According to a report conducted by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) at the request of the Department of Health and Human Services, a third of Americans live with chronic pain – and many become dependent on opioids prescribed to treat it. While that’s an intimidating statistic, there’s a growing consensus among pain specialists that an approach focused on lifestyle changes can be more effective in managing chronic pain.
Lifestyle changes like exercise, rehabilitation therapies, yoga and cognitive behavioral therapies, meditation, and mindfulness training, can give patients a more empowering path toward managing pain – free from the possibilities of negative side effects or addiction.
Ella, an online app, provides mindfulness training for those suffering with chronic pain. The company behind Ella is partnering with Cedars-Sinai to support 1 million patients by 2020 with its clinically proven mindfulness programs.
Are you currently implementing any lifestyle-focused therapies in your practice? Let us know.