This can make the pain even worse, making you fall into a downward spiral.
Pain can make you tired, anxious, depressed and grumpy. The British Pain Society's website also has a number of booklets and patient information leaflets about managing pain. The Pain Toolkit is a booklet packed with simple practical advice on how to live better with long-term pain. This will help you to feel more in control and keep you relaxed and prevent any muscle tension or anxiety from making your pain worse. When the pain is intense it's very easy to start taking shallow, rapid breaths, which can make you feel dizzy, anxious or panicked.
Breathe right to ease painĬoncentrating on your breathing when you're in pain can help. In the long term, the benefits of exercise far outweigh any increase in pain. The pain you feel when you start gentle exercise is because the muscles and joints are getting fitter.
But if you become more active gradually, it's unlikely you'll cause any damage or harm. It's natural to be hesitant if exercise is painful and you're worried about doing more damage. Simple, everyday activities like walking, swimming, gardening and dancing can ease some of the pain directly by blocking pain signals to the brain.Īctivity also helps lessen pain by stretching stiff and tense muscles, ligaments and joints. Whether your pain has just come on or you've lived with it for years, these tried-and-tested self-help steps can bring you relief.
