5 Ways to Help Someone Suffering from Spine Pain

Category: Spine Pain | Author: Stefano Sinicropi

Spine Pain Help

Spine pain affects more than 90 percent of Americans at some point in their life. Although you may not be dealing with back pain at the moment, odds are you know someone who is battling spine pain on a regular basis. So today, we’re going to share five ways you can help a friend or family member who is dealing with chronic back pain.

 

Education

Learn about their condition. When it comes to a health condition, nobody wants to be told what they should or shouldn’t do from someone who doesn’t understand what they are going through. Research the condition so you can have a better idea of what they’re going through. That being said, just because you learn about the condition doesn’t mean you should begin giving them unsolicited advice. This leads us to our next point

Empathize and Listen

Oftentimes someone who is dealing with pain just wants to vent or feel like someone is listening to them without judging them. Don’t try to fix everything for them, just listen to their concerns and try to understand things from their viewpoint.

Meal Prep

Eating healthy while you’re dealing with a chronic back condition can be tough, because pain can make it difficult to be on your feet for a long time or to bend and reach for pots and pans in the kitchen. This can lead to people relying on delivery foods or microwave options, which usually aren’t the healthiest. Poor food choices can lead to increased inflammation in the spine, which can make spine pain even worse. Surprise your friend or family member with a few healthy and easy-to-reheat options. They’ll not only be thankful, but you’ll be doing good by their spine.

Offer to Drive

This is especially helpful if your friend or family member just had spinal surgery and hasn’t yet been cleared to drive. Offer to drive them to their follow up appointments, or take them to the park just to get out of the house for a little bit. If your schedule syncs up, ask your friend if they’d like to run some errands together or if they have anywhere they need to be.

Wound Care Assistance

Finally, since it’s impossible for us to really view our back without the assistance of mirrors, it may be helpful to help a friend with wound care management. Take a look at their surgical site to ensure the area is clean, and offer to help change their dressing if need be. It’s not always easy for patients to monitor their spines for possible signs of an infection, so a 30-second check by a friend really helps to simplify the process.

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