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Things You Can Do
to Help Yourself
Pain medicine is usually part of the treatment plan for chronic pain. But
pain medicine often works best when used with other treatments. These
treatments may help your body feel better or help you ignore the pain. Your
healthcare team may suggest one or more of the treatments listed below.
Exercise in your
everyday life
Many people are afraid that
being physically active will
make their pain worse. In fact,
exercise is one of the best
treatments for chronic pain.
In most cases, an exercise
program should be part of
your treatment plan.
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Exercise releases a natural
chemical in the brain that lifts
your mood and helps block
pain signals.
Exercise also strengthens
your muscles, and this helps
prevent future injuries.
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You may do one-on-one work
with a therapist or trainer,
a class, a group activity, or
something on your own.
Walking is one of the best
exercises. It doesn’t cost
anything, and you can do it
almost anywhere.
Check with your healthcare
team before starting an exercise
program to see if it is the best one
for you and your pain.
Reduce stress to
relieve your pain
Stress can make your body
more sensitive to pain. Finding
ways to reduce stress can
help relieve chronic pain. Try
listening to calming music,
reading, or meditating. Or
download a relaxation or guided
imagery program that leads you
through relaxation exercises.
Avoid alcohol
while on medication
Alcohol can change the way
many pain medicines work.
For example, drinking alcohol
while taking acetaminophen
(Tylenol) can damage your liver.
Taking alcohol with NSAIDs can
increase the risk of stomach
bleeding and sleep problems.
Talk with your healthcare team
about how much alcohol you
drink and ways to cut back,
if needed.
Stop smoking to
improve health
It is easier to manage pain if
you stop smoking. Smoking can
increase inflammation—pain,
redness, heat, and swelling. This
makes chronic pain worse.
Smoking damages your blood
vessels, so less blood circulates
in your body. This can lead to
heart disease and stroke. And
it slows healing after an injury
or surgery.
There are programs and
medicines to help you stop
smoking (like the patch). Talk
to your doctor or your case
manager for help.
Plan fun activities
for mental relief
Sometimes you just need to
get your mind off your pain.
Try to do something you
enjoy so that you don’t focus
so much on your pain. Try
different activities, such as
cooking, reading, watching
movies, meeting friends for
a meal, gardening, working in
the garage, playing cards,
and knitting.
Get support from
other patients
Getting support is a big part of
feeling better physically and
mentally. You can join a support
group with others who have
chronic pain. They know what
you feel, and they may have
good ideas for managing pain.
Family and friends can also give
you support by helping you and
keeping you company.
Things I would like to do to feel better:
