8 Best Ways to Beat Chronic Pain

When your body's in pain, it can be all-encompassing, affecting your work, activities, sleep, mood, and even your relationships. And when chronic pain -- whether from arthritis, deep-tissue injuries, or other causes -- goes on for a long time, it can get awfully discouraging. There are solutions out there, though, and reasons to be hopeful. Here are the top eight strategies for conquering chronic pain:

1. Find the right expert.

Why it's important: Chronic pain is among the most difficult problems to treat, because the solutions aren't always clear-cut, and in many cases there isn't one guaranteed fix. A lot of trial and error is often needed to figure out what eases the pain, and managing that process requires doctors to stay on top of the situation, remember what was said and done before, and be receptive when you come back and say, "No, that didn't help." Many people with ongoing problems such as arthritis report having to switch doctors two, three, or even more times before finding someone who really "gets it."

What to do: At every appointment, pay attention to whether the doctor is really listening to you, and whether he or she is proactive about ordering tests to find the cause of the problem -- and suggesting physical therapy, medication, or other forms of treatment tailored for you. If the treatment doesn't solve your problem, don't hesitate to go back, and pay even closer attention to how the doctor reacts to your "What next?" questions. It shouldn't be a problem to come in for repeat visits while you and your doctor try to get to the root of your pain and find a solution. If you start getting the feeling that the doctor is shrugging off your concerns, feels you've run out of options, or is sending the message that it's "all in your head," it's time to find another doctor.

Tip: You may also need to ask for a referral to a specialist or surgeon. Some medical practices now also provide referrals for acupuncture or osteopathy. If you can afford it, it may be worthwhile to go outside your regular medical network. Some chiropractors, osteopaths, and specialized sports clinics can provide potentially helpful treatments, such as prolotherapy, that may or may not be covered by insurance.

2. Make sure you're taking the right medications.

Why it's important: There are significant differences in how pain medications work and which work best for a specific problem. Even if you have a favorite, go-to choice for pain, you may need to try other options, depending on the physical effects, time of day, and other factors.

What to do: Get familiar with the most common pain medications and when to use them. Even if you've gotten relief from a particular medication in the past, pay close attention to any side effects and to whether the drug loses effectiveness over time. Even better, make an appointment with your doctor specifically to discuss medications, and prepare by making a list of everything you're taking, when you tend to take it, and how often. (Or, simply take all your medications -- both prescription and over-the-counter -- with you.) Be honest; the doctor can't help you if he or she doesn't have a clear picture of what's happening.

Tip: Make sure you know both the generic and the brand names of all the drugs you're taking -- both prescription and over-the-counter -- to avoid confusion and double-dosing. Doctors say they see a surprising number of overdoses caused by taking both the generic and brand-name version of the same drug.

3. Get physical therapy -- and follow the recommendations.

Why it's important: For knee, hip, back, and other types of joint pain, physical therapy can be one of the most effective treatments -- but only if you're taught the right exercises and do them vigilantly.

What to do: To be truly effective, your physical therapy regimen needs to be individually tailored to your specific injury and other needs. All too often, those with chronic pain are referred to "one-size-fits-all" physical therapy programs, which can be unhelpful at best, and discouraging at worst. "People do a generic physical therapy course, then conclude that physical therapy doesn't work, and they're stuck with the pain," says Marc Lum, a senior physical therapist at Kaiser Permanente in the San Francisco Bay Area. "But a lot of time the problem is that the exercises just weren't the right ones, or the patient didn't stick with them long enough."

Tip: Ask to be referred to a physical therapist for one-on-one therapy, at least for one or two sessions. That way you'll have the individualized attention necessary to develop the exercises suited to your needs and to make sure you're doing them correctly.