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According to the ACPA (American Chronic
Pain Association), chronic pain disables, to some degree,
approximately 86 million Americans. The Association
believes that while chronic pain may make sufferers feel
like patients, there is a person inside waiting to move on
with life. But making the journey “from patient to
person” takes time and can’t be done all at once. The
ACPA offers the following “10 Steps from Patient to
Person:”
Accept the
pain: Learn all you can about your physical
condition. Understand that there might be no current cure
and accept that you will need to deal with the fact of
pain in your life.
Get
involved: Take an active role in your own
recovery. Follow your doctor’s advice and ask what you
can do to move from a passive role into one of partnership
in your own health care.
Learn to
set priorities: Look beyond your pain to the
things that are important in your life. List the things
that you would like to do. Setting priorities can help you
find a starting point to lead you back into a more active
life.
Set
realistic goals: Set goals that are within your
power to accomplish or break a larger goal down into
manageable steps. And take time to enjoy your successes.
Know your
basic rights: We all have basic rights. Among
these are the right to be treated with respect, to say no
without guilt, to do less than humanly possible, to make
mistakes and to not need to justify your decisions, with
words or pain.
Recognize
emotions: Our bodies and minds are one.
Emotions directly affect physical well being. By
acknowledging and dealing with your feelings, you can
reduce stress and decrease the pain you feel.
Learn to
relax: Pain increases in times of stress.
Relaxation exercises are one way of reclaiming control of
your body. Deep breathing, visualization and other
relaxation techniques can help you better manage the pain
you live with.
Exercise:
Most people with chronic pain fear exercise. But
unused muscles feel more pain than toned, flexible ones.
With your doctor, identify a modest exercise program that
you can do safely. As you build strength, your pain can
decrease. You’ll feel better about yourself, too.
See the
total picture: As you learn to set priorities,
reach goals, assert your basic rights, deal with your
feelings, relax, and regain control of your body, you will
see that pain does not need to be the center of your life.
You can choose to focus on your abilities, not your
disabilities. You will grow stronger in your belief that
you can live a normal life in spite of chronic pain.
Reach out.
It is estimated that one person in three suffers with some
form of chronic pain. Once you have begun to find ways to
manage your chronic pain problem, reach out and share what
you know. Living with chronic pain is an ongoing learning
experience. We all support and learn from each other.”
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