Can Excess Body Weight Lead To Chronic Body Pain & How Do You Prevent?

Excess body weight lead to chronic body pain

Are you experiencing whole body pain? Are you also overweight or obese? These could be related. 

If you are asking ‘Why does my body ache and why do I feel tired’ all the time, it is time to pay attention to your excess body weight, which can worsen the chronic pain. 

Overweight or obese people might suffer from back pain, chronic headaches, abdominal pain, pelvic pain and even fibromyalgia.

Do you know?

According to studies and research, complaints of pain increase as BMI (body mass index) increases.

The study found that less than 3% of the individuals in the normal BMI range reported lower back pain, as opposed to the 8% of obese people (BMI more than 30).

The same percentage is 12% for morbidly obese people.

Check your BMI with TruWeight’s BMI calculator.

The link between weight and chronic body pain

How does excess body weight lead to chronic pain?

Usually, those who suffer from chronic pain, gain weight or are carrying around too much weight, either around their midsection or anywhere else.

This leads to stress on the joints, tendons, and ligaments, leading to exacerbating conditions such as arthritis.

Excess weight tends to compress the spine and narrows space between the vertebrae discs, worsening lower back pain.

1. Lack of activity:

Those who are obese or overweight lack physical activity and exercise very little or not at all, worsening the chronic pain.

2. Psychological stress:

Apart from the actual weight gain, they also experience psychological stress as a result of being obese or overweight.

This adds to their chronic body pain distress, intensifying the pain perception and worsening it.

3. Biochemical reactions:

According to recent researches, the fat tissues could also end up producing chemicals which augment the perception of pain.

For instance, increased inflammation in the body leads to obesity, which again amplifies the sensation of pain.

Managing and preventing chronic pain

Fortunately, preventing and managing chronic body pain can be done by following a specific diet and losing even a few kilos.

Look at ways to avoid back pain due to excess weight.

Exercise

Inactivity should not be the result of chronic pain – in fact, being active is what will make you lose weight and alleviate your chronic pain. These weight loss exercises for chronic pain are the best treatment for body aches: 

First of all, begin gently. Any weight loss programme should be flagged off with low-impact exercises such as walking or water therapy, allowing the body to ease into physical activity without overstressing oneself, or straining the muscles or even injuring oneself.

water exerciseThe buoyancy in the water exercises neutralizes your body weight, helping you to get rid of body fat by allowing free movement. This would in turn enable you to start weight and other strengthening exercises without leading to injuries.

  • Other gentle exercises for chronic body pain include strength training, low-impact cardiovascular exercises, and yoga.
  • Engaging in small tasks around the house such as sweeping, dusting, etc. also goes a long way in preparing the body for movement and exercises, managing pain, and keeping the body active.
  • How weight loss eases the pain
  • Exercise increases blood flow, improving the distribution of nutrients to all body parts, especially the softer tissues in and around the spine.
  • Exercise also keeps the discs in the back, joints, muscles, and ligaments healthy, helping with pain relief.
  • Exercise helps make the muscles strong, flexible, and well-conditioned for activity, improving mobility and helping one lead a more productive life, while keeping diseases at bay. 

If you enjoy dancing, why don’t you try these fun Zumba exercises at home?

Did you know?

Even if you see no weight loss, being physically active is extremely helpful.

According to studies and research, resistance training, aerobic exercises, or a combination of them can reduce joint pain in obese people by as much as 14-70%.

Before beginning any weight loss program, do consult your doctor to know what will suit you and what you shouldn’t be doing in your condition.

While initial pain is alright due to renewed activity, it should not be persistent. 

Here are some ways to manage chronic fatigue.

Did you know?

According to a study of new patients with chronic pain, they reported a gross protein intake deficiency over the 3-day period prior to admission.

Protein-rich foods such as Brussels sprouts, broccoli, beans, cottage cheese, eggs, lamb, poultry, beef, and fish were conspicuously missing from their diet, and only a few of them were drinking milk.

Diet

You should include whey protein to your weight loss diet – here’s why.

According to research and studies, when patients come to doctors and medical professionals to figure out ways to manage chronic pain, the appetites for most of them are extremely poor – so much so that most were found to eat some starches and sweets.

They were found to have malnutrition and muscle mass loss with weakness. The foods to be eaten for managing body aches and fatigue and for muscle pain treatment, along with it also being healthy, are many.

Some pain-fighting foods include cherries, turmeric, ginger, fish like sardines, tuna, herring, mackerel, and salmon, pumpkin seeds, zero-belly smoothies, brussels sprouts, mushrooms, caviar, grapefruit, crab, chilli peppers, oranges, chia seeds, comfrey, sauerkraut, pistachios, eggs, beef liver, kimchi, and oats.

foods

However, there are also foods that those with chronic pain should avoid.

These include juice, corn oil, MSG-containing foods, ice-cream, bacon, cheese, French fries, yogurt, canola oil, barley, energy drinks, eggplant, white bread, beer, diet soda, candy, alcohol, protein bars, tomatoes, potato chips, and cakes.

Chronic body pain isn’t unmanageable. A combination of both exercise and diet even in a small measure will not only ease many forms of chronic pain but also help take the stress off painful joints.

Are you overweight and suffering from knee pain? Click here to know the best ways to deal with it.

FAQs

What are some home remedies for body pain?

Some of the home remedies for body pain are – Add apple cider vinegar to your bath water, take a cold shower, drink cups of ginger tea, drink turmeric milk, drink a warm cup of cinnamon milk, massage the affected area with mustard oil, and eat bananas.

Why do I get muscle pain in the arm?

Muscle pain in the arm could be a result of injuries or abnormalities on the skin, soft tissues, blood vessels, joints, bones, and nerves.

What are the treatments for body aches?

Taking NSAID meds (acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and aspirin), applying ice on the affected areas, taking a long hot water bath, try and sleep better, and try meditation to treat body aches.

If you are looking to shed weight, Possible can help you tread the path in the most natural and effective way.

Talk to our expert Possible Nutritionist for more information and guidance. The first consultation is on us. Click here to avail.

2 thoughts on “Can Excess Body Weight Lead To Chronic Body Pain & How Do You Prevent?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Offer Ends In

Days

:

Hours

:

Minutes

:

Seconds