Chronic pain lasts more than three months, long outliving its usefulness as a warning of tissue damage. According to data recently published by the National Center for Health Statistics, chronic pain affects 24.3% of adults in the United States, causing widespread misery and distress.
Winter can often be an especially difficult time for people with chronic pain. Cold, wet weather frequently worsens symptoms, and short, gray days increase the risk of depression. Fortunately, there are effective ways that we at Hopkins MD can help you manage or even eliminate pain.
Our experienced pain management provider, Dr. Tom Hopkins, specializes in managing pain without invasive procedures or medication. Some of the techniques he uses in patients’ personalized treatment plans include:
Cold and heat treatments remain effective first-line options for managing injury pain. Cold therapy helps reduce inflammation and numbs sharp pain, while heat therapy eases muscle stiffness and improves blood flow.
While homemade packs can be helpful, professional-grade cold or heat treatments often penetrate deeper into the tissue for better relief.
An appropriate exercise routine tailored to your abilities can significantly enhance your quality of life.
Physical activity plays a critical role in breaking the cycle of pain and reduced mobility associated with conditions like arthritis or fibromyalgia. Gentle aerobic exercises like walking, swimming, or cycling help strengthen muscles, improve flexibility, and release endorphins — your body’s natural painkillers.
Massage isn’t just a luxury — it’s an effective way to relieve pain. By reducing tension in muscles and joints, massage therapy can improve blood flow, lower stress, and introduce competing sensations that override pain signals.
Physical and occupational therapists can be powerful allies in managing chronic pain. Physical therapy focuses on completing exercises and learning techniques that improve strength, flexibility, and mobility. Occupational therapy helps you adapt your daily activities to minimize pain, enabling you to maintain function and independence.
Stress and pain often feed off each other, creating a cycle that can worsen discomfort. Mind-body practices like meditation, mindfulness, and breathing exercises help you regain control over your body and reduce the “fight or flight” response. These techniques can ease muscle tension, lower stress, and diminish chronic pain over time.
Yoga and tai chi combine gentle movements, breath control, and meditation to improve strength and flexibility while calming the mind. Research shows these activities are effective in managing pain from various conditions, including headaches, arthritis, and old injuries. Regular practice not only reduces pain but also enhances overall well-being.
Biofeedback helps you gain control over involuntary body functions like heart rate and blood pressure. With the help of a biofeedback device, you can monitor these functions and learn relaxation exercises to manage pain.
The visual cues provided by the machine — such as graphs or animations — allow you to modify your physiological responses, giving you a unique tool for pain relief.
Combining some or all of the above treatments can significantly improve pain and mood, but we also have an ace up our sleeve: cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabigerol (CBG). CBD/CBG products are an increasingly popular and effective option for relieving pain and inflammation.
Dr. Hopkins designed a medication-free product called Reliviance CBD to help our patients find relief from pain when other treatments weren’t effective enough.
Reliviance’s CBD and CBG products deliver safe, natural relief. For mild-to-moderate pain, we recommend Reliviance’s Pain Relief Drops, while our Ultra-Pain Relief Drops can help with extreme and chronic pain.
We also have a Topical Pain Relief Rub that penetrates deep into the skin, increasing blood flow and alleviating soreness. Whether you’re dealing with muscle tension or joint pain, the warming sensation and soothing properties make it an ideal choice for on-the-spot relief.
Our CBD comes from organic farms in the US that deliver high-quality, ethically sourced ingredients. The formulation also contains omega oils and has a pleasant natural tangerine flavor.
Don’t allow chronic pain to keep you from enjoying the year ahead. With a blend of self-care, professional therapies, and innovative solutions like Reliviance CBD, you can take control of pain and reclaim your life.
Let Hopkins MD get your new year off to a pain-free start by calling our offices in Roseville or Lincoln, California, at 916-253-9996 or completing the online inquiry form.
