Tips for Living Well with Chronic Pain

Whether your brain injury resulted from a car accident, a fall or in combat, you may experience ongoing symptoms, including pain, from the injuries you sustained. If so, seek treatment from your team of medical professionals first, and then practice the following tips to better manage your chronic pain and improve your overall quality of life.

Learn how to pace yourself. When your pain level is low, you may be tempted to overexert yourself in order to make up for days when your pain is high. By pacing yourself, though, you will be able to manage your pain more effectively. Try arranging your day so that you alternate activities that require high activity with scheduled downtime.
 
Manage your stress well. If at all possible, avoid stressful situations and practice relaxation techniques. Managing your stress can reduce pain and improve your ability to cope with and manage your pain.

Maintain healthy eating habits and practice good “sleep hygiene”. A healthy diet and a regular sleep schedule can improve your overall health and decrease the amount of pain you experience.

Keep a “coping-focused” attitude. Instead of giving into despair when you have a “bad pain day,” practice positive self talk and focus on strategies to reduce your pain.

Effectively communicate your needs to friends and family. It may be hard to effectively communicate your needs when you are experiencing increased pain levels. On a day you are in less pain, create a plan with your friends and family to describe what to do when your pain is at its greatest.

Practice the four main pain management techniques: 1) Deep breathing, 2) Distraction, 3) Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR), and 4) Meditation. For a description of each pain management technique and step by step exercises, visit www.webmd.com and search the techniques listed above.

You can also visit the American Chronic Pain Association's website for more information and resources.

* * *
Read about one veteran's success in learning to control his chronic pain through alternative techniques.