Kirk Minkus, MD is one of the finest leg pain specialists in Mesa, Arizona. Chronic leg pain is a condition that affects many city residents.
A pain specialist can be indispensable in helping you deal with chronic pain but a lot of the work is on you. Pain management is a crucial part of living with chronic pain.
The following tips should help you better manage your pain:
- Hydrate
Water is a very crucial part of our body chemistry. Dehydration is the most prevalent cause of muscle cramps and pain in the leg.
You should drink as much water during the day as you can. You should drink more water if you exercise regularly as you lose a lot of water through sweat.
One thing that depletes water from the body fast is alcohol. Therefore, you should avoid alcoholic drinks if you suffer from chronic leg pain.
- Keep Moving
You should move your legs even though you may have leg pain. The intensity of your activity should be related to the pain you feel.
If the pain is acute, you should stick to mild and low impact exercise. On the other hand, if the pain is manageable, you should gradually increase the intensity of your workouts.
Movement includes anything from walking to sprinting. The movement has been shown to promote the release of endorphins in the body which will also relieve pain.
The paradox is that when you keep moving, your legs get strong and experience more blood flow which serves to relieve the pain. You should warm-up before and stretch after every workout.
- Do Yoga
Yoga is a practice whose health benefits are innumerable. In fact, any stretching will be beneficial if you suffer from chronic leg pain.
Yoga is particularly effective because it not only stretches the muscles and joints but it is also a very relaxing activity. It opens up energy centers in the body that may be blocked and the cause of the chronic leg pain.
Unfortunately, most people stop doing yoga after a few weeks of little results. As stated above, yoga is a practice, so the more you do the stronger its effects. You should find a yoga instructor for the best results.
- Compress Your Leg
You should compress your leg if you suffer from chronic leg pain. A lack of blood circulation might be the cause of your leg pain and compressing it is an apt solution.
Compression could include either warm or cold compression. They will both serve to increase circulation in your legs.
Warm compression involves applying heat to your legs while cold compression involves cooling your leg. Gel packs and baths are ways you can heat or cool your leg muscles.
- Relieve Stress
Stress is a great cause of inflammation in the body. When your leg gets inflamed then the pain will certainly follow.
Therefore, if you want to best manage leg pain you should reduce stress to a minimum. Try effective stress relief techniques such as meditation and deep breathing.
The less stressed you are, the better you can manage chronic leg pain.