How You Can Manage Chronic Pain While Staying Sober

Published On: July 15, 2020|Categories: Aftercare, Recovery|386 words|1.9 min read|

One of the most common reasons that adults find themselves struggling with addiction is due to their taking prescription medications in an effort to manage chronic pain. While these medications can alleviate symptoms for a short while, they really only mask the problem and cause dependency over time.

Once you’re in recovery, in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle and your sobriety, you will have to find alternative ways to manage your chronic pain that do not involve prescription medications.

Managing Chronic Pain While Sober

Exercise Regularly

While you may normally avoid exercise if you struggle with joint or muscle pain, being active can actually help improve your body’s well-being and reduce pain in the long run. That’s because, when you exercise, you strengthen your muscles so that they are better able to support you.

Consider speaking to your doctor about low-impact exercises so you can begin working them into your daily routine.

Massage Therapy

Regular massages can help address spasms, tightness, soreness, and muscle injuries. They can also increase serotonin production which can help with pain management, anxiety, and depression.

Acupuncture

Another holistic treatment method is acupuncture, which aims to stimulate energy in the body by piercing specific areas of the skin with ultra-thin needles. It has been shown to improve chronic back pain, migraines, and discomfort caused by rheumatoid arthritis.

Physical Therapy

Especially if your pain is caused by joint or muscle issues (or past injuries), physical therapy can strengthen your muscles and reduce inflammation. Your physical therapist can also teach you new ways to move in order to avoid irritating old injuries or developing new ones.

Address Prescription Drug Addiction in Asheville

It is not a sign of “weakness” or “bad character” to become addicted to prescription medications — it can happen to anyone. The only thing that matters when it comes to addiction is receiving treatment and maintaining sobriety.

Located in a quiet spot near the Blue Ridge Mountains, Silver Ridge is a rehabilitation center designed to meet the needs of midlife adults. We strive to help our clients understand the cause of their addiction and learn how to accept stress and anxiety so that they can deal with these feelings in healthy ways.