38 THE QUEENS COURIER • HEALTH • DECEMBER 6, 2018 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
health
5 tips for coping with chronic pain
Pain can impact nearly every aspect of
your daily life from cleaning the house
to going to work or playing with your
kids. In fact, according to the Institute of
Medicine, 100 million Americans, or more
than 30 percent of the population of the
United States, suff er from chronic pain,
which is pain lasting 3-6 months or longer.
Most oft en, chronic pain is treated
using prescription opioids. However, the
National Institutes of Health estimates 2
million people in the U.S. suff er from substance
use disorders related to prescription
pain relievers, while 60 people die
every day as a result of opioid overdoses,
according to the National Safety Council.
“Th e country is facing intertwined crises
of opioid misuse and chronic pain
management. Non-opioid, non-pharmacological
treatments such as acupuncture
and other similar interventions can
be essential in handling patients’ pain
management as a complement to lessen
dependency on opioid prescriptions
and serve as a more eff ective holistic
therapy for chronic pain,” said Dr. Kory
Ward-Cook, chief executive offi cer of
the National Certifi cation Commission
for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
(NCCAOM). “Th e care provided by
NCCAOM National Board-Certified
Acupuncturists is essential in continuing
the movement toward greater integrative
and complementary pain care, especially
as a non-pharmaceutical alternative to
harmful opioid prescriptions.”
To help treat your pain with a non-opioid
solution, consider these tips:
Set Goals for Yourself
Setting realistic, measurable goals that
focus on functional health and quality of
life is essential to managing chronic pain.
Outline specifi c, measurable goals you
hope to achieve, such as exercising for 30
minutes three days a week or cleaning at
least one room in the house twice a week
and track your progress toward reaching
them.
Use Relaxation Techniques
Th ere are a variety of techniques,
including meditation and deep breathing,
that can help your body relax by slowing
breathing, lowering blood pressure and
instilling feelings of well-being. Giving
your muscles a chance to relax can release
tension, which may ease pain. Practicing
yoga or tai chi, which involve a series of
physical postures in addition to breathing
and relaxation techniques, may also help
reduce pain.
Consider Non-Pharmaceutical
Treatment Options
With concerns mounting about the
prevalence of opioid use and abuse in
the U.S., complementary, natural treatments
such as acupuncture can help alleviate
pain and reduce the number of opioids
prescribed. Using practices derived
from traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncturists
stimulate specifi c points on
the body, most oft en by inserting thin
needles through the skin. For example,
National Board-Certifi ed Acupuncturists,
whose credentials can be verifi ed through
the NCCAOM, are affi rmed to have the
education and training necessary to competently
deliver acupuncture services. To
learn more about how acupuncture can
help with pain management or addiction,
or to fi nd a practitioner in your area, visit
nccaom.org.
Focus on Nutrition
A well-balanced diet is vital to overall
health and well-being and can also
infl uence chronic pain. As food choices
can increase or decrease infl ammation,
which leads to many chronic diseases,
consider a diet low in sugar and carbohydrates
that includes fresh, organic fruits
Photo courtesy of Getty Images
and vegetables; lean, grass-fed meats;
legumes; nuts; whole grains; and organic
dairy products.
Keep Track of Progress
To eff ectively manage and treat your
pain, consider keeping a journal to note
your pain level on a scale of 1-10 each
day. Also track your activity during the
day - including time on your feet, exercise
and even sitting at your desk - so you can
identify patterns based on what you do
and how you feel aft erward. Th en use the
connections you’ve made to modify your
environment and schedule as necessary.
Courtesy Family Features
Slippery season: Mayo Clinic off ers 10 tips for avoiding falls
With the winter season approaching,
you may need to pay closer attention to
watching your step. Even if you’re active,
healthy and full of life, statistics show
that you have a greater chance of taking
a debilitating fall as you age. Mayo Clinic
notes that some 400,000 “fragility fractures”
occur annually due to falls injuring
osteoporosis-weakened bones.
“We get injured when we try to do
things beyond our abilities,” notes Kim
Lombard, an injury prevention coordinator
at Mayo Clinic. “Oft en I hear ‘I
knew I shouldn’t have done it, but I did’
or ‘I knew I should have asked for help.’
People are so afraid to lose their independence
they don’t want to ask for help,
but asking for help actually extends their
independence.”
Lombard off ers several suggestions for
minimizing your chances of a debilitating
fall this season.
• Inspect your home for hazards inside
and out. Which fl oors, steps, sidewalks
or other surfaces could become slippery
from melted snow and ice? Which fl oor
coverings and fl oorboards could cause
tripping? Should you install nonslip
treads, railings and/or ramps?
• Arrange to have driveways and sidewalks
plowed and salted. Consider contracting
out these chores for peace of
mind when bad weather hits.
• Walk like a penguin. People of any age
should take short, careful steps when
navigating snow or ice, adopting a wide
stance and pointing feet slightly outward
to maintain a center of balance.
Keep your hands out of your pockets for
added leverage.
• Exercise your legs and core. Intense
weightlift ing isn’t necessary; you can
improve strength, balance, coordination
and fl exibility through low-impact yoga,
tai chi, water workouts or dance.
• Know your limitations. Remember that
you’re probably not as nimble as you
used to be, and your balance could be
reduced if you’re on certain medications,
have hearing issues and/or you’ve
been drinking.
• Protect yourself with good footwear.
Avoid stocking feet. Whether inside or
out, wear close-fi tting shoes and boots
that provide good traction. Consider
investing in handy removable ice cleats
that strap right onto your shoes or boots
for walking on slippery surfaces.
• Keep your head up. Instead of checking
your phone, digging in your purse
or reading your shopping list, pay close
attention to where you’re walking.
• Use railings. Get in the habit of holding
on whenever you pass.
• Take it easy. Give yourself plenty of
time to get in and out of your car and to
walk to and from your destination.
• Be prepared. Wear winter gear even
on short walks so you’ll be protected
if you take a spill. And always bring
your phone so you can call for help as
needed.
Taking steps to modify your environment
or behavior can go a long way to
ensure that you stay safe this winter season.
For more health tips and information,
please visit us at mayoclinic.org.
Courtesy BPT