It is an unfortunate fact that just over 30 percent of older adults struggle with chronic pain, and this ongoing discomfort can bring one’s life to a grinding halt. Instead of taking prescription painkillers multiple times a day, seniors might want to take a closer look at a few non-addictive pain treatments.
Many people don’t realize that exercising is actually one of the best ways to reduce chronic pain. As long as you are healthy enough to exercise, you should try to engage in some type of physically strenuous activity for at least 20 or 30 minutes every day. When you engage in those activities, your body will produce key hormones and chemicals that naturally suppress pain. Exercising will reduce inflammation, strengthen your muscles, and boost your cognitive health.
Breathing exercises have been around for centuries, and this practice has recently become very popular once again. This is essentially a form of meditation that has you focus on your breathing patterns in order to calm yourself. Studies continue to reveal that meditation and breathing exercises can have a very big impact on one’s pain levels. If you don’t want to take classes or head to a meditation studio, then you should be able to find resources online that teach you the basics of these exercises.
When chronic pain is caused by an injury, physical therapy is typically going to be one of the best treatment options. That type of therapy usually involves a wide variety of treatments and techniques that are designed to repair soft tissue, improve flexibility, and strengthen the muscles. Before you visit a physical therapist, you should make sure that they have quite a bit of experience working with older adults who are dealing with chronic pain.
Another treatment option that you might want to consider is a CBD tincture. Tinctures with THC-free broad-spectrum CBD oil can be taken multiple times a day without impacting your cognitive abilities or coordination. This non-addictive product will attach to key synapses in the brain and minimize or completely eradicate your ongoing pain.
These few tips and treatment options are a great start, but those who are dealing with chronic pain still need to address the root causes of their discomfort. An experienced medical team should be able to uncover and treat the root causes of your pain so that you can move on with your life.
Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most of her time hiking, biking, and gardening. For more information, contact Brooke via Facebook at facebook.com/brooke.chaplan or Twitter @BrookeChaplan