Eating a healthy diet is important for overall health, but can also play a role in dealing with chronic pain. Try this A-B-C strategy:

Avoid alcohol3

Excessive alcohol drinking can make pain worse, as well as interfere with

medications. Many chronic pain sufferers use alcohol to relieve pain,

but long term excessive alcohol exposure can do more harm and

cause neuropathy.

Boost hydration4

Dehydration has been linked to increased pain perception. Not

consuming enough water can also result in muscle cramps and dizziness,

so try to drink plenty of water or consume water-rich foods.5

Cut down on sugar6

High intake of processed sugar can exacerbate arthritis and joint pain. Swap refined sugar for fruit and vegetables, and try to eat a

balanced diet.

Diet

ExerciseDoing appropriate exercises can have a positive effect on pain7. It’s important to do the right exercises, and pace your exercise so you don’t exacerbate the problem.

Walking8

Walking is a great form of light aerobic exercise that can improve pain. Just 30 minutes of walking a day can improve

overall health and reduce mortality risk.9

Stretching10

Stretching helps increase flexibility and loosen tight muscles, and can relieve pain.

It can be particularly effective for people suffering from back pain.11

Yoga12

Types of yoga such as Hatha yoga have been shown to reduce pain. Studies suggest

that yoga may improve neurogenesis and help with pain modulation.13

MonitorIt’s important to keep a record of what you do, to see how it affects your pain level.

This could be a diary, chart or online journal, which you can also share with your GP.

Diary Record your progress18

Keeping a diary can help you track what works. There are also many mood apps that let you enter

data on how you feel throughout the day. Identifying patterns can be useful for future treatment plans.

Between 13% and 35% of Irish adults suffer from chronic pain, which is pain that lasts longer than three months1.Chronic pain has a range of causes, making

it a complex issue to tackle. It can also seriously affect people’s social and professional lives2.The following tips may help you deal with your pain better.

1. McCarthey A. Chronic Pain in Ireland [Internet]. 2011 [cited 27.06.17]. Available from: http://www.childhealthresearch.eu/research/add-knowledge/Chronic%20Pain%20in%20Ireland.docx

2. Breivik H, Collett B, Ventafridda V, Cohen R, Gallacher D. Survey of chronic pain in Europe: Prevalence, impact on daily life, and treatment [Internet]. 2005 [cited 26.06.17]. Available from: http://www.nascholingnoord.nl/presentaties/2012_02_02_Breivik_et_al___Survey_of_chronic_pain_in_Europe.pdf

3. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Using Alcohol to Relieve Your Pain: What Are the Risks?. 2013 [cited 27.06.17] Available from: https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/PainFactsheet/Pain_Alcohol.pdf

4. Bear T, Philipp M, Hill S, Mündel T. A preliminary study on how hypohydration affects pain perception. 2016 [cited 28.06.17]. Available from: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/psyp.12610/abstract

5. Saha S. The importance of staying hydrated. 2015 [cited 27.06.17] Available from: http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-

importance-of-staying-hydrated6. Jenkins D, Kendall C, Augustin L, Franceschi S, Hamidi M, Marchie

A, Jenkins A, Axelsen M. Glycemic index: overview of implications inhealth and disease. 2002 [cited 27.06.17] Available from: http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/76/1/266S.full.pdf+html?cnn=yes

7. Rainville J, Hartigan C, Martinez E, Limke J, Jouve C, Finno M. Exercise as a treatment for chronic low back pain. 2004 [cited 27.06.17] Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14749199

8. O’Connor SR, Tully MA, Ryan B, Bleakley CM, Baxter GD, Bradley JM, McDonough SM. Walking exercise for chronic musculoskeletal pain: systematic review and meta-analysis. 2015 [cited 26.06.17] Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25529265

9. Wanjek C. Even a Little Walking Can Improve Your Health, Study Suggests. 2015 [cited 27.06.17] Available from: https://www.livescience.com/50690-walking-health-benefits.html

10. CunhaI A, BurkeII T, FrançaII F, Marques A. Effect of global posturereducation and of static stretching on pain, range of motion, and

quality of life in women with chronic neck pain: a randomized clinical trial. 2008 [cited 28.06.17] Available from: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?pid=S1807-59322008000600010&script=sci_arttext

11. Contie V. Yoga or Stretching Eases Low Back Pain. 2011 [cited 26.06.17] Available from: https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/yoga-or-stretching-eases-low-back-pain

12. Perspectives on Yoga Inputs in the Management of Chronic Pain13. How Does Yoga Relieve Chronic Pain?14. Survey by Empathy Research on behalf of Grunenthal based on 501

Irish sufferers of chronic pain aged 18+ in January 201615. Effectiveness of mindfulness meditation on pain and quality of life of

patients with chronic low back pain16. Music interventions for improving psychological and physical outcomes

in cancer patients17. The Benefits of Support Groups18. Keeping a Diary Can Help You Manage Pain

References

10 TIPS FOR

Patients Suffering from Chronic Pain

Chronic pain can affect people’s mental wellbeing. A recent survey found that 89% of people with chronic pain have avoided discussing pain with family and friends, leaving them feeling isolated and depressed.14

Try meditation15

Mindfulness based stress reduction has been shown to reduce pain severity.

Meditation may help the way the brain processes pain, and improve mood

and wellbeing.

Join a support group17

Talking to fellow sufferers can provide valuable information and support. As well

as finding resources, it can help combat the loneliness and isolation that many chronic

pain sufferers experience.

See your doctorIf your healthcare professional has

prescribed any medicines please follow their instruction and adhere to the patient

information leaflet accompanying the medicines.

Mental wellbeing

PP-GEP-IRL-0812 Date of Preparation August 2018