Good Shepherd doctor offers '10 Tips to Relieve Frustration Linked with Chronic Pain'

Living with chronic pain can be frustrating. However, reducing your pain level in everyday life is possible. People suffering with chronic pain must be mindful of their emotions as well as their bodies to better ease their pain. According to the American Pain Foundation, 32 million people in the United States report pain lasting more than one year. Follow the top ten tips to help relieve frustration associated with chronic pain.

Step 1: Accept the pain. Educate yourself by learning more about your condition through extensive research. Come up with questions to discuss openly with your physician who can then work with a pain management specialist to help develop a treatment plan.

Step 2: Manage the pain. Manage your pain through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), a form of open therapy that aims to change the way patients view pain. Learning to transform negative thoughts into positive awareness allows you to gain knowledge on how to cope with pain, regardless of the pain level.

Step 3: Relax. Relaxation reduces stress, and calms the mind. Take deep breaths to slow the heart rate, and stimulate blood flow while settling the body.

Step 4: Exercise. Keeping your body conditioned is important for reducing chronic pain. Walking is a good exercise that will help with weight loss and lessen the stress on the joints. Yoga, a gentle exercise, improves flexibility, strength and deep breathing.

Step 5: Eat healthy. Be sure to give your body the proper nutrients it needs to stay healthy and energized by eating a well-balanced diet. An appropriate diet includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat protein.

Step 6: Don't smoke. Smoking is harmful to the body and can even lead to diseases that cause chronic pain. Tobacco has a negative affect on the nervous system increasing the user's sensitivity of pain.

Step 7: Set goals. Take an active role in your recovery by setting realistic goals that you have the power to accomplish. List the things you would like to do and work at your own pace.

Step 8: Mind over matter. Rather than repeatedly thinking about your pain, focus your mind elsewhere. Distract yourself by engaging in daily activities you enjoy.

Step 9: Keep a journal. Recognizing your emotions helps you better understand yourself. Maintain a daily journal with a pain scale from 1-10 to keep track of your pain tolerance each day. At your next doctor visit, bring your journal to discuss with your physician.

Step 10: Join a support group. You are not alone. Talk with friends and family members about how you are feeling. For help, reach out to Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital's pain management program for support and encouragement in order to live a more satisfying life.

Take control of your life by following the 10 tips to reduce frustration associated with chronic pain. Half the battle is won by taking the initial steps to help yourself.

J. Nnaemeka Onwuta, M.D., is board certified in anesthesiology and pain management and serves as the medical director of Advocate Good Shepherd's Interventional Pain Center. He is a member of the Advocate Medical Group.