Chronic Pain and Diabetes: 10 Tips to Ease Chronic Pain Without Medication

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Chronic pain is not an easy condition to handle, especially if you are dealing with a chronic illness, but you can take control. Simple changes in your lifestyle, diet, and exercise routines can help ease your pain.

A study done in California found nearly half of adults with type 2 diabetes experience chronic pain. Almost 25 percent of those adults also experience depression, fatigue, and insomnia. Chronic pain may include headaches, back pain, and neuropathy in the hands and feet. Others with diabetes may have painful conditions such as arthritis or fibromyalgia. A person in constant pain may not follow their diabetes self-management plan. It is important to find ways to relieve pain so you can better manage your diabetes. Chronic pain may add to high blood sugars. Discuss your pain with your doctor to find the cause and possible helpful treatments.”

Try these techniques to experience relief:

  1. Manage stress. Stress can increase chronic pain and make it more challenging to manage. Try various strategies to relax and reduce stress to see which ones work the best for you.    
  • Yoga and meditation are two stress-reduction strategies that can help.
  • Try breathing exercises. By merely focusing on your breathing, you can relax your muscles and reduce pain. Deep breathing exercises can also lower blood pressure, eliminate stress, and decrease the heart rate.
  • Find fun distractions. Instead of concentrating on the pain, try distractions that help you forget about it. 
  • Hobbies and activities, such as watching your favorite movie or reading a new book, can help.
  • Increase your water intake. Dehydration can make chronic pain worse.  
  • Avoid inflammatory food. Fast food and processed food can increase inflammation in your body, so your chronic pain also increases. Foods with a lot of sugar and salt also contribute to inflammation and increased pain.
  • Add more anti-inflammatory foods to your diet. Nuts, leafy greens, fatty fish, berries, and other items can help you fight inflammation and reduce pain. They have antioxidants that fight damage on the cellular level.
  • Focus on your posture. Posture can help reduce the stress on your back and cut down on chronic pain.
  • Consider the way you sit and stand. Experts recommend that you avoid slumping your shoulders and lowering your head. The spine should be straight, so circulation is better. 

Click here to download your gift 7 Ways to Beat Your Sugar Cravings.

  • Discuss your health concerns. Researchers have found that talking about your health with primary care physician can help you create a regimen to manage your pain. The American Psychological Association points out that talking about your pain can help you discover management techniques.
  • Try massage. Massages can reduce chronic pain by improving circulation and blood flow.
  1. Find support. Health experts recommend finding support groups that focus on chronic pain. These groups give you the chance to meet others who suffer from chronic pain.
  • They can offer advice and tips for managing pain. They can also provide doctor and clinic reviews or recommendations. By talking to others who have chronic pain, you can learn new techniques to deal with your pain.

Chronic pain is linked to anxiety and depression. The social aspect of support groups can also help in coping with these side effects.

Support groups are less formal settings, and online groups offer privacy and anonymity, so you can feel comfortable sharing your experience.

Even if you take medication for your pain, you can further reduce it with these techniques. Follow your doctor’s advice, reduce stress and inflammation, and find support, and you will feel the pain relief you have been seeking.

With Peace and Love,

Renee

Click here to download your gift 7 Ways to Beat Your Sugar Cravings.

Published by Renee Reid

Welcome to the Diabetic Toolbox, where we are helping midlife folks win the battle against prediabetes. If you are prediabetic or have a family history of type 2 Diabetes you will find tools and tips to help you to lose weight naturally, heal your mindset, and strengthen your body through yoga and walking. So, if you are ready to heal connect and grow, you are in the right place. Join the Movement! Hosted by award-winning podcaster, certified health coach, and yoga teacher Renee Reid.

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