A 2019 study shows that around 20% of seniors living in the US experience some sort of chronic pain in their daily life. Living with chronic pain can be exhausting which can not only limit mobility, but can also affect senior mental drive. As the opioid epidemic continue to make headline news, physicians have been a bit more reluctant to prescribe pharmaceutical remedies. Especially with seniors who might be currently taking other medications.
If you are a senior or are caring for a senior parent or loved one, here are a few top tips to help manage certain types of chronic pain without the use of medication.
- You Are What You Eat! Be Mindful Of Diet: Many foods we eat here in the US can cause fluctuations of inflammation in the body or in the digestive system in general. A possible outlet could be to consult a nutritionist to diagnose what foods might cause sensitivity and inflammation. Inflammation is the primary cause to most aches and pains. Similar to when you twist your ankle and it begins to swell with pain. If you can not consult a nutritionist, a quick browse online can reveal helpful lists of the top foods that can contribute to inflammation.
- Keep On Movin’: This tip certainly depends on what type of pain you are experiencing. However, positive, low – impact physical activity might be a great opportunity to explore. Even though motivation might be low to get out there and exert yourself, it is actually one of the best ways to manage pain naturally. As you continue to exercise, muscles and joints will grow stronger and more stable. It also can significantly help with decreases in inflammation. Exercise keeps the blood flowing.
- Manage Stress: Unnecessary stressors can affect even the youngest and strongest of people. It is now mystery that stress can cause increases in pain. Practicing relaxing techniques like meditation, mindful breathing, discovering nature, music, and yoga/stretching (if ability allows) are great stress relievers.
- Avoid Negative Behaviors on “Bad Days”: On the tougher days try to avoid slipping into what is easy to do. Negative behaviors are the easy coping mechanisms. Some of these coping mechanisms could be smoking, drinking, over eating, becoming argumentative, etc. All of these things might be short term remedies, but in the long term, they will increase pain and suffering.
We wanted to just give you a quick list of items that will certainly help alleviate pain homeopathically. However, this is by no mean an exhaustive list. This topic is used primarily to help get the conversation started between you, a loved one and their physician. It is best to work with your loved one’s doctor to develop the best homeopathic treatment.
