Living with chronic pain can be exhausting and depressing. It may feel as if the situation is hopeless, that the pain will never decrease. During these times it is difficult to remain hopeful. And because pain is related to stress and depression, we are sometimes less motivated to take care of ourselves and thus cause more pain.
Over time, most people who suffer from chronic pain discover what works to relieve their own symptoms. Pain management techniques that have proved successful include meditating, stretching, walking, relaxing, deep breathing, taking medicines or vitamins, acupuncture, and learning your body's warning signals. If you haven't tried all these approaches then there is still cause for remaining hopeful.
To learn more about pain management, start by talking to your health
care provider. You may be able to enroll in a pain management class or
receive help from a physical therapist. Talking to people with similar
experiences and finding out what worked for them can be helpful.