5 Positive Affirmations for Those Recovering From Joint Pain

5 Positive Affirmations for Those Recovering From Joint Pain

Staying positive through chronic or severe joint pain can be easier said than done. It takes work to stay positive when it feels like your pain is actively working against you.

Your brain is a powerful organ that determines how you perceive your experiences, and positive affirmations can help build a more resilient mindset in the face of pain. Developing the power to have the final word over joint pain can help you get through each day on your journey to recovery.

Joint Pain Basics

Your body has an estimated 250-350 joints, points where two or more bones meet. Joints consist of various tissues, including:

• Bursas, fluid-filled sacs that cushion the joints.
• Cartilage, which reduces joint and bone friction by covering the bone surface where it meets the joint.
• Ligaments, bands of tissue that surround joints to support and limit their movement.
• Synovial fluid and membranes, which lubricate and seal the joint capsule.
• Tendons, which attach muscles to joints and bones.

When these tissues are healthy and function correctly, your joints move and function free from pain and discomfort. However, an issue with any of these tissues can lead to pain, discomfort and stiffness.

Most people experience joint pain in the feet, hands, hips, knees or spine. How and when you experience joint pain varies from person to person. The pain may be constant or intermittent, worse in the morning than in the evening or vice versa. Joint pain can manifest in equally diverse ways, from a throbbing ache to sore stiffness to a grating or grinding sensation.

Joint Pain Treatment

Treatment options vary according to the cause and severity of your symptoms. Over-the-counter pain relief medications are often enough for mild and acute cases of joint pain. Severe or chronic joint pain often needs more intensive interventions, such as physical therapy or corticosteroid injections.

In the severest cases, surgery may be necessary. Surgeries for joint pain may include:

• Arthroscopy: The surgeon makes small incisions in the treatment area and inserts a long, thin tube with a light and video camera on the end. Doctors use this procedure to diagnose and treat the issue in a minimally invasive way.
• Arthroplasty: Also called joint replacement, this surgery replaces a damaged joint with an artificial one. Depending on the joint and the amount of damage, your doctor will recommend partial or total joint replacement.

Recovery

Recovery from joint pain treatment varies according to the cause and severity. Minor joint pain may persist for one to two days after treatment. Relying on medication over such a short timeframe typically has minimal adverse effects.

On the other hand, recovery after treatment for severe joint pain can last for weeks or even months. Your doctor may prescribe a painkiller during your recovery. However, it’s best to exercise caution with prescription medications to minimize their potential side effects and find ways to supplement your pain management.

While physical therapy can help, staying positive enough to reap the benefits can be challenging. It’s essential to find ways to stay positive for your mental wellness and joint health.

5 Positive Affirmations to Help Your Recovery

Knowing how to stay positive when experiencing pain is a crucial skill. Research shows that positive thinking can affect our perception of pain.

Repeated positive affirmations work by taking advantage of neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s ability to modify itself in response to our experiences and changing habits. In other words, positive affirmations are about putting mind over matter. As such, the benefit of positive affirmation for pain lies in repetition. The more we repeat something to ourselves, the easier it is for our brain to accept it.

This benefit has limits — repeating positive affirmations cannot cure a clinical disease or condition — and it’s important to note that positive affirmations for healing pain are a helpful tool rather than a magic bullet.

To improve your joint pain perception and aid in recovery, here are five positive affirmations for joint pain recovery that you may find helpful.

1. My Joints Are Healthy and Strong

This affirmation encourages you to trust your body. When dealing with chronic joint pain, it’s common to doubt the health and strength of your joints as you go about your day. That doubt can increase the challenges of exercising and other healthy habits that are integral to recovering from joint pain. Reminding yourself of the health and strength still present in your joints can help you do what you need to do to get through each day.

2. I Release Any Pain I Have in My Joints

A negative mindset can increase our perception of pain. By consciously releasing that energy through this affirmation, you can limit the amount of joint pain you experience and perceive.

3. My Joints Are Pain-Free

This affirmation may feel counterintuitive if you’re currently experiencing joint pain. However, it can divert your brain’s attention from the pain in your joints so you can focus on more pertinent matters.

If you need to complete a task and your joint pain hinders you from achieving it, this affirmation could give you what you need to get to the next level.

4. I Can Move Comfortably and Easily

Initial pain can be the most challenging to overcome. Although you’ll want to avoid overexerting your joints, it can be helpful to repeat this affirmation when you experience that initial resistance when beginning any action you’re relying on your joints to complete.

5. My Joints Give Me the Support I Need

This affirmation is all about contentment. When we focus solely on the ways our joints fail us, our positivity dwindles, and our pain perception increases. It can be challenging to stay optimistic about your joint health and strength when thinking about your joints’ lack of support.

In contrast, focusing on the support your joints provide for you daily can foster a spirit of gratitude. Building an appreciation for your joints will go a long way toward reducing your joint-pain perception.

Get a Pain Evaluation With Metropolitan Pain & Spine Institute

Positive affirmations are a complementary tactic, and seeking medical attention for joint pain is still critical. It’s essential to consult your doctor if your joint pain returns or worsens after engaging with positive affirmations and other healthy coping strategies.

Fill out a pain evaluation form or contact a joint pain specialist at the Metropolitan Pain & Spine Institute if you need medical attention for joint pain!