What Veterans Can Teach Us About Pain Management
More than three million veterans are impacted by chronic pain, and this number grows dramatically when looking at the entire U.S. population.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, about 50 million adults suffer from chronic pain on a daily basis. If you suffer from chronic pain that impacts your daily life, you may find it helpful to read about chronic pain management, and how various methods have been used to treat veterans across the country.
INTEGRATIVE HEALTH CARE FOR PAIN MANAGEMENT
In recent years, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has implemented Whole Health, a guide for multifaceted, patient-centered healthcare. This approach brings the patient into the process, allowing them to be more collaborative and contribute to their own treatment plan.
In this setting, the patient meets with a team of providers, focused on incorporating mental and physical health into their pain management and other health goals. Studies show that mental health has a profound impact on physical health and chronic pain. Often, veterans who experience pain are also impacted by mental health concerns like PTSD and depression.
That’s why approaching chronic pain from multiple perspectives, including that of the patient, can help empower the patient to take actionable steps toward recovery and pain relief. In this collaborative approach to care, the patient is encouraged to be proactive about their own physical and mental health.
This can involve activities that benefit you mentally and physically. These activities can include:
Meditation
Tai Chi
Gardening
Painting
Music
As with veterans, you can also reduce your pain and improve your mental health through exercise and practicing mindfulness. Incorporating natural supplements into your routine may also prevent the need for NSAIDs or other potentially harmful pain-relief medications.
MANAGE PAIN FROM THE INSIDE OUT
Joint Pain Relief
Omega-3 deficiency can be linked to depression and fatigue. Omega-3 also acts in a similar way to NSAIDs in terms of pain relief, so supplementing with our softgels can reduce inflammation and pain while improving mobility in stiff joints. Omega-3 can also improve your overall brain health, reducing your risk for cognitive decline.
Joint Pain Relief
Our Joint Health Multi is a unique combination of turmeric, ginger, palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) and piperine. This multi contains powerful antioxidants that can neutralize free radicals, while reducing inflammation throughout the body. PEA is naturally produced by the body in response to pain, so when taken as a supplement, it’s a great way to improve mobility and get back to your routine.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Meredith Warner is the creator of Well Theory and The Healing Sole. She is a board-certified Orthopedic Surgeon and Air Force Veteran.
She is on a mission to disrupt traditional medicine practices and promote betterment physically, spiritually and mentally to many more people. She advocates for wellness and functional health over big pharma so more people can age vibrantly with more function and less pain.
At Well Theory, Our surgeon-designed products are FDA Registered and formulated to help people:
- Manage the symptoms of musculoskeletal pain
- Recover vibrantly from orthopedic related surgeries
- Fill the gaps in our daily diets
- Manage pain associated with inflammation