Think of all the people who have struggled with their weight. Once they were in a routine of exercising and healthy eating, they looked great, right? Well, the easy part was getting there. The hardest part is staying there. The majority of people who go through extensive efforts to lose weight will eventually start to gain the weight back if they do not follow through on their health goals. Just like this process, people who suffer from chronic pain need to make life-changing efforts to stay healthy and pain free. At Southwest Spine and Pain Center, the physicians and entire medical staff work with patients to stay healthy, active, and pain free for the rest of the lives.
The pain management process doesn’t end when the pain does. A person experiences pain for a reason, and when that pain subsides, it is their duty to keep up with the maintenance. Falling back into old eating or exercising habits will probably start the process of pain reappearing. The patients and physicians at Southwest Spine and Pain Center will work out a proper and effective map to prevent the return of pain from coming back. This step may be the hardest part of the treatment process, but it requires much less effort than it would if you were still living with chronic pain.
For most pain physicians, they will advise their patients to implement these elements into their daily schedule:
- Increasing and maintaining muscle tone- This requires pain patients to find and use conditioning activities such as walking, swimming or biking. Continue these workouts on a regular basis for at least twenty minutes per session. It is encouraged to design an exercise routine that you enjoy, that is beneficial to your treatment, and that you can rotate to avoid boredom.
- Modifying your diet- An unbalanced or unhealthy diet can result to diabetes, hypertension, chronic pancreatitis, or gallbladder disease. It is important to pay close attention to what you eat and remember these foods that work to fight pain: ginger, garlic, foods with vitamin B6 (broccoli, beans, spinach, potatoes), and fish containing omega 3 fatty acids.
- Continuing medication management- Consult with your doctor about a timeline for your medications. Some pain syndromes require medication after the healing process is complete.
- Stress reduction counseling- One of the leading causes of pain is stress. It can be strenuous on the muscles, and may be the reason low back pain is one of the most dominant syndromes of chronic pain patients.
Speak with your physician or schedule an appointment at Southwest Spine and Pain Center for any issue regarding chronic pain. It’s time to stop surviving with this disease and start living with ease.
If chronic pain is impacting your life, don't wait to schedule an appointment at Southwest Spine and Pain Center. With three locations and growing, the pain management specialists at Southwest Spine and Pain Center are dedicated to helping those who suffer from chronic pain live the life they want to! To schedule an appointment, visit our locations tab!
The advice and information contained in this article is for educational purposes only, and is not intended to replace or counter a physician’s advice or judgment. Please always consult your physician before taking any advice learned here or in any other educational medical material.
©Southwest Spine and Pain Center, 2013
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