We know how frustrating and how upsetting it can be when your pain gets in the way of the important things in your life.

Those suffering with chronic pain (3 months or more) often struggle with getting through work, caring for their family, as well as everyday tasks that the common person might take for granted.

We regularly consult with people experiencing a wide range of chronic pain conditions such as:

• Fibromyalgia
• Arthritis – osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis
• Complex chronic headache and migraine
• Chronic back and neck pain from a variety of causes such as disc injury, trauma-induced joint pain, and following fractures
• Nerve impingement conditions; carpal tunnel syndrome, radiculopathy, sciatica

In our experience in treating many people just like you, our top tips for dealing with chronic pain are as follows;

1. Learn to challenge your mindset

Although chronic pain can result from an injury or a condition you have been diagnosed with, the element of pain is an individual factor that needs to be addressed separately from the condition itself.

It may surprise you to hear that we treat your pain separately from how we treat your injury.

We acknowledge different factors that revolve around changing how you think and view your pain, as studies have shown that your intensity and frequency of pain can go up and down, unrelated to the condition itself.

Specifically working with your mindset is an important step in the recovery and longer-term management and results in better outcomes for people experiencing chronic pain.

You can speak directly with our Osteopaths about how to start and go about this process.

2. Get educated specifically about pain

Chronic pain education is something you may, or may not have heard of.

The more you understand your pain, your condition, and why you are feeling the way you do, the better your management outcomes will be. Taking a deep dive into how pain works in the body can empower and motivate you to take back control.

It allows you to advocate for yourself and your pain when consulting with healthcare professionals. We are thrilled to let you know that we will soon be releasing a comprehensive chronic education program exclusively to our patients at Koru.

If you are interested in having first and exclusive access to this program, including being a Koru tester, providing feedback, and having the program tailored specifically to you and your needs, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

3. Be realistic

As much as we wish we could wave our magic wands and fix your pain instantly unfortunately it is not as easy as that!

We know how amazing it would be to have a simple fix for how you’re feeling. In reality, management should focus on a number of different approaches.

Medication might be beneficial to assist with your recovery, but you shouldn’t rely on that alone.

A multifaceted and realistic approach, one that relies on targeting a variety of biological, psychological, and social factors, is often going to lead to the most successful outcomes.

4. Get a Chronic Disease Management Plan (CDMP)

We understand how overwhelming and expensive it can be to be referred to a number of different specialists and practitioners.

Plus we know the importance of working in a team with other disciplines so that you can receive the best possible care.

This is where a Chronic Disease Management Plan (or CDMP for short) can be incredibly useful.

A CDMP is a care plan that is written up by your GP and allows for a portion of your consult costs to be subsidised by Medicare.

It covers a number of specialties, including Osteopathy, Exercise Physiology, Dietitians, and Psychologists (as well as many more).

5. Set goals

We recommended setting goals in all aspects of your life, but it is especially crucial to work with your practitioner and set goals as a part of your pain management plan.

Specific, personalised goals are your best way forward. Start with thinking about things throughout your day that you want to complete, these can be bigger, long-term goals or smaller, short-term goals.

Reaching these milestones can be life-changing and help you take back control of your pain!

Examples of measurable, specific, and achievable goals that may relate to your current circumstances may include; walking x distance, sleeping a certain amount per night, or taking up a new hobby that you have previously felt you couldn’t or shouldn’t do.

Do you think the above tips might be useful for you?

Do you think you might be suffering from chronic pain and don’t know where to start?

Complete our chronic pain quiz below so we can continue to provide you with tips and tricks that are specifically targeted for you!

We hope you enjoyed our 5 top tips for overcoming chronic pain and make sure to keep an eye out for future posts and our chronic pain education program coming soon!