9 Things That Make Chronic Pain Worse

Smoking

There's no question about it, studies tell us, smoking makes chronic pain worse. And not only does it make pain you already have more intense, but you are also more likely to develop chronic pain in the first place. People who smoke are almost three times more likely to develop chronic back pain, and it's associated with many other types of pain as well.

Ever tried to go all day without eating? Well, that’s what your muscles can feel like when you smoke. Smoking can also cause fatigue and lung disorders, and it can make it harder for the body to heal itself. It is best for your body if you quit smoking, especially if you have chronic pain.

If you smoke, open up your quit smoking toolbox today.

Being a Couch Potato

A sedentary lifestyle can lead to muscle disuse syndrome. In other words, use it or lose it.

Not only do weak muscles lead to weaker muscles, but weak muscles can lead to falls. And falls can lead to more pain and less movement, and... You get the picture. There are hundreds of studies that hail the pain reduction benefits of even small increases in exercises. Even if you start very small, start somewhere.

You can avoid disuse syndrome by learning safe, effective exercises for your condition. Check out these ways to beat a sedentary lifestyle that you can begin today.

Stressing Out

Stress increases your heart rate, which makes you breathe faster and tightens your muscles. In addition to this, stress can cause agitation and anxiety, which is known to intensify feelings of pain.

If you can reduce your stress, you can reduce some of your excessive pain.

It's not just the emotional aspect of stress, however, which adds to pain. Stress releases stress hormones such as cortisone, which in turn cause inflammation and yes, more pain.

Start learning about stress management today, but don't get stressed about it. There are actually many enjoyable and even fun ways to lower stress in your life.

Focusing on Your Pain

Your brain can only focus on so much at one time. Have you ever forgotten you had a headache because you were busy?

Turning your attention elsewhere decreases the amount of energy your brain can spend on your pain. Allow something else to take center stage and you can decrease your pain experience. On the other hand, giving pain your full attention means that everything else gets blocked out.

If you find yourself centering in on your pain, it doesn't always work to simply tell yourself you won't think about it. We're human, and saying we won't think about something often makes us focus on it even more. Next time you catch yourself focusing on your pain, try one of these ​distraction techniques to help manage your pain.

Being Non-Compliant With Pain Meds

Your healthcare provider prescribes pain meds for a reason: to decrease your pain experience. Despite this, you may be scared of addiction, or even failing a drug test. You may not like your medication side effects. Maybe you just want to detoxify your system.

These concerns are perfectly normal, but consider this: quitting your pain medication cold turkey can lead to worse problems, especially if you are taking opioids or anticonvulsants.

Avoiding Your Healthcare Provider

Your healthcare provider should just assume you still have pain, and everything is status quo, right? Wrong. Every day, advances in research increase our knowledge about disorders and medications. Your practitioner is your number one resource. Not only can he assess how you are progressing, but he knows if something is newly available that may be better for your condition. You don’t have to see your medical professional every week, but make sure to schedule routine visits to discuss your case. You may just learn something new.

Eating Junk Food

Refined sugar and saturated fats taste great, but they don’t give your body the fuel it needs to operate efficiently. Remember, efficient muscles use less energy, saving you effort with every move.

We are just beginning to understand the importance of good nutrition in chronic pain, but what we've learned so far has some pain physicians believing that good nutrition may be one of the best approaches to managing chronic pain.

We know that junk food causes inflammation, what's now been coined the "inflammation diet" and that fruit and vegetables usually do the opposite. But do we really need a host of studies to tell us this?

We may hate to admit it, but most of us feel better when we eat our vegetables and drink more water. Maybe it’s time to put down that doughnut and coffee and start the day out right with some whole-grain cereal or protein-rich yogurt. Not sure where to start? Talk to your healthcare provider, or consult a dietitian.

Drinking Alcohol

Not only does alcohol decrease the rate of transmission of some kinds of nerve impulses in the brain, but it can also interact harmfully with medications. Believe it or not, this includes over-the-counter painkillers. Moderate to heavy drinkers also have a greater risk of heart and lung disease. If you have chronic pain, it’s best to leave the bottle alone.

Overdoing It

Overdoing things on days when you feel good can have disastrous consequences.

This final tip on what to avoid so that you don't worsen your pain may be the hardest to follow. When you have a day when you feel good you may frantically try to catch up—thinking that you'll feel better if you do so. Though it's tempting, pace yourself.

Many people find it helpful to keep a pain journal. It can be hard to see the effects of overdoing it, especially if your pain worsens a few days or a week later. By journaling your symptoms, many of the things that make your pain worse, or instead make your pain better, will become much clearer.