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We all experience acute pain from time to time, whether it’s from a broken bone or a toothache. Acute pain arises quickly from a known cause and goes away when the cause is remedied. It doesn’t last longer than three months. Chronic pain, or pain that lingers for at least three months, affects nearly 52 million adults in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
If you’ve experienced either chronic or occasional (acute) pain, you know it often takes a multifaceted approach to take the edge off. That means employing several pain management techniques, rather than a single pain remedy.
It’s important to follow recommendations from your healthcare provider (HCP) when it comes to pain medication. But you may also want to explore other at-home approaches until you've developed a combined chronic pain treatment plan that really relieves your aches and pains. Here are seven options to try.
Sources: Cleveland Clinic. Acute vs. Chronic Pain... + 14
- Cleveland Clinic. Acute vs. Chronic Pain. Page last reviewed December 8, 2020.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Chronic Pain: What You Need To Know. Page last updated January 2023.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Chronic Pain Among Adults — United States, 2019–2021. April 14, 2023.
- Johns Hopkins Medicine. Ice Packs vs. Warm Compresses For Pain. Page accessed May 10, 2024.
- MedlinePlus. Arnica. Page last reviewed December 11, 2023.
- Mayo Clinic. Menthol and Methyl Salicylate (Topical Application Route). Page last updated February 1, 2024.
- Cleveland Clinic. Camphor; Menthol Cream, Gel, or Lotion. Page accessed May 10, 2024.
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Whole Health Library: Diaphragmatic Breathing to Assist with Self-Management of Pain. Page last updated May 1, 2024.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Complementary Health Approaches for Chronic Pain: What the Science Says. September 2022.
- Mayo Clinic. Use mindfulness to cope with chronic pain. February 20, 2024.
- Dubey A, Muley PA. Meditation: A Promising Approach for Alleviating Chronic Pain. Cureus. 2023 Nov 22;15(11):e49244.
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- Arthritis Foundation. Hypnosis for Pain Relief. Page accessed May 10, 2024.
- Institute for Chronic Pain. What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Pain? Page last updated June 15, 2022.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nonopioid Therapies. Page last reviewed November 3, 2022.
