How to beat chronic pain on a tight budget

Dr Nikki Ramskill wrote a great post about the Wealth-Health Connection, highlighting the strong link between financial status and health, but you probably know about that already if you have chronic pain. In the UK we’re fortunate to have the National Health Service for free health care however, medication and surgery are too often the first options, only later being offered alternatives when the pain has become chronic and you’re eventually referred to NHS pain clinics. At which point your finances may already be affected by having to adapt work hours, sick pay or your partner giving up work to care for you. I’ve heard various people discuss how much easier their recovery would be if they were financially stable. Instead of focusing on how tough it can get, I wanted to share some tips on how to improve your own health outcomes, regardless of your income.   

Imagine you’ve just won £10 million today…  

Hold up, forget the flashy cars and houses for now, we’re just focusing on getting you healthy!   

Put aside some time right now to work out how you would go about getting on top of your health if money was no longer an obstacle.   

Here are a few things on my own (very long) list that I wrote a few years ago: 

• Book into Sanoviv Medical Institute  
• See a functional medicine GP  
• Book into a spiritual retreat  
• Purchase a Body Boost Bed
• Get a personal trainer that is educated in rehab  

Back to your list of where you would go and what you’d do with the boost in your bank account. Decide what treatments, courses and actions you would take.   

Now, work out what you’re able to do right now, without needing that extra £10m in your bank account. Instead of a spiritual retreat, ask your GP to refer you to your local hospital’s pain clinic, who can book you on a mindfulness course specifically for people with chronic pain. If you want to try reiki or photon light therapy but can’t afford it, look for who is training others in it and ask if they require models for their training sessions – earning yourself a free treatment. If you can’t afford one-to-one chronic pain coaching, go for an online course to reduce the cost.  

From the remaining items on your list, then work out what else you would like to do in the future. The important thing is not to just put it on a list, like the people who have had a bucket list for 10 years and never crossed an item off. Decide right now how you’re going to move your life forward in order to be able to afford those treatments or approaches because chronic pain can suck you into a vacuum of losing a month, a year or even decades and then you realise little has changed. Make that decision right now to make a promise to yourself about how you will implement the changes needed. If you would like some inspiration on the way forward or tips on how to keep going on the tough days, you can get free content on my YouTube channel.  

Yes, wealth and health are inextricably linked but why not take a few hints from the wealthiest to tip the balance in your favour, to give you more choices, ultimately leading you back to health. 

Until next time,  

Mel