Around 80% of seniors suffer from at least one chronic disease while 68% have two or more — but younger Americans certainly struggle with pain, as well. Workplace injuries happen all the time across the United States. Though outdoor, labor-intensive jobs are the most injury prone, injuries can occur in any career field, at any time, and to anyone. Getting injured is horrible, but it’s often not even the worse part. The worse part for those who have been seriously injured? Dealing with the aftermath and the pain.
Approximately 74% of U.S. states require all organizations to have workers’ compensation plans, which can at least help with the financial aspects of coping with an injury, but some paperwork won’t make the pain won’t go away.
Luckily, there are plenty of things you can do, no matter what type of injury you are dealing with, to better handle the pain.
Here are some great tips for coping and dealing with a work-related injury and how to minimize pain:
- Talk to your doctor — Simply visiting your doctor will help you get a better idea of how to handle your pain, but you need to take some responsibility yourself. Start by talking to your doctor and asking the following important questions: what type of injury do I have? How long will recovery take? What is the purpose of the treatments I am receiving? What should I expect during rehab? What are the warning signs that I am getting worse?
- Massages — Massages are great for combating all kinds of chronic pain. In fact, 92% agree that massages can be effective in reducing pain. If you can’t regularly schedule a massage, vibrating chairs and handheld massagers can also help to alleviate pain. According to researcher and rheumatologist Roland Staud, MD, of the University of Florida, vibration at about 100 hertz reduces the sensation of pain.
- Meditation — Meditation can be extremely helpful, but is quite tricky to do. If you’re struggling to meditate on a consistent basis, simply practicing deep breathing exercises will help you better handle your pain. Find a quiet location, a comfortable body position, and try and block out all distracting thoughts. Then, imagine a spot just below your navel, breathe deeply into that spot, and then let it out.
No matter how severe your pain is, don’t ever neglect your injury. Talk to your doctor, try getting a massage or two, and practice deep breathing — good luck!
