Six Tips to Relieve Chronic Pain

Posted by Signature Medical Group on Wednesday, April 26, 2017 in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Those who experience chronic pain know how debilitating it can be. Everyday activities are a chore. It's hard to walk or even sleep.

Let Signature Medical Group help you. Our orthopedic specialists are experts at treating discomfort in your bones, joints and muscles. You can often see us the same day you make an appointment and we offer convenient hours at night and on weekends.

Our rehab physicians (often referred to as physiatrists) specialize in physical medicine and rehabilitation and treat a wide range of impairments.

We encourage you to visit one of our specialists. But we also offer some natural remedies, courtesy of Illinois Bone and Joint Institute, to help alleviate your pain:

  1. Trigger Point Injections. Similar to acupuncture, trigger point injections are specifically created to reduce pain found in certain trigger points of your body. An outpatient procedure, trigger point injections are administered by a Signature healthcare professional and involve a small needle being inserted into the painful area. The most common numbing agents used are lidocaine or an anti-inflammatory.
  1. Heat. Whether you choose to use a heating pad, soak, or heat wrap, heat helps increase oxygen flow to an aching, tight joint or muscle, bringing about healing nutrients to the area.
  1. Stretching. Because chronic pain can limit your body's motion, stretching should be an integral part of your everyday routine to help keep your muscles and joints loose.
  1. Meditation. Sometimes you need to put mind over matter. Meditation can help you reflect on, envision, and create ways to cope with the chronic pain from which you are suffering. In addition, meditation helps reduce your stress levels, which in turn helps lessen your pain.
  1. Massage Therapy. A massage can release serotonin, which is your body's natural production of anti-pain chemicals. In addition, a massage is effective in increasing the amount of deep sleep you receive.
  1. Spices and Herbs. Willow bark and turmeric are particularly helpful. Willow bark is known to reduce inflammation, a primary cause of pain. It can be chewed on, consumed in a liquid form or brewed as a dried herb. Turmeric, which is full of pain-fighting antioxidants, can help lessen pain symptoms when consumed orally.

If you’re having trouble getting rid of your pain, Signature is ready to help you. Make an appointment today with one of our specialists and start enjoying life again.

Tags

  1. bone
  2. chronic pain
  3. joint
  4. muscle
  5. rehabilitation
  6. treatment