Video: Top self-management strategies for living with pain By Mayo Clinic Staff Share Facebook Twitter Print details Taking your meds isn't your only tool when it comes to relieving daily chronic pain. Pairing prescriptions with self-care strategies can lead to better results. Watch for expert advice on pain management tactics you can try at home. Show transcript Top self-management strategies for living with pain One: Stop. Sit. Breathe deeply. Stress can increase pain. Relaxation exercises like meditation or deep breathing can help ease it. Two: Keep a journal. You (and your doctor) can learn what seems to make pain better or worse. Three: Practice acceptance. People who shift to accepting a "new normal" report less pain and life disruption. Guidance from the experts in neurology and neurosurgery at Mayo Clinic. Get more healthy action tips delivered daily when you download the Mayo Clinic App. Show references Ten steps from patient to person. The American Chronic Pain Association. https://www.acpanow.com/uploads/9/9/8/3/99838302/ten_steps_from_patient_to_person.pdf. Accessed May 19, 2023. ACPA – Stanford resource guide to chronic pain management. American Chronic Pain Association. https://www.acpanow.com/uploads/9/9/8/3/99838302/2021-acpa-resource-guide-to-chronic-pain-management-v3.pdf. Accessed May 19, 2023. LaChapelle DL, et al. The meaning and process of pain acceptance: Perceptions of women living with arthritis and fibromyalgia. Pain Research and Management. 2008;13:201. McCracken LM, et al. Learning to live with the pain: Acceptance of pain predicts adjustment in persons with chronic pain. Pain. 1998;74:21. VID-20412376