Skip to content

Top Navigation

Health.com Health.com
  • Health Conditions A-Z
  • News
  • Coronavirus
  • Diet & Nutrition
  • Fitness
  • Beauty
  • Mind & Body
  • Lifestyle
  • Weight Loss
  • Newsletter
  • Promo

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences this link opens in a new tab
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Health.com

Health.com Health.com
  • Explore

    Explore

    • Is Your Doctor Gaslighting You? Here's What to Do

      How to handle a physician who doubts or dismisses your symptoms. Read More Next
    • 9 Signs It's More Serious Than the Common Cold

      Doctors explain how to tell if you have a head cold or something more serious that requires medical attention, such as the flu, strep throat, meningitis, or mono. Read More Next
    • How Your Period Changes During Your 20s, 30s, and 40s

      From easier cramps to a heavier flow, here's a guide on what to expect decade by decade. Read More Next
  • Health Conditions A-Z

    Health Conditions A-Z

    See all Health Conditions A-Z

    12 Anxiety Symptoms That Might Point to a Disorder

    The symptoms of anxiety can be hard to detect. Here are the ones you need to pay attention to, and how to know if you may have an anxiety disorder.
    • Allergies
    • Anxiety
    • Birth Control
    • Breast Cancer
    • Coronavirus
    • Chronic Pain
    • Cold, Flu, and Sinus
    • Depression
    • Digestive Health
    • Diabetes (Type 2)
    • Eczema
    • Eye Health
    • Fibromyalgia
    • Heart Disease
    • Headaches and Migraines
    • Oral Health
    • Pregnancy
    • Psoriasis
    • Sexual Health
    • Skin Conditions
    • Sleep
    • Thyroid
  • News

    News

    See all News

    Shannen Doherty Reveals Stage 4 Breast Cancer Diagnosis—Here's What It Means

    "I'm petrified," the actress said when she shared the news that her breast cancer came back. Here's why a stage 4 breast cancer diagnosis can be so frightening.
    • Celebrities
  • Coronavirus
  • Diet & Nutrition

    Diet & Nutrition

    The Best (and Worst) Diets of 2020, According to Experts

    FYI: The keto diet is not number one.
    • Food
    • Nutrition
    • Vitamins and Supplements
    • Groceries
    • Restaurants
    • Diets
    • Keto Diet
    • Mediterranean Diet
    • Whole30
    • Recipes
  • Fitness

    Fitness

    See all Fitness

    10 Moves for a Cardio Workout at Home—No Equipment Required

    Stay in your living room and still spike your heart rate.
    • Cardio Workouts
    • Strength Training
    • Yoga
    • Ab Workouts
    • Arm Workouts
    • Leg Workouts
    • Butt Workouts
    • Fitness Gear
  • Beauty

    Beauty

    See all Beauty

    These 13 Women Prove Every Body Is a Bikini Body

    We're loving their inspirational, body-positive messages.
    • Skincare
    • Makeup
    • Hair
    • Nails
  • Mind & Body

    Mind & Body

    See all Mind & Body

    Why Do People Lie? We Asked an Expert

    Here's the truth about lying.
    • Body Positivity
    • Self-Care
    • Misdiagnosed
    • Invisible Illness
    • LGBTQ+ Health
    • Health Diversity and Inclusion
    • Resolution Reboot
  • Lifestyle

    Lifestyle

    20 Things You Should Throw Away for Better Health

    Clean out expired products and clutter to make way for a healthier you.
    • Healthy Home
    • Pets
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Style
    • Holidays
    • Sex
    • Gifts
    • Money
    • Tech
    • Medicare
    • Best Life Now
  • Weight Loss
  • Newsletter
  • Promo

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences this link opens in a new tab
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow us

  1. Home Chevron Right
  2. Rheumatoid Arthritis Chevron Right
  3. 13 Ways to Cope With Pain at Work

13 Ways to Cope With Pain at Work

By Tammy Worth
June 01, 2013
Skip gallery slides
Save Pin
Credit: Getty Images
It can be difficult to cope with chronic pain on the job, but not impossible.
Start Slideshow

1 of 14

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

How to cope with pain

Credit: Getty Images

More than 116 million Americans deal with chronic pain each year. And that pain doesn’t go away when people have to go to work.

