Managing chronic pain? Here are 7 tips to help you cope

Physical Wellbeing

Jul 21

Written By Calm Editorial Team

Clinically reviewed by Dr. Chris Mosunic, PhD, RD, MBA

Living with chronic pain can be difficult. Discover mindful tips to help you manage the mental and emotional load, as well as support your body and mind.

Managing chronic pain can be incredibly lonely. If you suffer from it, you already know the weight of waking up and wondering how bad it will be each day. You know how hard it is to make plans, how discouraging it can be when your body won’t cooperate, and how isolating it feels when other people just don’t get it.

Chronic pain can make ordinary routines feel like uphill battles. You might find yourself constantly recalibrating, deciding whether you have the energy to run that errand, join that meeting, or even sit through a family dinner. Everyday activities like commuting, carrying groceries, or standing in line can quickly become overwhelming. And because the pain isn’t always visible to others, there may be added pressure to just push through, which only adds to the exhaustion. Over time, even small joys like spontaneous plans, long walks, or a good night’s sleep can start to feel out of reach.

The good news is that there are some mindful ways to cope with chronic pain so that you can have calmer days where you feel more like yourself. Whether you’re newly navigating this road or have been walking it for years, these suggestions are meant to meet you where you are.

What is chronic pain?

Chronic pain is defined as pain that lasts longer than three months. It may start after an injury or illness, but it can also appear without a clear cause. Unlike short-term pain, which typically fades as the body heals, chronic pain lingers, often for months or years.

Chronic pain can shape how you move, interact, and see yourself. Some describe it as carrying an invisible weight or feeling disconnected from their body. Symptoms can also shift from day to day, making chronic pain unpredictable and often misunderstood.

7 symptoms of chronic pain

Chronic pain shows up differently for everyone, but these are some of the most common symptoms:

Persistent pain: It can be sharp, dull, burning, or aching. It may stay in one area or move around.
Fatigue: Being in constant pain can be draining, both physically and emotionally.
Sleep disturbances: Pain can make it hard to fall or stay asleep, worsening symptoms.
Mood changes: Anxiety, irritability, and depression often accompany chronic pain.
Brain fog: Trouble concentrating and remembering things is common for people living with chronic pain.
Muscle tension and stiffness: Pain often leads to unconscious tensing and can even limit mobility.
Increased sensitivity: Many people living with chronic pain experience heightened responses to touch, temperature, or stress.

What are the common causes of chronic pain?

Chronic pain might begin after an injury or surgery, develop slowly over time, or linger even after the body appears to have healed. In many cases, it overlaps with other health issues, making it tough to pinpoint a single cause.

Still, despite not having a clear roadmap, some of the most common sources of chronic pain include the following:

Arthritis: Conditions like osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis can cause joint inflammation, stiffness, and persistent discomfort.
Nerve damage (neuropathy): Damaged nerves can send pain signals without a clear trigger, often felt as burning, tingling, or electric shocks.
Fibromyalgia: This widespread pain condition is linked to how the brain processes pain, and is often accompanied by fatigue and brain fog.
Back and spine issues: Problems like herniated discs or spinal stenosis can cause localized or radiating pain throughout the body.
Migraines and headaches: Chronic migraines can be intense and debilitating, with symptoms that last for days.
Autoimmune disorders: Diseases like lupus or MS can cause inflammation and pain in muscles, joints, or nerves.
Pelvic pain and endometriosis: Often underdiagnosed, these conditions can cause ongoing pain that deeply impacts daily life.
Post-trauma or post-surgical pain: Sometimes, pain remains long after an injury or surgery, due to nerve sensitivity or scar tissue.

Why chronic pain can be so hard to manage

Chronic pain can make life incredibly complicated. It can weave through your routines, your relationships, and your mental health, often in ways that no one can see but you. Here are some reasons why it can be frustrating to manage.

