Tips For Managing Chronic Pain With Psoriatic Arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis can cause a number of symptoms around the body. People will often have two or more of these symptoms, and they can range from mild to severe. One of the main symptoms is pain, swelling, and stiffness.

I have had chronic pain for over 50 years, some years worse than others. Recently, I had to stop all medication due to a side effect and the pain has become overwhelming. Many people who have chronic ailments suffer chronic pain as a result.

Defining chronic pain

Many people who have arthritis or a related disease may be living with chronic pain. Chronic pain can make it hard to perform daily activities like cleaning the house, dressing, or looking after your kids.

Pain is chronic when it lasts three to six months or longer, but arthritis pain can last a lifetime. It may be constant, or it may come and go. To manage the pain, there are some things that we can do.

Positivity

This is a hard one. There are moments that you have nothing to feel positive about. But keeping a positive attitude can be incredibly helpful.  If we keep our minds locked in on the pain, it might become overwhelming. Spending time with loved ones or engaging in activities that you enjoy will keep your spirits high and help ease your discomfort. I call my grandkids more which always puts a smile on my face.

Medication

Drugs that are either over the counter or from prescriptions are great in reducing both pain and inflammations. Some drugs may cause severe side effects. In cases like that, it is advisable to consult your doctor for alternatives treatment.

Activity

To improve flexibility, it is important to keep moving.  Oh, trust me, I know that moving any part of your body is hard. It is vital in helping us improve our weight, strength, and balance. There are numerous exercises that a patient with chronic pain can engage in that include, walking, stationary biking, or cardiovascular exercises.

Weight loss

Yes, I am tired of hearing those words too; you need to lose a few pounds. Weight-bearing joints act up when made to withstand bigger loads causing more pain. Being overweight also makes the fat in your system send chemical signals that as a result hikes inflammation.

Your diet also plays a role in managing your weight. Eat vegetables, fruits, proteins, such as beans, fish and whole grains are ideal. Staying away from sugary drinks, alcohol, processed foods, and red meat is helpful.

Relaxation techniques

Practicing a relaxation technique can help immensely in pain relief. Continuous pain without relief is extremely stressful to your body. There are relaxation techniques that you can try such as meditation, stretching, massages, deep breathing, and yoga.

Learn about pain

Having a basic knowledge of how pain works can be fundamental in helping cope with it. Learning how the nervous system and the brain works can help a patient manage it. According to researchers, feeling pain does not necessarily mean that you have an injury; it could mean that your body is warning you of a potential injury.

Physiotherapy

Spending time with a physiotherapist can help a patient manage pain and symptoms. Physical therapists offer hands-on care, patient education, and exercise. Just remember to get a therapist that understands that some physical therapy hurts us more than helps us.

Depression and anxiety

If you have anxiety and are, also suffering from depression chances are you will develop chronic pain. Having positive thoughts about pain is essential in managing pain.

Sleep

The quality of sleep that you get greatly improves or worsens the kind of pain that you experience. Keeping your gadgets such as phones and iPad in other rooms and switching off television sets can give you better quality sleep.

PsA does not define who we are.

So, I have concluded that chronic pain is the kind of pain that affects the quality of your life and lasts for more than six months. Stress is a major cause of pain, so it makes sense to find a way of reducing stress. The major causes of stress include family, work, and of course money.

Be mindful even if you have a chronic illness you can still enjoy all the blessings of life. It took me years to learn the art of managing stress and be positive. Remember that this disease we call PsA does not define who we are.