Rules to Live By!

1. Stay Calm & Don't Get Overwhelmed!
   Just take one (1) day at a time & set realistic goals for yourself.
   
   
2. Practice Good Posture!
   Did you know that hypnosis can help you maintain good posture without even thinking about it. When you have good posture you get natural pain relief! Also check out some quick tips for good posture by reading "Tips for Immediate Relief"!
   
   
3. Learn & Practice Deep Breathing!
   Relax anytime, any place with the 7-11 Breathing Exercise!
   Deep breathing is also a relaxation technique. Find a quiet location, a comfortable body position, and block out distracting thoughts. Then, imagine a spot just below your navel. Breathe into that spot, filling your abdomen with air. Let the air fill you from the abdomen up, then let it out, like deflating a balloon.
   
   
4. Learn the Art of Distraction!
   Distractions can be a powerful medicine. I learned from a psychologist that when I distract myself from my pain not only is my pain less, but I feel happier and less depressed. You will definitely enjoy life more once you figure out which distraction works for you.
   
   You wouldn't believe how well distractions (watching TV, going to a movie, reading a book, laughing with friends, knitting, etc.) help decrease your pain for awhile. When you have some kind of distraction it helps break your pain cycle and generally makes you happier & gives you pain relief for just a few moments & up to a few hours.
   
   
5. Give Yourself Permission to Heal!
   If you need to lie down, in the middle of the day or any other time, it really is ok. Hypnosis can give you the tools to help you be comfortable with this process and can even make you feel good about it.
   
   
6. Have a positive attitude! Think only positive thoughts!
   
   
7. Be assertive & be your own advocate (take on personal responsibility)!
   
   
8. Have Courage & Never Give Up!
   It's ok to take a break in between trying new things or new doctors. However, if your pain doesn't seem to be going away, try something new every 1-2 months ( whether it be a new or different type of doctor or a new or different type of treatment/medicine). Check out "Examine your Healing Circle!" for information on different health care providers. It may take a long time to get your pain under control, but believe me it is possible. It took me almost 10 years for me to get my pain under control!! It was definitely worth not giving up!!! I still have chronic pain, but it is finally under control and I have finally broken out of pain prison!!!!!
   
   
9. Loose weight if you need to!
   Carrying excess weight around your middle many times increases your pain. Listen to this FREE Fat Loss & Back Pain Video, to understand how losing fat can get you some back pain relief!!!
   
   
10. Keep a Pain & Medication Journal/Diary! or
    Check out ReliefInSite, an online pain management journal to help track your pain and medications! They have a free version and a more expansive paid diary! By tracking this information, your doctor will know how you've been feeling in between visits & he will be able to adjust your medications and/or treatments if necessary. At the end of each day, note your pain level on the 1 to 10 pain scale. Also, note what activities you did that day & what medications you took and when you took them. Take this log book to every doctor visit -- to give your doctor a good understanding of how you're living with chronic pain and your physical functioning level.
    
    
11. Reduce stress in your life!
    Stress intensifies chronic pain. Negative emotions like depression, anxiety, stress, and anger can increase the body's sensitivity to pain. By learning to take control of stress, you will find that you have less pain.
    
    Several techniques can help reduce stress and promote relaxation. Listening to soothing, calming music can lift your mood -- and make living with chronic pain more bearable. There are even specially designed relaxation tapes or CDs for this. Mental imagery relaxation (also called guided imagery) is a form of mental escape that can help you feel peaceful. It involves creating calming, peaceful images in your mind. Progressive muscle relaxation is another technique that promotes relaxation.
    
    
12. Exercise!
    Identify a program that you can do safely. Even if you can't do very much, you will find that any exercise you do will cause the release of endorphins into your blood stream. Endorphins are brain chemicals that elevate your mood while also blocking pain signals. Exercise has another pain-reducing effect -- it strengthens muscles, helping prevent reinjury and further pain. Plus, exercise can help keep your weight down, which can decrease pain in your lower back. ALWAYS consult your doctor before starting an exercise program!
    
    
13. Wear Shoes as Much as Possible!
    As I always like to have clean floors I never wore shoes at home. However, I was finding that my low back hurt all the time, so now I have a pair of "inside" shoes that I wear all the time and this decreases my low back pain!
    
    
14. Decrease Your Alcohol Level!
    First of all it is never a good idea to mix your pain medications with alcohol, this can have a deadly effect. Alcohol also can make your sleep problems worse.
    
    
15. Join a Support Group. Meet Others Living with Chronic Pain.
    Anytime you can talk with other people that are experiencing the same problems that you are you will find your pain doesn't seem quite as bad. Also, you have a good chance of learning about different therapies, medicines, techniques, doctors, etc.
    
    Contact the ACPA at 1-800-533-3231 they can help you find a support group in your area or start a group with information and support from the national office. Also, you may want to think about meeting with a mental health professional. Depression many times accompanies chronic pain. Counseling can help you learn to cope better and help you avoid negative thoughts that make pain worse -- so you have a healthier attitude. Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.