One out of three people suffers from some form of chronic pain—arthritis, headaches, back pain, cancer, or countless other diagnosable or undiagnosable conditions which persist long after we expect the discomfort to go away.  The general rule of thumb is that the pain persists for more than six months and may disrupt virtually every aspect of our normal pattern of living—work, play, sleep, family, social, emotional and faith life.  The key to living with and managing chronic pain is to control your pain instead of letting your pain control you.

–  Pursue competent medical treatment:  See a doctor. Early intervention can often prevent chronic pain.  Listen carefully, ask questions and implement their suggestions.  Beyond medical treatments, if recommended, investigate pain-control techniques such as relaxation therapy, guided imagery, or meditation. You can learn these skills, with practice, from a qualified therapeutic professional.

–  Trust your own experience of pain:  All pain is real, whether or not physicians can find a clinical reason for it.  It is your body, so trust your perception. Do not add emotional pain to your physical pain. Pain is a highly subjective experience which is why medical teams ask patients to rate their pain 1-10.  Consider joining a support group for pain sufferers to help give you validity to your experience, vent feelings and keep perspective.

–  Make positive changes in your lifestyle:  If you have been told by multiple physicians that your pain cannot be remedied, work towards acceptance and channel your energy into living productively with your condition. Rest when needed. Communicate with your loved ones.  Pursue activities that bring you pleasure. Learn something new. Staying occupied helps to distract, at least temporarily, from pain.

–  Let your pain bring you to God:  At times your pain may feel all-consuming, blocking out all other thoughts. Or maybe you feel simply too tired to pray. Or maybe it seems impossible to reconcile your faith in a loving God with your suffering. Some questions have no answers, but we know that sometimes the questioning itself draws us closer into the arms of God, who suffers with us and wants us to be healed.

Pain has a way of sharply defining life’s true pleasures and priorities.  Do your best to accept the support available and practice gratitude for what is good in your life.  Be gentle with yourself and consciously choose life and joy.

(Adapted from “Coping with Chronic Pain” by Sefra Kobrin Pitzele, Carenotes #20692, Abbey Press.  For more resources or support, contact Leah Harris, Pastoral Care, 408-997-5110).