When you suffer from chronic, widespread pain, you rely on medication to help you get through the day. Of course, medication is not the only answer, but it is a great help for most individuals in constant pain. 

Besides traditional medicine, which is typically in the NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) family, there are newer alternative medications. These include THC-free, lab-tested CBD softgels, which are found under the umbrella of marijuana. 

Therapy

There are two different types of therapy that could help people with chronic pain. One is the traditional talk therapy, where you visit with a therapist and talk about what is bothering you. This is helpful when you feel overwhelmed with your pain, as well as isolated because you are not participating in activities you normally would if you were not in pain. 

One of the main benefits of this type of therapy is hit helps you deal with your pain on a different level. It may not be the answer to getting rid of your pain, but a good therapist can help you deal with your pain on a better level. 

The other therapy is physical therapy. This type of assistance requires a prescription or prior authorization from your general practitioner. Visiting a physical therapy provider can help with chronic pain, but there is typically a limited number of visits due to expense and/or insurance coverage.

This type of therapy may include using different gym equipment to help with your range of motion. And it could also feature different massage techniques. Deep tissue massage has shown great promise for those with fibromyalgia and other all over body pain. 

At-Home Physical Therapy

For those who cannot continue physical therapy, your therapist can give you guidelines for at-home exercises that will help with specific pain. If you are experiencing pain in your shoulder, you will not want to lift weights. There are targeted exercises that will help to alleviate pain as well as strengthen the muscles around the joints that hurt. 

Surgical Implants

This is typically the last resort for a chronically ill person. These are implants, similar to a pacemaker, but more along the lines of a pump. After it is installed, mostly during outpatient surgery, you will be able to control the amount of medication you receive, up to a certain amount. 

Another type of surgical implant is similar to a tens device but is still as small as a pacemaker. Once it is implanted through surgery, it will be programmed to send impulses to a certain area of your body that is in pain.  

Whatever type of chronic pain you are dealing with, and no matter which treatment you choose, know that you are not alone. Most of the invisible illnesses, the ones that others cannot see, are harder to deal with than a missing limb. You will need to stand up for yourself at every turn, including at a doctor’s visit. You may be lucky enough to find a specialist that deals with your type of pain and illness, but you may still need to fight insurance companies for coverage and medications.