Do you have chronic pain? You
are not alone! Chronic pain can influence
the mind and the body. Over 80% of retired NFL football players reported having
pain daily. A recent questionnaire study of them revealed that
the greater the pain acceptance, the lower the pain intensity they had.
(1) Accepting pain is hard though! Fortunately,
so many studies show that a tad bit of
optimism and physical activity improves pain and optimism. For these and more
reasons, Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC incorporates exercise into our chronic back pain
patients’ La Grande chiropractic treatment plans!
EXERCISE: GOOD FOR BODY AND MIND
Exercise benefits go beyond the physical body
improvements. Exercise also improves the mind and outlook of a
person in pain, particularly one dealing with
chronic low back pain. At the end of a 3-month study of
chronic low back pain patients who either exercised or did not,
researchers documented that pain disability scores in the exercisers
dropped significantly more. In both groups, reduced
pain scores correlated with higher self-efficacy scores
(feelings of independence). Chronic low back pain exercisers’ improved
disability showed a positive influence
on increased self-efficacy and pain relief. (2) Another study of 72 patients
before treatment for their chronic pain and after 3 months of treatment found
that improved self-efficacy was associated with decreased
disability regardless of any reduction
in pain intensity. They summarized that helping chronic
pain patients improve their sense of self-efficacy could be an effective addition to the treatment of chronic pain patients
beyond just pain relief. (3)
OPTIMISM FOR A BETTER, LESS PAINFUL DAY
And an optimistic point of view toward
pain can be a plus! Fear-avoidance is a common problem for patients with pain. They do not
want to do anything to worsen their condition
and cause pain which leads to
less movement and less optimism for a life without
pain. Research indicated that patients with longer periods with pain who stated greater self-efficacy and
patients with higher pain disability and depression had lower self-efficacy. (4)
Understanding this, we support our
La Grande pain patients to be physical and keep
living life! Improvement is coming!
EXERCISE: Time to Move!
And we all know it: physical inactivity and sedentary
lifestyle are not good for us. Researchers go so
far as to write that they are linked to chronic
musculoskeletal pain and can even exacerbate it! What
is the answer? Physical exercise, of course.
Researchers explained in a recent study that exercise
programs that combine a variety of types
of exercise – flexibility, balance, aerobic, strengthening – tend to be better. Such combinations are also more flexible
to an individual patient’s issues. Light-to-moderate
intensity exercise done two to three times a week for a month were demonstrated to be of greatest benefit
for chronic pain patients particularly for those with spine pain conditions like chronic
low back pain, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and fibromyalgia. (5) Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC
works with each La Grande
chiropractic patient to make a strategy just
for him/her.
CONTACT Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. Kelly Brinkman on The
Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as she
details the effectiveness of the gentle
protocols of The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management in treating
chronic back pain.
Make your La Grande chiropractic
appointment today. Whether you’re a retired NFL
player or NFL fan or neither of these, bring your chronic pain and worried mind
to Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC. Let’s work together to reduce
pain and fear of pain and increase your sense of
independence and joy of life with chiropractic and exercise!