“When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this: You haven’t.” — Thomas Edison
One in five Americans, or roughly 50 million people, suffer from chronic pain daily. Of these 50 million people, 8% of U.S. adults have high-impact chronic pain. For those individuals suffering from this unfortunate chronic pain and/or arthritic symptoms, there is a constant need for relief to do even the most basic tasks, such as getting out of bed or tying your shoes. Each day becomes a pain management battle, which is not only physically draining but also emotionally taxing as well. Many have tried over-the-counter medications, physical therapy, maybe even meditation to help overcome the nagging symptoms of living in chronic pain. However, more often than not many report little to no results. For those of you who have already “tried everything,” here are four nontraditional methods that you may not have tried to help you wage the chronic pain battle.
Cold water therapy
Cold water immersion therapy can improve circulation, deepen sleep, elevate mood, boost energy and reduce pain and inflammation by constricting blood vessels. You may have seen videos and photographs of individuals using cold water therapy and been intimidated by the temperature, time and situation involved. Just as we should handle most other things in the fitness and health fields, start slow and build up (both in temperature and time) if new to this type of exposure.
Acupuncture
Studies have shown that acupuncture — the insertion of small needles at pressure points in the body that can be manipulated manually or with small electrical currents — can help treat pain caused by osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, injuries and other conditions. The practice, said to have originated in China some 3,000 years ago, can also be quite relaxing. Once again, if you are apprehensive, then that is even more reason to find a reputable acupuncturist and start off slowly regarding time and quantity of needles, building and progressing from there.
Raising endorphins
The body produces endorphins to help alleviate pain, reduce stress and improve mood. Endorphins reduce the perception of pain by blocking the nerve cells that receive pain signals. Natural, healthy ways to boost endorphins include the obvious such as regular exercise, but also breath work, laughter and body work such as massage.
Infrared therapy
Infrared therapy uses light waves within the wavelength of 800nm to 1200nm, with the area of pain being exposed to this light for an extended period of time. A recent study found that people who were treated with infrared light once a week for seven weeks were able to reduce the effects of pain from an average of 6.9 on a scale of 0 to 10 — with 10 being the worst pain — to a 3 with no side effects.
Keep fighting
Having chronic pain is not easy to deal with physically, mentally or emotionally. One of the most important qualities you can have here is perseverance. Pain can be managed. Pain can be reduced. To be clear, I am not saying that your pain is going to go away completely. But the worst thing you can do is throw in the proverbial towel. Keep trying things. Keep fighting. And keep moving ”“ forward.
Reach Giovanni at giovanniroselli.com.
