Chronic pain affects millions of Americans, and the toll it takes on your life can be significant. That’s because pain doesn’t just affect you physically — it affects you emotionally, too. In fact, studies show that as many as 75% of chronic pain sufferers also suffer from depression, anxiety, or similar emotional disorders.
The good news is, a custom pain management plan can help you decrease your chronic pain symptoms and improve your emotional well-being, too. The key is working with a provider who can design a management plan based on your symptoms, your lifestyle, your medical needs, and your goals.
With offices in Wayne and Jersey City, New Jersey, Jersey Integrative Health and Wellness helps patients of all ages learn safe, effective ways to manage pain and reap the physical and emotional benefits. If you suffer from chronic pain, here’s how pain management can support your emotional and mental wellness.
It helps you sleep better
Many people with chronic pain find their symptoms prevent them from getting good, restful sleep. In turn, inadequate sleep can make symptoms of anxiety and depression a lot worse.
A comprehensive pain management plan focuses on techniques to help you relax and improve your sleep habits, so you can heal, relieve painful symptoms, and reduce the emotional effects, as well.
It improves your ability to cope
There’s no denying that dealing with chronic pain symptoms on a daily or almost daily basis can tire you out and make you feel like you’re at the end of your rope. Ironically, those feelings can actually make your pain feel worse.
By helping you take control of your pain, your pain management plan helps you feel empowered, making it easier to cope and rise above your symptoms.
It decreases your stress and anxiety
As noted earlier, people who have chronic pain are much more likely to also have anxiety, driven by stress about their symptoms and the effect those symptoms are having on their lives. Pain management reduces your stress and anxiety about your symptoms, so you don’t obsess over them.
Some pain management techniques, like meditation, breathing exercises, and yoga actually decrease levels of cortisol, a hormone responsible for stressful feelings.
It reduces your feelings of depression
Our team takes a comprehensive approach to pain management, using medication, physical therapy, lifestyle changes, and stress-relief techniques. By relieving pain, your pain management plan can also reduce the feelings of hopelessness and depression that often go hand-in-hand with chronic pain symptoms.
It helps you be more social
Chronic pain saps your energy, and painful symptoms can make it harder to take part in social activities. Over time, many people find themselves isolated, leading to increases in anxiety and depression.
Pain management helps you get back to the activities you love, so you can build friendships and find much-needed support.
It improves your overall outlook
When you’ve been dealing with chronic pain every day for what seems like forever, finally finding relief can feel like a tremendous weight has been lifted from your shoulders. Many of the techniques used to manage chronic pain, including exercise and meditation, can help improve your quality of life, too.
It helps you stay proactive with your treatment
Having a more positive attitude and improving your coping skills work together to help you feel more positive about your treatment, too. That means sticking with your pain management plan is easier, because you know it’s helping you feel better physically and emotionally.
Don’t let chronic pain take over your life. We can help. To learn more about custom pain management plans, book an appointment online or over the phone at Jersey Integrative Health and Wellness today.
