Chronic pain can be complex and very difficult to manage. People dealing with this issue are always searching to find the best pain relief methods that work for them. From drug treatments and yoga to virtual reality therapy and psychological treatments, there are many options to choose from depending on your condition and preferences. So chronic pain can affect almost every part of a person’s life, from work to social life and mental health.
That’s why dealing with it requires finding the best method that can help you relieve pain and live better. Here are a few of the best therapies for managing chronic pain you might want to consider.
Table of Contents
VR therapy
The modern world keeps progressing, so it’s no wonder that people decide to turn to a new way of treatment when dealing with health issues such as chronic pain. However, in recent years, virtual reality has become one of the best modern chronic pain therapy methods for managing pain. It uses drug-free and personalized chronic pain therapy from the comfort of your home.
This method has been an effective tool in decreasing pain in conjunction with other treatments. It includes a combination of VR therapy using modern technology along with conventional exercises and techniques.
Physical therapy
Physical therapy can help a person relieve pain by using special techniques to improve movement and function impaired by a disability or an injury. A physical therapist can guide the patient to employ a few pain-relieving techniques like stretching and strengthening, along with TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation therapy) to aid treatment.
However, you must also think about investing in a good mattress since it can greatly affect your condition. For example, you can choose a double sided mattress if you’re a stomach sleeper or a back sleeper. Note that customized mattresses are especially useful for people dealing with chronic pain.
Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT)
CBT is a type of psychotherapy and it can help recognize and change thoughts and behaviors, which make it difficult to deal with chronic pain. A CBT therapist can guide you and help you change your thinking to make it a little easier to manage whatever chronic pain you’re dealing with. For example, if you’re thinking that you will never survive the pain you’re feeling, these therapists can help you change your mind and also help you learn a few pain management techniques like distraction and activity pacing. Studies have shown that CBT can help individuals manage chronic pain associated with various health conditions, such as depression for people with MS (multiple sclerosis).
Psychological treatment
People dealing with chronic pain often have feelings of sadness, despair, anger, and/or hopelessness. Pain can affect your personality and interfere with your work and relationships, which leads to depression, anxiety, lack of sleep, and feelings of stress. Along with CBT, other psychological treatments provide safe and drug-free methods that treat pain directly by reducing high levels of psychological stress. Keep in mind that a big part of these treatments is education, which helps patients acquire skills to deal with difficult problems.
Bioelectric therapy
Bioelectric therapy is a safe and drug-free treatment option for people dealing with chronic pain. It relieves pain by blocking pain messages to the brain and prompts the body to produce chemicals called endorphins. But this therapy can be used to treat many chronic as well as acute conditions such as back pain, headaches, migraines, arthritis, scleroderma, and others.
This therapy is effective for temporary pain control, although it should be used as part of a total pain management program. Side effects of this therapy, which are in rare cases, include skin irritation and redness, which can occur under the electrodes during the procedure.
Alternative therapies
People have often found relief for their chronic pain in alternative therapies like mind-body therapy, acupuncture, chiropractic treatment, and some nutritional supplements.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture, for example, is believed to decrease pain by increasing the release of endorphins. Note that many acupoints are near nerves, so when stimulated, these nerves can cause a feeling of fullness or a dull ache in the muscle. The muscles then send a message to the central nervous system, which causes the release of endorphins blocking the message of pain to be delivered to the brain. It may be useful as an accompanying treatment for many pain-related conditions such as low back pain, headache, carpal tunnel syndrome, menstrual cramps, and others.
Chiropractic Treatment
This is the most common nonsurgical treatment for back pain. Chiropractic treatments can also correct underlying mechanical dysfunctions and recommend exercises to keep the body moving. Studies show that chiropractic treatment has helped decrease the chronic pain of a patient that dealt with it after a car accident. Although this treatment’s effectiveness in treating chronic neck and back pain has not been supported by evidence from the majority of clinical trials, many patients decide on this treatment to deal with their chronic pain.
In closing
Some people who suffer from chronic pain are often able to gain some control over it by trying various treatments. However, those that cannot benefit from these methods should turn to pain clinics. Some of them are associated with hospitals, and they usually employ a multidisciplinary approach, which involves physicians, physical therapists, and psychologists. Consult with your doctor and find what method suits your needs best so you can start with therapy right away.
