6 Ways to Manage Chronic Pain During the Holidays

Holidays used to be a time of joy for you, but chronic pain has put a damper on your life, and you’re less enthusiastic about the season than you used to be.

You’re certainly not alone in this, as nearly one quarter of the population in the United States has chronic pain, which is pain that lasts for 3-6 months or more.

Whether you’re dealing with back pain, joint pain, or widespread pain, there are some strategies that our team of pain management specialists here at Revive Spine and Pain Center want to share. These strategies are designed to help you put chronic pain in the backseat while you enjoy your time with friends and family this holiday season.

Be prepared

The first step you should take is to make sure you have everything you need to get through the holidays with minimal pain. This means that you should come see us to update whatever you need, such as:

• Pain medications
• Joint injections
• Spine injections
• Nerve blocks
• Medical acupuncture

We’re equipped with a wide range of pain management solutions, and we’re sure that we’ll have an effective treatment or two to minimize your discomfort.

Prioritize sleep

The link between chronic pain and sleep is a two-way street — pain can disrupt your sleep and lack of sleep can exacerbate your pain. There’s a reason we call good sleep “restorative sleep.” When you sleep soundly, your body initiates repairs and suppresses pain.

Conversely, when you don’t get 7-9 hours of restorative sleep, you can sense pain more acutely and your body is unable to heal.

So this holiday season, make sure you get plenty of z’s.

Reduce stress

Holidays can be wonderful, but also stressful, and stress can heighten pain. So we want you to do what you can to keep stress to a minimum during the holidays. Some strategies for this include:

• Deep breathing exercises, such as breathing in for 4 seconds, holding for 4 seconds, exhaling for 4 seconds, and pausing again for 4 seconds
• Taking walks
• Meditation
• Finding quiet moments
• Turning off the news

Also, avoid stressful topics and conversations, which are commonplace these days.

Avoid alcohol

While alcohol can temporarily numb your chronic pain, it’s a terrible pain management tool because it leaves you worse off afterward. So it’s a good practice to minimize alcohol intake over the holidays.

Find the laughter

Your body has built-in painkillers called endorphins, so find situations that make your endorphins flow. Whether it’s spending time with your favorite cousin or playing games with the younger members of your family, finding joy during the holidays can reduce your pain.

Keep moving

Another effective tactic is to keep moving. Movement gets the resources in your body flowing, so grab a loved one and go for a walk after the big holiday feast. As an added bonus, exercise helps to release more of those feel-good endorphins.

If you’d like more ideas for managing chronic pain over the holidays or you’d like to schedule a pre-holiday visit, please contact us at one of our conveniently located offices in Marlton, Hamilton Township, Northfield, or East Brunswick, New Jersey, to schedule an appointment.