Updated October 23, 2014.

 A person can experience chronic pain for a variety of different reasons including chronic spine pain, chronic headache, limb arthritis pain, etc. Other conditions that fall in line with the diagnosis of chronic pain include fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. Some people experience these conditions and will never find an exact cause, known as "pain of unknown origin". Either way, living with chronic pain can lead to significant disability.

This disability can be on a spectrum including disability so severe that it prevents a person being able to care for him or herself to disability that affects thinking and concentration in a home or work setting. This distracting, and sometimes life altering, pain can make a person's life unbearable, but it doesn't have to be.

Here are some tips to prevent disability in life situations where chronic pain may contribute to loss of function and productivity. 

• Ensure all other diagnoses are ruled out

A thorough medical examination by your primary care provider is necessary to go over specific identifiable causes of chronic pain. This medical evaluation may also require referrals to specialists to fully rule out other treatable conditions that may be contributing to pain. 

• If all medically treated causes are ruled out and pain persists, come to terms with what this means for your life

It is exceedingly difficult to hear that you pain will not be responsive to traditional therapies such as physical and occupational therapy, oral medications, injected medications, or surgery.

After hearing this, it may seem like your providers are trying to withhold therapy or under treat your pain. The reality of the situation is that no provider will treat you with an intervention that has very little chance of changing your situation. The risks of providing medication or performing procedures outweigh the low chance of benefit you might experience. In this case, it may be helpful to talk with a psychologist or counselor to help you go through the frustration that comes with hearing this difficult news. 

• Moving forward, living with chronic pain

Moving forward with life is an incredibly important part of living with chronic pain. With medical clearance from your doctor, the most valuable thing you can do for yourself is maintain a healthy lifestyle by eating well, sleeping well, and maintaining a low intensity exercise program. Other important ways to enhance your life include getting out of the house and maintaining your social contacts as well as continuing to work regularly if possible to maintain a healthy sense of purpose. 

• Exercise in chronic pain

Interestingly, many patients that experience chronic pain tend to have a "type A" personality where they feel a need to put forward an "all or nothing" approach to tasks in life. This can get persons with chronic pain into trouble when putting all of their energy toward exercise can exacerbate their symptoms. It is recommended that persons with chronic pain do more of a "start low, go slow" exercise program with gradual increases in intensity as symptoms allow. Even something as simple as walking for 10 minutes per day to start can improve a person's quality of life significantly. 

• Alternative therapies 

Many patients request information about alternative therapies including massage, acupuncture, chiropractic care, etc. The bottom line about these therapies is that prior to starting any of them, your doctor should be involved to provide medical clearance to participate. Generally, these additions to your care can be safe and beneficial but most require a trial and error period for you to assess your own response. As for any new therapy, if you experience negative side effects such as increased pain or disability after treatment, you should discontinue therapy and move forward with an alternative measure. 

Prevention of disability in the setting of chronic pain is possible with tools for adaptation to help a person live despite symptoms. Investing in these tools can contribute to better life and work performance and result in a much more satisfying life.