It wears you down emotionally

Pain exhausts your body and drains your spirit. It chips away at your patience, disrupts your sense of control, and leaves you emotionally raw. Your nervous system is doing its best under constant stress, which can take a huge toll on you.

It’s unpredictable

Some days are tolerable, but on other days, a flare-up could hit out of nowhere. This inconsistency makes it hard to plan or trust your body, adding layers of frustration and isolation.

It disrupts sleep

Pain often leads to poor sleep, which can exacerbate the pain the next day. It’s a draining, self-perpetuating cycle that leaves your mind foggy and your body fatigued.

The healthcare system often falls short

Many people spend years searching for answers or diagnoses, only to be met with confusion or dismissive attitudes. Having your pain questioned or minimized can feel just as wounding as the condition itself.

Others may not understand

Chronic pain is often invisible, so people might assume you’re fine even if you’re not. That disconnect can lead to feelings of isolation, guilt, and pressure to push through, even when you need to slow down.

It’s constant work

Managing chronic pain often involves tracking symptoms, managing medication, adapting plans, and explaining yourself over and over again. It can feel like a second job you didn’t ask for, and it’s exhausting.

How to cope with chronic pain: 7 mindful tips

It’s natural to feel depleted when you’re living with chronic pain. And while there’s no magic fix, there are gentle ways to find a little more ease.

These tips are designed for real life—as messy and unpredictable as it may be—so take what works and leave the rest. Hopefully, some of them will bring you some relief.

1. Rethink what movement means to you

When you’re in pain, traditional exercise advice can feel laughably out of touch. And while movement can help you feel more supported and mobile, it has to be the right kind for you.

Here are some gentle options for movement:

Start with micro-movements: Consider gentle stretches in bed, shoulder rolls at your desk, or wiggling your toes.
Focus on range of motion, not performance: Can you rotate your neck slowly? Reach gently toward the ceiling? Focus on those.
Try activities that offer both physical and mental grounding: Some examples include walking in nature, restorative yoga, or tai chi.

💙 This Self-Acceptance mindful movement with Mel Mah is especially gentle on the body.

2. Build a flexible rest toolkit

Rest is essential, but chronic pain can make it tough. Instead of relying only on long, uninterrupted blocks of sleep, think in layers.

Here are some options:

Passive rest: Lie down using heat or ice, and curl up under a blanket with zero agenda.
Active rest: Aim to incorporate gentle activities that soothe your nervous system, like coloring, listening to calming music, or watching something light and low-stakes.
Micro-rest: Focus on tiny windows, like closing your eyes for 60 seconds, turning off notifications for a few minutes, or letting your body go limp in a chair for a little while.

3. Use grounding techniques to anchor in the now

Pain can hijack your nervous system, making you feel constantly on edge. Grounding helps bring you back to the present moment, disrupting your spiral (even if only briefly). Here are 18 other grounding techniques to try.

Try these simple practices:

The 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique involves naming five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste.

Press your feet firmly into the floor and notice the sensation.
Hold an object (a stone, a cold drink, a warm mug) and focus on its texture and temperature.
Splash your face with cold water as a reset.

4. Soften your self-talk

When pain flares up, it’s easy to blame yourself and say things like:

“I pushed too hard.”
“I should be stronger.”
“I’m so behind.”

This kind of internal dialogue can even make the pain worse. Self-compassion is a form of resilience.

Try replacing harsh self-talk with any of the following phrases:

“This is really hard, and I’m doing my best.”
“My body is asking for care, not criticism.”
“It’s okay to pause and slow down.”

You might even write down kind reminders and leave them where you’ll see them, like on your bathroom mirror, next to your meds, or on your phone as a daily notification. This will quickly interrupt your thoughts and give you the chance to choose kindness over self-criticism.

5. Make tiny routines work for you

Big routines often fall apart when chronic pain is unpredictable. Instead, try anchor routines: small rituals that ground your day, even if everything else is chaos. These are touchpoints that offer a sense of rhythm and safety, especially when the rest of your day feels like it’s out of your control.

