From stubbing your toe to twisting your ankle to giving birth, and anything in between, everyone has felt pain at some point. But for nearly one in four Americans, they experience pain that is more than the temporary pain you expect as part of living your daily life.
For Eileen, a 67-year-old woman, chronic pain became a steady background presence after a fall down the stairs left her with low back pain that never fully faded. What was expected to be a short-term injury has become a daily negotiation, requiring adjustments to once-normal tasks, like sitting, standing, sleeping or traveling to visit grandkids. For people like Eileen, chronic pain requires trying multiple approaches to find what allows them to live life as fully as possible.
Read on to learn expert-backed tips on how to relieve chronic pain.
[SEE: Ranking the Most Painful Medical Conditions]
What Is Chronic Pain?
Chronic pain is suffering or discomfort that persists longer than three months.
According to the International Association for the Study of Pain, chronic pain is “an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with, or resembling that associated with, actual or potential tissue damage.” Chronic pain is a subjective experience, influenced by biological, psychological and social factors.
Chronic pain is different from acute pain because it doesn’t serve the usual protective function, says Dr. Steve Hong, an anesthesiologist and interventional pain management physician with North Texas Orthopedic and Spine, located in Plano, Frisco and McKinney, Texas. “With acute pain, the body is signaling immediate injury or harm, and once the underlying issue heals, the pain subsides. Chronic pain, however, persists beyond the expected healing time and often outlasts its original cause.”
Common causes of chronic pain
— Previous injury or surgery
— Nerve damage
— Autoimmune or inflammatory disorders
— Musculoskeletal conditions, such as arthritis or fibromyalgia
— Repetitive physical strain
— Psychological stress or trauma
— Unknown or mixed causes
Types of chronic pain
There are several types of chronic pain with unique causes.
| Type of chronic pain | Description | Examples |
| Neuropathic pain | Results from nerve injury or dysfunction | Shingles, diabetic neuropathy, complex regional pain syndrome, spinal cord injury |
| Nocioceptive pain | Triggered by tissue injury or inflammation | Sprains, burns, post-surgical pain |
| Musculoskeletal pain | Arises from bones, joints, muscles or ligaments | Radicular back pain, myofascial pain, tendonitis |
| Psychogenic pain | Related to psychological and emotional factors | Tension headaches, somatization disorder |
| Inflammatory pain | Response to illness, injury, infection or autoimmune condition | Gout, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer pain |
[READ: Best OTC Migraine Medication and Relief.]
10 Tips to Manage Chronic Pain
We now understand chronic pain as a biopsychosocial condition influenced by biological, psychological and social factors that all interact, says Dr. Jacob Hascalovici, the director of pain management at Hackensack Meridian Neuroscience Institute at Hackensack University Medical Center in Edison, New Jersey. “This understanding has changed how we care for patients. Instead of focusing only on the site of pain, we treat the whole person.”
Most experts recommend starting with conservative, low-risk treatment before moving to more advanced treatment, such as injections or surgery, which often require documentation of prior effort for insurance approval.
Here are ten expert-backed tips for managing chronic pain.
[SEE: Best Arthritis Pain Relief]
1. Approach chronic pain holistically
Avoid “quick fixes” that oversimplify your pain.
“One of the biggest trends I am skeptical of comes from social media, is the ‘Do this one thing to fix your low back pain’ type of advice”, says Dustin DebRoy, a chiropractor in Scottsdale, Arizona, and is the manager of chiropractic education and relations at The Joint Chiropractic.”Chronic pain is multifactorial. Reducing it to one single hack only minimizes the complexity and sets people up for frustration.”
Sometimes, the sheer volume of activities, therapies and exercises can actually aggravate pain, DebRoy says. “My first recommendation is often to subtract rather than add, and focus on high-value interventions that make a difference.”
2. Adjust your posture
DebRoy recommends posture reminders. “Add the word ‘posture’ after the names of the top five people you text most often. Every time they text you, it serves as a cue to shift position, stand up or adjust your posture. This makes a big difference in managing chronic pain.”
3. Use ice or heat
Ice helps reduce inflammation, numbs the affected area and provides short-term relief, while also decreasing irritation, DebRoy says.
You can also try adding a heat pack to your routine to see which feels better, or if the combination of ice and heat gives relief.
A simple at-home tool for relaxing the nervous system is to stimulate the vagus nerve by placing an ice pack near the base of your neck, Lauren Flynn, a licensed counselor based in San Diego, and a lead therapist at Flowly, a virtual clinic for individuals struggling with pain and anxiety, recommends. “Pairing this with belly breathing is an effective way to calm an activated and pain-stricken nervous system.”
4. Make lifestyle modifications
Chronic pain is a persistent part of daily life, affecting not just physical function but also mental and emotional health, Hong says.
“Unlike acute pain, which tends to decrease over time as the injury heals, chronic pain often requires ongoing management, not just of the pain itself, but of the broader psychosocial and functional impacts.”
