According to the American Council on Science and Health, a CDC study showed that 50 million Americans suffer from chronic pain. Unfortunately, many people who start using painkillers to manage their chronic pain become tolerant to them. Continuing to take painkillers can lead to an addiction. If you have developed an opiate addiction because of painkiller abuse, there are addiction treatment centers that can help. The good news is that after you stop taking painkillers and get treatment if needed, there are some tips you can use to help you handle chronic pain without medication.

Deep Breathing and Meditation

One of the tips for handling chronic pain without medication is deep breathing and meditation. These techniques provide you with relaxation. The more your body can relax, the more pain relief you might get. Many chronic pain sufferers deal with tightness and tension in their muscles on a regular basis. By using deep breathing and meditation, you can relieve both of these things.

You can meditate in many different ways. Many people find that listening to some soothing and repetitive sounds or words can help with a deeper state of meditation. You should be in a quiet place while meditating if you can. Accept and put aside your thoughts. Focus solely on each breath you take and repeat a mantra. If you attend an addiction rehab center to overcome opiate addiction, you might find they can teach you meditation techniques as well.

Deep breathing is one of the relaxation tools you can use as well. Get your body in a comfortable position. Again, you will accept and put aside your thoughts. Think of a spot right below the navel. Put your breath to that location and breathe air into the abdomen. Pretending your abdomen is a balloon that you are filling up can help.

Using Biofeedback

Biofeedback is another way chronic pain sufferers can have reduced pain. This is a technique patients can use to control their body and how it functions. They use their mind to learn relaxation and new thoughts about their condition. If you suffer from chronic pain, biofeedback can provide you with the information you need to become more relaxed. For example, many people who suffer from chronic pain have contracted muscles. These can be the source of pain and through biofeedback, you can calm these muscles down, so they relax and loosen up. By doing this, you can relieve some of your pain. When using biofeedback, facial muscles are manipulated as well. When you can smile while in pain, you won’t feel quite as bad. In fact, you may even learn to feel better about your condition.

Reducing Stress

Stress does make chronic pain much worse. If you want to handle chronic pain without medication, reducing your stress can help more than you may realize. There are many stress reduction techniques you can use to relieve stress and induce relaxation. You can listen to relaxing music, use guided imagery relaxation, listen to guided meditations, find a peaceful place to sit, create art, or journal. These techniques can help you to create a sense of calmness all over your body and in your mind. You can use progressive muscle relaxation to help you relax as well.

Exercising

Many people find painkillers so effective because they reduce pain. However, you can exercise and get the same, or even more pain relief. Additionally, you won’t be putting harmful substances in your body. When you exercise, you are releasing more natural endorphins into the body. These natural endorphins are what helps to block pain signals in your body.

You should also know that exercising can also create stronger muscles. By doing this, you are less prone to injury, which prevents future pain. Strengthening your muscles also helps to reduce muscle spasms and pains. Exercising can help you to lose weight which may also help some people to have a reduction in pain. It might be helpful to talk to your doctor about the best exercise regimen for your health and any conditions you might have.

Elimination of Alcohol

If you have been consuming alcohol, it may help to eliminate this completely or at least greatly reduce your alcohol consumption. Many people who suffer with chronic pain have a difficult time going to or staying asleep. Alcohol usually makes sleep issues even worse. If you have chronic pain, you can have a better quality of life if you stop drinking or at least greatly limit the amount of alcohol you drink.

Support Groups

Dealing with chronic pain is tough. Some of the people in may not understand what you are going through. You may feel alone and may even begin to isolate yourself from your loved ones. If you are feeling this way, it may be helpful for you to join at least one support group. There are many different support groups for chronic pain sufferers. You can get to know others who deal with some of the same chronic pain issues you have. They get what you go through every day. They know, from personal experience, how tough it is. The people in these support groups may have some other coping skills for you as well.

It might also be helpful to join a therapy group. As mentioned, going through chronic pain is difficult, which you already know from experience. Those with chronic pain often develop depression. Having depression can also make your pain feel worse. Talking to a professional counselor or joining group therapy can help you to manage your mental health and reduce some pain as well.

No Smoking

If you are a smoker, it is helpful to know that smoking can also increase chronic pain. Part of the reason for this is because it reduces circulation in the body. If blood can’t flow properly throughout your body, you are likely to be in more pain.

Using Massage

Many chronic pain sufferers have had relief from regular massages. When you get a massage, the massage therapist will be able to find the spots on your body where there is more tension. They can help to relieve that tension, so you feel more relaxed. If you have knots in your back, for example, they can loosen those up, so you have less pain. The massage therapist could also work on helping you learn to relax.

If you suffer from chronic pain, it is best to know how to handle that pain without medication. There are far too many people who have become addicted to painkillers. Even if you aren’t one of them, there is always a risk for anyone who uses them. Above you have read about many healthy and natural ways to handle chronic pain. Start using these tips to see which ones work the best for you. Once you find the tips that work, keep using them to reduce your pain and improve your quality of life.

Pain doesn’t have to keep controlling your life. You do have options and medication doesn’t have to be one of them. Natural options are always the best option. Between the choices you have above, hopefully, you can find some pain relief starting soon.