and water exercise are also excellent. Nothing soothes aching muscles better than exercising in warm or heated water (note that for some medical conditions heat may not be tolerated).
2. Adopt the right posture
a. Using the right body posture while performing activities will help to prevent further pain.
3. Relax periodically during the day
a. This will help to break the cycle of muscle tension that will help to prevent further pain. Making time to relax also reduces anxiety and hence the pain.
4. Stretch often
a. Stretch often to keep the muscles supple and flexible but please do not stretch cold muscles, always ensure you do a little walking before you do active stretching.
5. Manage your weight and level of fitness
a. Being heavier than the Almighty planned for you has its own way of keeping some of us in pain. Managing your weight is a sure bet to reducing pain. Eat right and perform the appropriate exercises to maintain an ideal weight and keep fit.
6. Learn additional techniques to manage pain
a. You can learn and master techniques to manage pain such as heat and ice. You may also seek the services of a physiotherapist who may employ techniques such as electrical stimulation and ultrasound.
If you have been diagnosed with chronic pain or you think you have chronic pain, don’t spend all day in the sofa or cuddled in bed, get moving and set realistic exercise goals for yourself. Surpassing these goals will improve your self-esteem and you will be on the road to recovery.
Your Health remains your Responsibility so Take Control!
Source:
Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
Moms’ Health Club
(dressel@healthclubsgh.com)
*Dr Essel is a medical doctor and is ISSA certified in exercise therapy and fitness nutrition.
Thought for the week – “I endorse the 1 million-man peace march scheduled for Friday September 21st. All our health clubs in Accra will be closed on that day and our club members will take part. I encourage all my readers to be a part of this historic endorsement of peace. You can’t be healthy in the midst of conflict”
Reference:
1. Fitness Therapy. 3rd Edition. Dr Karl Knopf
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