Gentle ways to manage chronic pain
Unfortunately, chronic pain is a common condition that affects many people. In fact, the Chronic Pain Association of Canada says that as many as one in three Canadians are living with this condition.
But what gentle and natural solutions are available to manage chronic pain? That’s a question we’ll answer in this article. Read on to find out more about chronic pain management and what alternatives are out there to help you.
What is chronic pain?
Chronic pain by definition is a condition where pain lasts for months or possibly years after illness or injury, or even if there is no obvious cause for the pain.
Symptoms can include:
- Muscle pain
- Joint pain
- Loss of flexibility
- Sleep issues
- Fatigue
- Low mood
There are many conditions linked to chronic pain. These include:
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Osteoarthritis
- Fibromyalgia
- Cancer
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
- The after-effects of surgery
This list is by no means exhaustive, and it’s worth knowing that sometimes there is no obvious cause of or link to the source of pain.
How to manage chronic pain syndrome
If you suffer from chronic pain, the first step is to consult with your doctor to discuss your options, which may include prescribed medication.
In addition to any treatment recommended by your doctor, you can try some gentle solutions to help ease the discomfort of chronic pain:
Yoga: Yoga can be an effective way to manage both the physical and emotional effects of chronic pain syndrome. It will help you relax your muscles and improve your breathing techniques, which can have a real benefit in terms of pain relief. Yoga will also uplift your mood, reducing the chances of associated stress and anxiety.
Acupuncture: Acupuncture is a practice that comes from Chinese traditional medicine and involves the insertion of fine needles under the skin to stimulate strategic points. Some scientists believe this leads to the release of hormones that increase the pain threshold. Others say it reduces inflammation in the body.
Osteopathy: Osteopathy uses manual therapy techniques that work on the musculoskeletal system, with a focus on the muscles, joints and spine. What many patients love about osteopathy is that it looks at the health of the whole body and can address more than one issue at once. It’s safe, drug-free and an increasingly popular therapy for chronic pain management.
Find relief from chronic pain with osteopathy in Calgary
Now that you know about the options to manage chronic pain, find one that suits you.
Osteopathy is a natural method of combating chronic pain. And it’s not just about treating specific symptoms but about looking at your health and wellbeing as a whole.
If you’d like to know how osteopathy in Calgary could help with your chronic pain, contact the Osteo Health team by calling 4038140404 or book an appointment online at osteohealthcalgary.janeapp.com.
Approved by Indira Ravaeva. Manual Osteopath. Member of National Manual Osteopathic Society and Osteopathy Australia.