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How Your Diet Affects Your Pain Levels
A key ingredient often missing from healthcare
Nearly 1 in 4 U.S. adults live with chronic pain, and 1 in 12 report pain that limits daily life or work. It’s the leading cause of years lost to disability worldwide.
The trend is worsening, too.
A major factor driving the rise in chronic pain is the growing prevalence of chronic conditions such as diabetes and obesity, which have painful downstream effects, including diabetic neuropathy and musculoskeletal pain.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends nonpharmacologic and nonopioid therapies as the preferred management strategies for chronic pain. The American College of Physicians advises starting with interventions such as physical therapy, exercise, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and mindfulness for conditions like low back pain. The American College of Rheumatology also prioritizes lifestyle and mind-body therapies over medications for osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia.
These recent clinical guidelines underscore the increasing emphasis on nonpharmacologic approaches as first-line treatments for chronic pain. They recognize that chronic pain is not solely a physical condition; it also involves deeply rooted emotional and cognitive components.
