Complementary & Alternative Treatment For Chronic Pain   

Living with chronic pain is a challenge for anyone. Treatment for chronic pain requires a willingness to experiment and try different therapies to see which ones make a difference. On this site we want to introduce you to the many types of complementary therapies that can help with treatment for chronic pain.

Complementary therapies are intended for use alongside any medical treatment for chronic pain that you may be receiving from your doctor. If you are attending a pain clinic you should talk to the therapists there about the new techniques you are using, or considering using as treatment for your chronic pain. Pain clinic staff are very familiar with most of these chronic pain therapies and may be able to help you to access them. Its always good to work in conjunction with anyone else who is involved in treatment for your chronic pain.

Although chronic pain occurs in different parts of the body and can be caused by many different things, all types of chronic pain; fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) back pain, facial pain, tmj, arthritis cause similar problems and treatment for chronic pain can often be managed or relieved with similar therapies. For example one treatment for chronic pain, or rather managment of it, that helps almost everyone that is willing to give it a try is mindfulness meditation.This system was pioneered at Massachusetts Hospital Clinic pain clinic.So although it is a complementary therapy for pain it is used by bone fide medical doctors and others working in major hospitals.  

What Is Chronic Pain?

Chronic Pain is defined as pain which continues for more than three to six months, depending on who you talk to. Sometimes the cause of the pain is known and sometimes it isn't. Either way the problem is that the pain is long term and may or may not be completely curable.

Constant pain wears you out. If you have any long standing pain such as back pain, arthritis, IBS, or fibromyalgia etc. you are suffering and life is not very good for you. Common side effects of chronic pain are stress, muscle tension, insomnia, depression and fatigue. These side effects exacerbate the pain and it becomes a viscious cycle.

Treatment for chronic pain has to help you to manage the pain so that these side effects are reduced as much as possible. If you do not even have a diagnosis, if in spite of many tests and procedures, your doctor has no idea what is causing you to suffer, it can make you feel very alone and often very angry too. If you feel angry with the medical profession this is quite normal!

But, no matter how bad things are, chronic pain can be improved even if not completely banished. You can begin to reverse this cycle of events and take control of your pain and your life once again.

Self Treatment For Chronic Pain

An important part of chronic pain treatment is learning to use the power of your mind. Your mind is a powerful ally and you can enlist it to help control your pain and greatly relieve your suffering. This is not in any way to suggest that pain is all in your head.

In fact if you understand how pain happens you will see why these mind body treatments for chronic pain do work. No matter what type of chronic pain you are suffering from there are tools and techniques that  can help you. Never give up!

If you are looking for something that can help you as soon as you begin to use it then I suggest that you go straight to the mindfulness meditation page.  Or use the navigation bar above to find the information about chronic pain that you are looking for.