Managing a chronic pain condition is nothing if not frustrating. You receive a lot of well-intentioned but conflicting advice on how to reduce your pain levels or your number of monthly pain days. Often, diet and exercise are mentioned as a crucial part of chronic pain care. How can you tell the good advice from the bad?
In this blog, interventional pain management specialists Dr. Nichelle C. Renk and Dr. Gavin Nixon review research on diet and exercise as ways to manage chronic pain. At Alpenglow Pain & Wellness of Anchorage, Alaska, we completely personalize your chronic pain treatment, which is always based on the latest scientific research. With expert advice and guidance, you can find the pain management path that works best for you.
For many people, dietary adjustments actually do help to reduce pain intensity and frequency. However, diet alone is unlikely to relieve your symptoms completely. Your chronic pain treatment plan typically includes multiple strategies for managing your condition.
Often, people with chronic pain benefit from adopting an anti-inflammatory diet. An anti-inflammatory diet involves:
Inflammation in your body may be involved in your flare-ups, and avoiding dietary inflammation triggers may make sense for you.
Healthy weight management may also be an important part of your pain management plan. A heavier body weight puts more stress on your joints and can worsen pain problems. Your provider at Alpenglow Pain & Wellness supports you throughout your weight loss journey. We offer nutritional counseling and dietary supplementation specifically targeted to your diagnosis and care needs.
Chronic pain gets in the way of your ability to exercise, but it’s also true that exercise can help to keep your chronic pain condition under control. The Alpenglow Pain & Wellness team works with our chronic pain patients to find the right balance of rest and activity. While your approach to exercise may not look like everyone else’s, this part of your care matters to your overall health and wellness.
How does regular exercise benefit chronic pain patients? In addition to helping you maintain a healthy body weight, exercise lubricates your joints, making movement easier and less painful. If your chronic pain comes from a source like a pinched nerve, strengthening the neighboring muscles takes pressure off the painful area, allowing you to recover. Strengthening your core, stretching your body, and adjusting your biomechanics can all allow you to spend more days pain-free.
For your activity plan, focus on low-impact types of exercise, such as gentle yoga, swimming, or water aerobics. Pay extra attention to warm-ups, cool-downs, or the right safety equipment. Physical therapy supports many chronic pain patients in learning about healthy types of motion and activity. Strength training, led by a physical therapist, is incredibly important especially as patients age.
With the help of the team at Alpenglow Pain & Wellness, you’re not alone in figuring out how best to manage your chronic pain diagnosis. Reach out and receive personalized advice, support, and more. Contact Dr. Renk and Dr. Nixon at Alpenglow Pain & Wellness today. Schedule your initial appointment online or over the phone now.
