According to the World Health Organization, for a condition to be classed as chronic, it has to meet specific criteria:
Lasts longer than three months
Generally, not prevented by medical interventions
Slow-progressing and often life-long
Generally, not contagious
Some of chronic conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, or arthritis might be accompanied by chronic pain, though conditions like asthma and diabetes, may have no pain at all most of the time.
Many of these conditions are typified by, or cause as a side effect, chronic physical pain. The CDC estimates that around 20% of adults in the United States suffer from some form and some degree of chronic pain. Living with chronic health conditions can be incredibly challenging both physically and mentally, but thankfully there are many things that you can do to help cope.
Assistance from Your Doctor
If you are suffering from a chronic health condition, you should always make sure to consult your doctor before making any changes to medication or lifestyle. Most people with chronic pain will also benefit from having regular correspondence with their doctor or healthcare provider.
Depending on your condition, there is a variety of Chronic Care Management options available that you can pursue. Make sure that you ask your doctor about what options there are to treat your condition and any side-effects that it may cause. The best treatment method for each person may be different, so it is worth exploring different approaches.
Keeping a notebook to record pain levels, or other symptoms over time can help you to relay the critical information to your doctor that is needed to develop the most effective treatment plan for you. A treatment plan will likely consist of medication, physical therapy, lifestyle changes, or any combination of these.
Chronic Pain Exercises
In many cases, there will be various things that you can do yourself in addition to the physical therapy you may receive from a practitioner. Regular exercise is recommended for everyone, and chronic pain sufferers are no different. Cardiovascular exercise has many proven benefits, both physical and mental. Cardio includes various activities that can be done with little or even no equipment, such as walking and running.
Walking regularly (approximately half an hour, three to five times a week) increases endurance, strength, and health of the heart. You may already incorporate walking naturally into your weekly routine by carrying out tasks such as shopping or commuting. If walking is difficult, you may be able to use a cane or something similar. Just remember that your exercise must not be too strenuous, especially if you have a chronic health condition. Pushing yourself too hard can result in increased pain (patients with conditions like fibromyalgia are especially susceptible to this) or even injury!
If you have access to a bicycle, cycling is also an excellent aerobic exercise to do, as well as being enjoyable. If you have a local swimming pool, swimming is among the best cardiovascular exercises for strength, balance, and general health.
In addition to cardio, doing stretches can also help strengthen and soothe muscles and joints. There are many stretches that you can do to benefit the health of different parts of the body!
Whatever exercises you are thinking of doing, you should always consult your doctor before you attempt them. A trained physical therapist may even be able to help you come up with a personalized fitness routine!
How to Look After Your Mental Health
One aspect of chronic health conditions that is often overlooked is the effect that it often has on mental health. Even once you have overcome the initial stress of receiving a diagnosis, you will still need to cope with daily stress caused by your condition.
Physical pain usually causes emotional fatigue it can be exhausting to have to constantly worry about when your pain will next flare-up and how it may disrupt your daily activities. It is extremely common for chronic pain sufferers to experience feelings such as stress, anger, frustration, fear, anxiety, and hopelessness. If pain affects your ability to work, you may even have financial difficulties to deal with that can exacerbate any or all of these issues.
As with any physical changes, any mental issues should also be reported to your doctor you may even benefit from medical assistance such as counselling and/or antidepressant medication. There are also many activities which you can do yourself to alleviate your stress and look after your mental health. These include writing in a diary, deep breathing and mindfulness exercises such as meditation, or even taking time to indulge in relaxing hobbies such as reading, listening to music, and/or enjoying time with friends and loved ones. Self-care is essential for everyone, especially those with chronic health conditions!
Find a Support System
“A problem shared is a problem halved”. This may seem a clich, but there is definitely truth in it! Having people empathize with your struggles makes you feel heard and understood and is a vital part of living a full and healthy life. Your loved ones should provide emotional support and comfort. However, it is usually beneficial both for you and your personal relationships to also share your struggles with a support network of people who also suffer from your condition even the most loving, caring. Attentive partner or family member will most likely face limitations to how much they can help you if they do not suffer from the same condition.
Finding a support group, either close to you (many hospitals offer these services) or online, can help you find a safe space to vent your frustrations, and you can even learn coping methods from others with your condition! Being part of a group can really help with your mental health and reduce the intensity of feelings of stress, anxiety, and hopelessness.
Living with chronic health conditions can be very difficult but following these steps can help you to live a fulfilling and balanced life. Your condition does not define you, and thankfully there are many things that you can do to help you find the physical and mental well-being that you deserve!
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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