How to Help Older Adults Manage Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is defined as any pain that persists well past the point of alleviation.

This affliction is common among seniors. It can be caused by many things such as injuries or various medical conditions, which is why it can be difficult to properly pinpoint and report.

Treating chronic pain typically depends on its location and severity, but for seniors, there are some ways to help manage and even relieve the pain symptoms with some simple, everyday steps.

• Keep a Healthy Diet

A healthy diet is crucial to your wellbeing, which includes reducing the symptoms of chronic pain. When your body gets the proper nutrients that it needs, it helps to reduce inflammation and water retention, which can bring down swelling and discomfort. Good nutrition also helps your body function better overall.

• Reduce Stress and Unhealthy Habits

High stress is challenging on more than just the mind. It can manifest physically with illness, high blood pressure and many forms of physical discomfort. If you’re already experiencing chronic pain, stress can worsen the symptoms. Additionally, unhealthy habits such as smoking or excessive alcohol consumption will increase stress levels and dehydrate your body. This causes an imbalance in important daily routines such as sleep, healthy diet, and exercise.

The opposite is also true, however. Healthy habits such as reading, walking, gardening, meditation, or friendly social activities with neighbors will lower stress levels and blood pressure. These simple activities will also help you to stay active in your lifestyle and personally engaged. This will keep your mind and body in a healthy balance and reduce pain symptoms in the process.

Increase Physical Activity

While exercising and increasing movement may seem counterintuitive when experiencing serious pain, our bodies simply function better when we are active. Low-impact exercise like walking, biking, yoga or swimming will help increase strength and joint fluidity, and lower stress. This reduces inflammation and stiffness from being inactive. Exercise is a proven way to minimize blood pressure and stress, and increase strength and stamina and help you sleep better.

These are just a few ways to help seniors with their chronic pain issues. For more information on how supportive living can help, visit our website or call us at 630-406-9440.

Heritage Woods of Batavia

1079 E. Wilson St

Batavia, IL 60510