How to Help a Patient Who has been Diagnosed with Chronic Pain

How to Help a Patient Who has been Diagnosed with Chronic Pain.

If you have a patient who is one of the 76 million people diagnosed with chronic pain, be sure they know that they’re not alone. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 50 million Americans feel the effects of intractable chronic pain, and it’s experienced by 20.4 percent of adults around the world. Chronic pain is the most common cause of long-term disability, with a half of all working Americans experiencing back pain, the leading cause of chronic pain.

Fortunately, there are safe and effective ways to help someone suffering from this excruciating ailment — the International Pain Foundation presents a few below.

Formulate a Pain Management Plan

There are many reasons people have chronic pain, from accidents or injuries to diseases such as cancer. The variety of causes means that there are a variety of treatments practitioners could try in order to identify what might work for their patients. Depending on your clinical field, you may have a team of specialists working with you, including physical and occupational therapists, nutritionists, mental health workers, etc.

It may take many minds and specialties to help you figure out what works best for your patient’s pain as you work through the process of pain management. It is a process and will take awhile, and it may change as your patient’s age or illness progresses, so it’s important for you both to take an active role in a management plan.

Treatment Options

No matter what the type of pain your patient has or its cause, there are some treatments that work for most people. Psychology Today notes that these involve living a healthy life: eating a nutritious diet, getting enough exercise, maintaining a healthy sleep schedule, etc. While that sounds simple, it may be difficult for some people to maintain. If you help the individual in your care work these strategies into habits, they can help minimize pain and maximize wellness.

Diet and Nutrition

Diet may be the most important part of a pain management program, because poor diet or undiagnosed food allergies may increase inflammation in the joints, leading to increased pain. Refined carbohydrates that raise blood sugar levels (those with high sugar content or that have been greatly processed, such as white flour, white sugar, etc.) can increase the body’s inflammatory response.

Vegetables, fruits and whole grains are much easier for the body to digest and contain antioxidants that reduce inflammation. Herbs like ginger, garlic and onion also help. Encourage patients to favor colorful fruits and vegetables (berries, dark green lettuce, peppers, broccoli, etc.) over highly-processed meats and packaged foods.

The more natural a food is, the better it will be for the body. Encourage pain sufferers to look for high-fiber items like sweet potatoes and legumes to help them feel full while eating less. Good fats from nuts, avocados and olive oil are also better than margarine and anything with hydrogenated oil in it.

Physical and Mental Fitness

Exercise is another important part of a pain management plan, as excess weight adds stress to the body, which also increases inflammation. And working out doesn’t have to be grueling. Regular, low-impact exercises like walking, swimming, gardening or light jogging for 30 minutes four days a week help individuals feel better and move more easily.

Practicing relaxation techniques can greatly enhance well-being and help individuals feel less pain and anxiety. Suggest your patients incorporate mind/body practices into their exercise, like tai chi or yoga, or focus on calming the mind through meditation and active breathing apart from their exercise routine. In all of these examples, patients are focusing on their body and on calming their thoughts and fears, which may help them be able to ignore the pain or feel it less.

It’s easier to either exercise or practice meditation at home when the living space is free of stressors like clutter, so make a point to declutter and tidy up the home. It’s all about removing negativity and replacing it with positivity, something that can be achieved by taking a few additional simple steps like adding a few houseplants (which helps purify the air) and letting in more sunlight through the windows. Even if you don’t meditate, finding a quiet place in your home to practice deep breathing can do wonders for stress, which can, in turn, help you regain a little control over your pain.

The Pharmaceutical Route

Of course, it may make sense to prescribe some type of painkiller to individuals who are significantly suffering from pain. While these can greatly reduce ongoing pain, they can also be deadly if not managed properly by both physician and patient.

Opioid pain relievers can cause heart attacks and gastrointestinal bleeding, as well as injury from falls or automobile accidents. They are highly addictive and can lead to stronger drug use such as heroin. It’s important that both parties do not assume that “prescription” always means “safe.” Ask your patient about any medicines or supplements they are taking so you can be sure to prescribe them a medication that best suits their needs and lifestyle, and ideally, won’t be needed over the long-term.

As an advocate for your patients, it’s important that you both work together on an ongoing basis to determine if a treatment program is working and is safe. Living with chronic pain is not an easy road, but there are more options than ever for helping those in your care find relief.

Author: Phillip Carr

Published by: International Pain Foundation (iPain)