The food choices you make can have an impact on the way you feel. Some food can cause inflammation. Sugar, saturated and trans fats and refined carbs can all stimulate inflammation in your body and make it more likely for you to develop obesity or other health conditions.

By swapping them out for anti-inflammatory foods, you can potentially reduce the pain you feel associated with conditions like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or chronic liver disease.

You can try food like:

• Unsaturated fats like olive oil
• Fruits and vegetables
• Wholegrains
• Fish, especially if it is high in omega-3 like salmon.¹

They are high in micronutrients like vitamins B and D, magnesium, zinc and beta-carotene which can help with pelvic pain, lower back pain, arthritis, migraine and pain. The Mediterranean diet includes many of these foods and can be an easy way to add them into your meals.¹

Staying active is important even if you live with chronic pain. Inactivity can make your pain worse.⁴

If don’t exercise regularly, you can start by doing seated exercise or gentle stretches. These can help build your tolerance to movement and improve your mobility.

As your strength develops, you can try more challenging exercises. Swimming or walking are ways that you can get moving without putting your joints under strain.⁴

If you’re concerned about your ability to exercise, speaking to your GP. They can refer you to a physiotherapist who is a specialist in movement and exercise for people with health conditions. They can help you regain your ability to move and ensure that your muscle groups are functioning in ways that give you independence and control.

You will work on a one-to-one basis with your practitioner to help you improve your movement, understand your condition more and find exercises that work for you.⁵

If you live with pain, using heat or ice therapy can help alleviate some of the symptoms you have.

Heat therapy relies on warm objects like heat packs and hot water bottles to soothe pain. Boiling or extremely hot items should be avoided. If needed, your heat therapy product should be used with a protective cover to avoid burns. For example, you might opt to use a hot water bottle cover with your rubber hot water bottle.

These items should only be used for 15 to 30 minutes to prevent skin damage. If you still need relief 30 minutes after your first use, try to wait 2 hours before using another heat therapy product.⁶

Ice therapy can be used to reduce swelling and inflammation. If you have hot or swollen joints, placing an ice pack covered in a thin cloth can help in reducing your pain. Your skin should not become blue while using one. So, limiting the time your ice pack spends in contact with your skin can help avoid this. You should keep your use to 10 to 15 minutes.

You can also try ice baths for your hands and feet.

Dip your limbs in the water for 1 minute and remove them for a further minute. You can repeat this process 10 times in 1 session but after that, you need to wait 2 hours before trying again.⁶

Combination therapy

You can combine heat and cool therapy to help with pain and swelling. You can try soaking the affected area in warm water for 1 minute and then cool water for another minute. Repeat the process up to 10 times. Make sure you don’t use boiling water or ice water as it can cause damage.⁶

If you still need relief after the first try, repeat the process after 2 hours.⁶

Living with pain every day can affect your mental health and wellbeing. This is because managing your condition increases your stress which eventually leads to added muscle tension and discomfort. By addressing your mental health, you may experience improvements in your pain.⁷

Techniques that rely on breath control like meditation can reduce pain and alleviate stress. They are also useful for managing feelings of anxiety.

Yoga can also help with pain as it relieves muscle tension and improves posture.⁸ Yoga can be adapted to fit different needs. So depending on your mobility and the space available to you, you can modify your routine. Some yoga classes offer seated options for some movements and can last anywhere between 15 and 90 minutes. Choose what feels most comfortable and convenient for you so that you can develop your ability without feeling overwhelmed.⁸

Pain and sleep deprivation go hand-in-hand with one another. Disturbed sleep can lower your pain threshold and increase the amount pain you feel.⁹

To make sure you are getting enough sleep, try to improve your sleep hygiene routine. Although it can be difficult to change your sleep habits, you can try:

• Implementing a strict bedtime and wake-up time that is consistent throughout the week
• Avoiding anything that will make you feel alert before bed like your mobile, tablet or laptop
• Avoiding exercise or stressful situations for at least an hour before bed
• Creating a comfortable sleep environment. A comfortable bed and soft lighting can help relax you before you go to sleep.
• Avoiding stimulants like caffeine 4 hours before your bedtime.¹⁰

There is no getting away from the fact that chronic pain can be challenging to live with. It is understandable if it starts to impact your mental health. But instead of suffering in silence, reach out to friends or family for support.

You can also discuss your feelings with your GP. They will be able to refer you for counselling on the NHS. These waiting times can be long so if you feel like you need immediate support, consider private therapy. If private therapy is not an option for you, there are lots of online websites and resources that can help, including Mind and the Mental Health Foundation.