Chronic Pain - Topic Overview

Chronic Pain
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How is it treated?

You can use home treatment for mild pain or pain that you have now and then. Exercising, getting enough sleep, and eating healthy foods may help reduce chronic pain. Using over-the-counter pain medicines such as acetaminophen, aspirin, or ibuprofen may also help. You may want to try complementary therapies such as massage and yoga.

Talk to your doctor if your pain does not go away or if it gets worse. You may need to try different treatments to find what works for you. Medicines you take by mouth, shots of numbing medicine, acupuncture, nerve stimulation, and surgery are used for some types of chronic pain. It is important to make a clear treatment plan with your doctor. The best plan may include combining treatments.

Living with chronic pain can be hard. Counseling may help you cope. It can also help you deal with frustration, fear, anger, depression, and anxiety. You may always have some pain. But in most cases, chronic pain can be managed so that you can get on with your life and do your daily activities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Learning about chronic pain:

Being diagnosed:

Getting treatment:

Ongoing concerns:

Living with chronic pain:

By: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review: Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine
Nancy Greenwald, MD - Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Last Revised: January 20, 2011

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