Treatment for Chronic Pain after a Work Injury
Several of my clients are left to deal with chronic pain after a work injury. In many cases, the causes of chronic pain are not completely understood and the pain can be challenging to treat. I found some tips from www.webmd.com on dealing with this condition (at home and with medical providers). I wanted to pass them along to injured workers who may be dealing with this life-altering condition where they now have to deal with chronic pain after a work injury.
As always folks, this is simply information for you to be educated about your options and this is NOT medical advice. Always consult your doctor about your conditions, symptoms, and any treatment options available to you.
Initial treatment
“The goals of treatment are to reduce chronic pain and increase your ability to function. This includes improving your sleep and coping skills and reducing stress so you can return to regular activities. Initial treatment depends on what kind of pain you have and how severe it is, as well as whether your pain is related to an illness, injury, or an unknown cause. Often, the best approach is a combination of therapies.”
6 Treatments for Chronic Pain After a Work Injury
- Make exercise (such as walking or swimming) a routine part of your life.
- Eating a balanced diet. This includes getting enough vitamins such as vitamin B and vitamin D. Talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian about a healthy diet for you. For more information on a balanced diet, see the topic of Healthy Eating.
- Getting enough sleep.
- Using pain relievers-such as acetaminophen or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Advil, for example) or aspirin. Always take these medicines exactly as prescribed or according to the label. Do not take a nonprescription NSAID for longer than 10 days without talking to your doctor.
- Using complementary therapies, such as acupuncture or meditation.
- A licensed mental health counselor, psychologist, or psychiatrist can help with your emotional well-being while you are dealing with chronic pain. It is common to respond to chronic pain with feelings of frustration, depression, anxiety, fear, and even anger. These feelings can make it tough to conquer chronic pain, especially if you use alcohol or drugs to manage your symptoms. Pain affects both your physical and emotional well-being. Untreated depression or anxiety can make your pain worse. A counselor may use treatments such as cognitive-behavioral therapy to help you cope with your pain.”
About the Author: Michele Lewane
The Injured Workers Law Firm is a Richmond, Virginia based firm solely focused on serving clients with workers' compensation claims in Virginia. If you have questions about your benefits or if you would like more information on the Virginia workers’ compensation system, order our book, “The Ultimate Guide to Workers’ Compensation in Virginia” , or call our office today (804) 755-7755.