Today's Quick Tip #1 - Always lift with your back straight! Never
lift with your back muscles! Hold heavy objects close to the body
as you lift and don't twist and lift at the same time!
Today's Quick Tip #2 - Pay attention to proper nutrition
but don't take in more calories than you can burn in a
day. If you are overweight, talk to your doctor about
how you can safely lose those extra pounds you are carry-
ing around. Good nutrition goes a long way with
managing pain, but carrying around extra pounds
can increase your pain immensely!
Today's Quick Tip #3 -Take your medications as prescribed
and on time! Don't wait until you are in intense pain to take them.
It is much harder to manage pain once it has increased
to an intolerable level than it is to manage your
pain simply by taking medications at the proper time.
Today's Quick Tip #4 - Find an exercise program that works for you and
stick to it! Try to exercise at least 3 days a week.
Always consult with your doctor first before
starting any exercise program though. It's
important to keep him/her in the loop about
what you are doing, whether it's exercise or diet. Start out slowly at any exercise program.
Today's Quick Tip #5 - Keep an eye on your blood pressure.
Pain causes your blood pressure to increase and some pain
medications do the same. Between these two factors, your
blood pressure can increase to a dangerous level at any time,
even if your blood pressure has previously been healthy.
Blood pressure monitors can be bought at the drug
store now, relatively inexpensively. Buy one and take
it often, especially before exercise.