When you are an athlete, your body is different from most. You are physically more fit and more able to do certain things, however, this can come with a price. At some point, your body is going to reach a point where it no longer works the way that you want it to without some sort of consequence. While it’s not a sign that you need to stop completely unless the pain becomes more severe or constant, it is a sign that you need to take care of yourself better. Keep reading down below if you would like to find out more about how to manage this.
Pain Killers
The first thing that we are going to look into is painkillers. Painkillers are the go-to for people who are in pain, and you will find different strengths available depending on what the issue is. If over-the-counter medication isn’t working for you, then you may need to see a doctor in order to get a prescription. If you don’t have time to go and collect this when it’s ready, there is an NHS prescription delivery service available if you live in the UK.
The only thing that we want to warn you about is that sometimes these can become addictive if they are strong, which is why they don’t tend to be prescribed for prolonged use. However, if you do feel as though you are starting to rely on them, stop taking the pills and speak to a medical professional. There are other methods to manage your pain, so you don’t have to take pills if you don’t want to or feel like you can’t.
Take Some Time
The pain may be your body telling you that you need to take some time to chill out and let your body rest. It’s not a lot to ask, especially if you are putting in a lot of effort already. However, we know that for an athlete telling them to take a rest is sort of like talking to a brick wall. But, we need you to understand how important this is so we’re going to put it this way: if you are not careful you will damage your body beyond repair and nothing will be able to maintain your athletic ability. Give your body the rest it is asking for, it deserves it.
While it might feel tough to do this, think about the condition that you’re going to be in when you return. You are going to be well rested, you’re going to feel better and you will be able to train without any kind of pain. This is the best thing for you, even if it feels like the worst at the time. The only other thing that you can do to get through this time reminds yourself that it is not forever, and you will be back with the sport that you love soon.
Find Alternative Methods
The final thing that we are going to say is that you can find alternative pain management options. For example, some people find that soaking in a hot bath is a good idea for muscle pains, some people like to drink specific types of tea that have been carefully crafted for this, and others have other coping mechanisms.
This might take some time before you find the thing that is going to manage the pain most effectively. Essentially, it’s going to be a trial and error process but this is okay because it lets you try a whole range of new things. It’s about finding what works for you, and this can’t be done overnight. Of course, if you find something that is working for you such as a TENS machine, you can continue to use this if you try other methods and they are not working. We also want to add here that it doesn’t just have to be one thing, it might be a combination of things that works for you, and that’s fine also.
We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now see some of the things that you can do in order to manage your pain as an athlete. It’s true that these things can be applied to more general life, but they are particularly important if you are someone who does a lot of sport. We wish you the very best of luck and hope that you manage to keep your pain under control.
