Chronic Pain Management: Non-pharmaceutical Approaches to Managing Chronic Pain

Chronic pain takes a toll on your body and mind. But you don’t have to handle it on your own. There’s help for chronic pain. 

What Is Chronic Pain? 

Chronic pain is constant or recurring physical pain that lasts a long time. You can feel pain anywhere in the body and it can come from different sources. No matter the source, the goal to treat pain is to reduce it and help you function better. 

The most common types of chronic pain are caused by: 

Chronic Pain and Your Mental Health 

Chronic pain can be hard to deal with and affect your mental health. Common issues include low self-esteem, depression and anger. Other things people with chronic pain struggle with are: 

This may cause behavior changes that make it harder to cope with the pain. It helps to talk about your concerns and feelings with family members, friends or a health care professional. 

Get Treatment 

Seek help if you’re having chronic pain. A health provider can help you manage your pain. The type of provider depends on the type and source of your pain. Talk to your Primary Care Provider about the right treatment plan for you.  

Your provider might first try treatments that don’t include potentially addictive medications like opioids. Non-medicine treatment therapies can help ease pain.  Those include: 

Routine mental health screenings and treatments are a key part of effective chronic pain treatment. Seeing a mental health professional can help you: 

Don’t isolate yourself. Pain can make you feel like not leaving the house but spending time with family and friends can help your mental and physical health. 

Try these things to help manage your pain:  

Some people find relief from stretching, yoga, tai chi or meditation. You might need to try them for several weeks to see a change. Check with your health provider to make sure any new activity you start won’t make your pain worse.   

If You Take Medication 

Your provider may decide that medication like antidepressants, pain relievers or other over-the-counter medicine may help. Follow their instructions to make sure you’re taking the medication safely. 

Resources for TRS-Care and TRS-Care Standard 

Talk to Your Provider 

If you need help finding a provider, use Provider Finder® to search by location, gender and specialty. A Personal Health Guide can help you find an in-network provider 24/7. Call 1-866-355-5999 or chat through the BCBSTX App.  

Use Your Health and Wellness Tools  

There are health and wellness programs that can help with pain that comes with your health plan – at no extra cost.  

Resources for TRS-Care Medicare Advantage

Let's Move by UnitedHealthcare  

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