3 hidden things that may be causing you pain

Yes, there are invisible factors that inadvertently make your pain worse. Here are the biggest culprits:

• When you hurt, the last thing you want to do is move. But that's exactly what you must do.
• Studies find that regular, moderate exercise not only benefits pain from osteoarthritis and other conditions, but may help prevent it.
• Strengthening your core muscles through sit-ups and other similar activities can prevent or improve back pain.
• Strengthening your thigh muscles through squats and similar movements can relieve knee pain.
• Exercise can even help with the pain of neuropathy, common in people with diabetes.
• Exercise makes your muscle cells more receptive to insulin and reducing the damaging effects of high blood sugar on nerve cells and blood vessels.

• Slightly more than half of chronic pain patients seen in pain clinics also have major depression.
• Low doses of antidepressants are often prescribed to treat chronic pain.
• The linkage may come from brain chemicals like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, which play a role in both conditions.
• That doesn't mean that the two conditions are one and the same.
• It's important that your doctor treat both your depression and your chronic pain so you can find relief from both. Don't treat one and hope the other improves.

• If your doctor has prescribed medication to help you manage your pain, use it as suggested. If you wait until the pain is too severe, the medication probably won't help.
• Taking your medication at the first sign of breakthrough pain provides much greater relief.
• Many people avoid prescription pain drugs because they fear becoming addicted. But most doctors will avoid giving you something that could be addicting, unless absolutely necessary.
• While you may grow tolerant to some pain relievers, needing higher doses doesn't mean that you're addicted.
• Don't be shy about discussing any misgivings you have about medications with your doctor.

Pain comes from many different sources, some of them completely invisible. Always discuss pain relief options with your doctor before trying any method.