Living a healthy life with chronic pain

Chronic Pain Self-Management: What It Is and How to Do It

What Is Pain?

How Does Acute Pain Differ from Chronic Pain?

Chronic Pain Symptoms

Understanding and Managing Your Chronic Pain

Your Chronic Fain Self-Management Self-Test

Chronic Pain Self-Management Self-Test-What It Means

Becoming an Active Self-Manager

Self-Management Tasks and Your Self-Management Plan

Problem Solving: Finding Ways to Do Things

Decision Making: Weighing the Pros and Cons

Taking Action: Making Things Happen

Making Short-Term Plans: Action Planning

The Self-Management Toolbox

Finding Resources

Locating the Resources You Need

Resources the Resources

Understanding and Managing Common Symptoms and Problems

Problem Solving with Common Symptoms

Observing Your Chronic Pain Patterns

Common Symptoms

Pain

Breathing Problems

Fatigue

Sleep Problems

Depression

Anger

Fear

Guilt

Stress

Memory Problems

Using Your Mind to Manage Pain and Other Symptoms

Thinking About Values: How It Can Help

Tools for Relaxation Self-Management

Additional Ways You Can Use Your Mind to Manage Symptoms

Mental Strength and Resilience

Organizing and Pacing Your Life for Pain Self-Management and Safety

Monitoring and Understanding Your Pain

Using Good Body Mechanics

Using Assistive Technology to Make Activities Easier and Safer

Organizing Your Home for Safety

Activity Pacing

Exercising and Physical Activity for Every Body

Why Exercise?

Kinds of Exercise

Physical Activity Guidelines

Endurance Exercise

Putting Together Your Own Endurance Program

Choosing Your Endurance Exercise

Self-Tests for Endurance: Checking Your Progress

Exercise Opportunities in Your Community

Your Exercise Program: Solving Possible Problems

Exercising to Feel Better

Body Builders

Exercises That Are Very Important for Posture (VIP)

Exercises for Strong Legs (SL)

Exercises for Better Balance (BB)

Exercises for Hands and Feet (HF)

Community Programs: Water Exercise, Tai Chi, and Yoga

The Moving Easy Program (MEP)

Self-Tests for Checking Your Progress

Healthy Eating and Pain Self-Management

What Is Healthy Eating?

Why Is Healthy Eating So Important for Everyone?

Guidelines for Healthy Eating

Knowing What and How Much to Eat

Healthy Eating for Chronic Pain: Putting It All Together

Healthy Eating Patterns for 1,600 and 2,000 Calories

Food Groups for Meal Planning

Healthy Weight and Pain Self-Management

What Is a Healthy Weight for You?

Making the Decision to Change Your Weight

Getting Started with Weight Change

Making Eating and Activity Changes

Eating and Moods and Emotions

Communicating with Family, Friends, and Health Care Providers

Expressing Your Feelings

Receiving and Giving Help

Communicating with Members of Your Health Care Team

Taking PART

Asking for a Second Opinion

Giving Providers Positive Feedback

Your Role in Medical Decisions

Working with the Health Care System

Managing Pain during Employment and Unemployment

Being Employed and Managing Chronic Pain

Finding Work/Life Balance

Managing Pain at Work

Managing Stress and Working

Communicating and Working

Being Physically Active and Working

Eating Well and Working

Being Unemployed and Managing Chronic Pain

Enjoying Sex and Intimacy

Managing Common Concerns about Sex

Sensual Sex

Fantasy

Overcoming Symptoms during Sex

Sexual Positions

Sex and Intimacy: Special Considerations

Managing Your Treatment Decisions and Medications

Evaluating Medical and Health Claims

General Information about Medications

Using Mind Power: Expecting the Best

Taking Multiple Medications

Communicating with Your Health Care Provider about Medications and Other Treatments

Managing Your Medications

Understanding Medications and Other Treatments for Chronic Pain

Taking Medicines for Chronic Pain

Pain Medications

Other Medications Used to Treat Pain

Other Treatments for Chronic Pain

Pain Clinics and Rehabilitation Programs

Managing Specific Chronic Pain Conditions: Arthritis, Neck and Back Pain, Fibromyalgia, Headache, Pelvic Pain, and Neuropathic Pain Syndromes

Arthritis

Chronic Back and Neck Pain

Fibromyalgia

Headache

Chronic Pelvic Pain

Neuropathic Pain Syndromes

Planning for the Future: Fears and Reality

Problem Solving about Your Living Situation and Care Needs

Problem Solving about Employment

Using Other Resources for Future Planning

Making Decisions and Staying in Charge of Your Life

Finding In-Home Help

Moving to a New Residence

Paying for Health Care

Grieving: A Normal Reaction to Bad News

Making End-of-Life Decisions

Legal Planning

Preparing Yourself and Others

Talking about Death

Considering Palliative Care and Hospice Care.