Are you suffering from some type of chronic pain? If so, you’re not alone: reports from 2016 show that 20.4% of American adults (that’s approximately 50 million people) were suffering from some form of chronic pain.

While many choose to get treatment, others might have a more mild form of pain that is tolerable, or one that comes and goes. Common places to experience pain include the lower back, neck, shoulders, and in the form of headaches.

You might be one of those people who just tries to ignore their pain instead of dealing with it. The thing is, while you may be okay in the short term (especially if you are young) these kinds of pains can just continue to get worse and worse until they’re unbearable. Why wait until you get to that point to seek help? Click on this link if you are interested in treatment for your back pain, neck pain, or any other kind of pain that you may be having.

Make it a part of your New Year’s resolution to live a pain-free life. You don’t have to do it alone, and getting help is the first step.

Consider Chiropractic Care

When dealing with things like lower back pain, a chiropractor may just be the person you need. When you visit one, they will do an assessment and take the time to listen to what you are experiencing. From there, they’ll discuss treatment plan options with you that make sense.

Treatment typically involves gentle adjustments that the chiropractor will do for you on a special kind of table. You will come in regularly to get these done, but they will also recommend a series of exercises for you to do as well as lifestyle changes.

The thing is, if you keep making the same mistakes that are causing you pain then you will never get better. It’s important to take steps to change up your lifestyle so that you are:

• Eating healthy and avoiding foods that cause inflammation
• Exercising regularly (both cardio and strength-training)
• Maintaining a proper posture
• Sleeping correctly (may involve starting to use special pillows)
• Stretching regularly
• Avoiding activities that may be causing strain in your problem areas

Your chiropractor will work with you to make sure that the activities you do are right for you. But you have to make sure that you keep up with the plan and actually make these changes to your life, which can always be difficult. Habits are hard to break, which is why it’s important that you set a schedule or routine and stick with it to the best of your ability.

Focus on Self-Care in the New Year

We often forget how important it is to take care of ourselves, but don’t forget that you absolutely deserve it. Taking good care of yourself means that you’ll be better able to take care of the people around you, so why allow yourself to live in pain? This year, choose to begin your path towards a pain-free life.