Mindfulness
Being mindful of your spine and understanding the cause of your symptoms can often help one cope with their discomfort. There are treatments for all spine conditions. However, there is not always a surgical solution. Patients with chronic neck/back pain are often looking for a cure. Unfortunately, for many patients there is no cure since the source of their pain is from degenerative discs and/or facets. It is important to have a mindset focused on maintenance rather than cure. This concept is often difficult for many patients. Luckily, most patients with chronic neck/back pain can improve significantly and lead relatively pain free lives with proper spine prevention.
Mindfulness can help reshape your relationship with mental and physical pain. This can be done thru meditation. Some patients benefit from working with a professional (i.e., psychiatrist, psychologist) to help manage emotional and mental stress which may impact their ability to cope with chronic pain. Adequate sleep also plays an important role in maintaining strong mental health and is crucial to one’s overall physical well-being.