Here are some options to try:

Light a candle every morning as a mini moment of intention.
Do a gentle stretch before bed.
Keep a warm compress or soft blanket nearby, and use it as a cue to pause.

💙 Create a self-care moment with A Ritual for Presence with Jay Shetty.

6. Nurture your nervous system

Pain lives in the nervous system, not just in the body. Supporting your nervous system can reduce how deeply you perceive pain, which can help you feel more emotionally balanced.

Here’s how to start:

Breathe slowly, with a longer exhale than inhale. This tells your body that you’re safe.
Limit stimulation during flare-ups. Dimming the lights, lowering the volume, and stepping away from screens can calm an overfired nervous system.
Connect to something soothing. This could be a pet, a weighted blanket, or some calming music.

7. Find connection

Chronic pain can be incredibly isolating if you constantly feel misunderstood or have to cancel plans often. If this happens consistently enough, you may even stop reaching out to loved ones altogether. But connection is critical, as it’ll help you get the support you need.

Here are a few simple ways to reach out:

Text a friend and say, “Today’s rough. Can you just send a dumb meme?”
Join a chronic pain support group online (just to lurk, if you like).
Talk honestly with people you trust — even if they don’t fully understand, your openness invites real connection.

💙 Strengthen your relationships with the Love and Relationships series with Tamara Levitt.

Managing chronic pain FAQs

What’s considered chronic pain vs. short-term pain?

Chronic pain is typically defined as pain that lasts longer than three months, often persisting well beyond the normal healing period for an injury or illness. Unlike short-term (also known as acute) pain—which serves as a signal that something is wrong and usually fades with treatment—chronic pain can linger without a clear purpose or resolution.

The pain can either be constant or come and go in waves, but what sets it apart is its duration and impact on daily life. Chronic pain often exists without a clear cause, and it may continue even when medical tests can’t detect what’s wrong.

Why does chronic pain make everything else feel harder?

Pain is a stressor — physically, mentally, and emotionally. It can interfere with sleep, drain your energy, fog your thinking, and elevate stress hormones. Living with chronic pain makes basic tasks like getting dressed, making decisions, or having a conversation feel exponentially more difficult.

Because you’re always tracking how you feel, what might trigger a flare-up, and how to preserve enough energy, it can also feel like you never get a break.

Are there natural ways to manage chronic pain?

While there are several natural ways to manage chronic pain, they might not work for everybody. Many people find some relief through practices like gentle movement (yoga, tai chi, or swimming), mindfulness meditation, breathwork, acupuncture, or anti-inflammatory diets. Supportive therapies like massage, physical therapy, or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can also be incredibly helpful.

If you’re looking to try a natural way to target chronic pain, start slowly. Notice what feels helpful, and give yourself permission to skip anything that adds stress or shame. Natural options can be part of your toolkit if you need them, alongside more traditional methods of treatment.

How do I talk about chronic pain when people don’t get it?

Start by identifying what’s true for you. You don’t need to justify or over-explain your experience to be taken seriously.

Try using simple, clear language like, “I live with ongoing pain, and while I might look fine, some days are harder than others.” Or, “I can’t always predict how I’ll feel, so I have to make choices based on what my body can handle that day.”

You can share more details if you feel safe and supported, but know that you’re also allowed to protect your energy. Not everyone will understand, and that’s okay. It doesn’t diminish your lived experience.

How can I live a good life while managing chronic pain?

The best way to live a good life while managing chronic pain is to redefine what a good life means to you. Chronic pain might limit what you can do physically, but it doesn’t cancel out your capacity for joy, meaning, connection, or purpose.

Living with chronic pain might mean slowing down, setting firmer boundaries, letting go of old expectations, or savoring smaller wins. Some days, a good life is staying in bed with a favorite book. Other days, it’s laughing with someone who sees you. There’s no universal roadmap, but your life can still be rich, despite the pain.

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chronic pain

Calm Editorial Team