Here are some lifestyle modifications to consider depending on your type of chronic pain.
| Type of chronic pain | Lifestyle considerations |
| Low back pain |
— — — — — — Maintain a healthy weight — — — — — — — — — — — Avoid prolonged sitting — — — — — |
| Neck pain |
— — — — — — Keep screens at eye level — — — — — — Use ergonomic chairs — — — — — — Perform gentle neck stretches — — — — — — Use a supportive pillow — — — — — |
| Carpal tunnel |
— — — — — — Use ergonomic tools when able, such as an ergonomic keyboard — — — — — — Take breaks from repetitive motions — — — — — — Maintain neutral wrist position when sleeping — — — — — |
| Autoimmune or inflammatory pain |
— — — — — — Prioritize sleep hygiene — — — — — — Follow an anti-inflammatory diet — — — — — — Practice stress reduction — — — — — — Limit alcohol and caffeine — — — — — |
| Migraines |
— — — — — — Identify dietary triggers — — — — — — Keep a headache journal — — — — — — Limit screen time — — — — — |
[READ: Journavx: What to Know About the New Nonopioid Painkiller]
5. Discuss medications with your health care provider
Medication is a tool for chronic pain management, but talk to your doctor about which medication is best to help you manage your chronic pain, and how to effectively combine medication with lifestyle modifications for your pain.
| Medication type | Example medication or drug class | Considerations |
| Over-the-counter pain relievers | Acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Motrin), naproxen (Aleve) | Can reduce pain and inflammation, but be sure to discuss liver and kidney impact with your doctor |
| Topical analgesics | Lidocaine patch, Voltaren gel | Can target localized pain with fewer systemic side effects |
| Prescription pain relievers | Opioids, benzodiazepines, SNRIs, anticonvulsants | Discuss medication dependence, dizziness and fatigue with your provider |
| CBD | CBD oil, CBD gummies, CBD topical balm | Search for high-quality, verified products with your doctor |
| Vitamins and supplements | Omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, turmeric | Can help reduce inflammation, make sure to discuss interactions with other medications and supplements |
6. Perform physical therapy or home exercises
A physical therapist can provide a personalized exercise and stretching program for your chronic pain.
Many insurance plans require documented physical therapy or home exercise for 6 to 12 weeks before approving more invasive chronic pain procedures.
7. See a pain therapist or psychologist
There are a few types of psychotherapy that can be helpful for chronic pain.
This includes:
— Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT can help you recognize and disrupt negative thought patterns. “This is one of the best evidence-based approaches for symptom management and improvement in coping and functioning,” Flynn says.
— Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). ACT focuses on accepting your experience with pain and living with mindfulness and meaning.
— Pain reprocessing therapy (PRT). PRT teaches you to reprocess pain signals to be less threatening. “This is best for cases of nonstructural pain, and has strong evidence for not just managing, but reversing chronic pain,” Flynn says. “It empowers people to feel more in control of their lives, and no longer at the mercy of their pain.”
8. Get acupuncture or massage
For some individuals, acupuncture or massage can offer relief from chronic pain. During acupuncture, an acupuncturist inserts very small needles into specific points in the body, thought to promote endorphins and natural healing. Massage uses hands-on movement to relax muscles and address tension. Different massage techniques, such as lymphatic massage or deep tissue massage, are available to meet your specific needs.
Both acupuncture and massage focus on reducing tension and improving circulation. Improved blood flow can decrease pain by accelerating the body’s natural healing processes and reducing inflammation.
9. Try neuromodulation
If more conservative treatments aren’t resolving your chronic pain, neuromodulation may be the next step. Neuromodulation works by altering how the nervous system perceives and responds to pain signals.
| Neuromodulation technology | Description | Chronic pain application |
| Transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) | Small electrodes on the skin to deliver mild electrical shocks to block pain signals; noninvasive and can be used at home | Localized musculoskeletal or neuropathic pain |
| Occipital nerve stimulation (ONS) | Electrical impulses to base of skull; requires surgical implantation | Migraines, occipital neuralgia |
| Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) | An implanted device to send electrical impulses to the spinal cord; usually requires a trial period | Failed back surgery syndrome, complex regional pain syndrome |
| Sacral nerve stimulation (SNS) | Surgically implanted to stimulate the sacral nerves that control pelvic function | Neurogenic bladder, pelvic pain |
[READ: Shoulder Impingement Syndrome Symptoms and Treatment]
10. Ask your doctor about injections and procedures available for your pain
Depending on the type of chronic pain you have, there may be a specific procedure, injection or surgery available to help you. Talk to your health care provider about what strategies are available for your chronic pain, the risks of injection or surgery and how to combine them with conservative and at-home treatment.
| Chronic pain type | Available injections | Available surgeries |
| Migraine | Botox, occipital nerve blocks | Peripheral nerve surgery |
| Neck pain | Cervical epidural steroid injection, facet injection, radiofrequency ablation | Cervical discectomy, cervical fusion |
| Back pain | Lumbar epidural steroid injection, facet injection, radiofrequency ablation | Spinal decompression, spinal fusion, laminectomy, microdiscectomy |
| Carpal tunnel | Corticosteroid injection | Carpal tunnel release surgery |
| Shoulder or joint pain | Corticosteroid injection, hyaluronic injection, sacroiliac injections for hip pain, peripheral nerve block | Arthroscopy, arthroplasty |
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Expert Tips for Chronic Pain Relief originally appeared on usnews.com