“The number of people with chronic pain is outrageous,” says Scott Bautch, MD, CEO for Allied Health Chiropractic Centers located in Wisconsin. “We need to make jobs friendly for them, but they need to know how to adjust in the jobs they have.”

It can be difficult to cope with chronic pain on the job, but not impossible. Here are some ways to get your employer to be more accommodating, as well as tips for managing pain at work.

1 of 14

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 14

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Follow the 30% rule

Credit: Getty Images

Most people who have a chronic pain condition like rheumatoid arthritis experience a reduced grip strength and mobility, says Dr. Bautch.

If this is true for you, try to use no more than about 30% of your grip strength and muscle energy in your elbows, wrists, shoulders, and other parts of your body, he says. Also aim to stay in the middle 30% of your range of motion.

“These are the ranges that are friendly to people with pain,” he says. “And if the amount of use goes up with too much frequency, they will struggle.”

2 of 14

3 of 14

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Change positions often

Credit: Getty Images

Sitting or standing in one position for too long can exacerbate pain. “People with chronic pain have a low tolerance for inactivity,” Dr. Bautch says. “You need regular motion, so you can’t not move.”

Certain jobs, such as a trial lawyer or court stenographer, may not be the best choice. It may be just too painful to be confined to a chair for long periods of time.

If you work at a desk, get up and move around every 15 minutes or so, says Dr. Bautch. And don’t feel guilty about it—studies show break-takers are as productive—sometimes more—as people who don’t take them.

3 of 14

Advertisement

4 of 14

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Reduce stress

Amy Beamer, a 38-year-old from Tampa Fla., worked as an accountant in a high-pressure, high-level position that required her to travel all over the world. Beamer, who has had rheumatoid arthritis for a decade, could handle the work until her condition became more aggressive a couple of years ago.

But she didn’t have to quit her job; she cut back to four days a week and no longer travels. As long as she keeps to that schedule, her health is much better.

“You don’t have to stop working, but sometimes you just can’t do the things you used to do,” she says. “I always say, ‘If my body could keep up with my mind, it would be a force to be reckoned with’.”

4 of 14

5 of 14

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Educate your employer

Credit: Getty Images

Ashley Boynes Shuck worked for the one employer who could understand her condition more than anyone—the Arthritis Foundation.

Boynes Shuck has RA, as did her former manager’s child. But when a new supervisor took over, she wasn’t as accommodating or understanding about her condition, even though she worked for the foundation, Boynes Shuck says.

“I had to work with her,” she says. “You need to have a dialogue about your condition—what it entails and what your limitations and abilities are. But make sure they know you are an asset in the company; you can’t do certain things, but you can make up in other areas.”

5 of 14

6 of 14

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Avoid travel

Credit: Getty Images

There are a handful of reasons why people with chronic pain should not be world travelers. For many people with chronic pain, a change in pressure, which is a given on a plane, can be a symptom trigger.

What’s more, it’s difficult to get up and move around to avoid stiffness, particularly on long flights. On top of this, anti-TNF medications, used to decrease inflammation, also suppress the immune system. On a plane, you are exposed to more germs. The last few times Beamer traveled for her job, she was sick for weeks afterward.

“Somebody gets sick and coughs on you and you get sick,” she says. “I always got a cold when I traveled and the last time I flew, I ended up with an ear infection.”

6 of 14

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 14

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Be prepared for a flare

Credit: Getty Images

If you work full time, then you spend nearly as much time awake at your office as you do at home. Treat your workplace like your home—make yourself comfortable and be prepared for flare-ups.

If temperature affects you, keep a sweater or jacket on hand for meetings in over-air conditioned conference rooms. Keep a heating pad and ice pack nearby, if those are helpful, and have medication on hand in case of emergency.

7 of 14

8 of 14

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Avoid repetition

Credit: Getty Images

To most people, a white-collar job does not seem very physically demanding. But for someone living with chronic pain, the mere task of typing can, over time, cause extreme pain.

This goes with any occupation that requires repetition. Typing for long periods or doing the same motion on an assembly line can cause stiffness and flare-ups.

If you are going to live with a job that necessitates repetitive motion, you will have to be able to get away from the task frequently, at least four to five minutes an hour.

8 of 14

9 of 14

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Get savvy about ergonomics

Credit: Getty Images

What is ergonomics? The use of specially designed equipment to ease or prevent pain or other health problems. Depending on your job, that could include finding the right keyboard, computer, desk chair, or just about anything else you come into contact with at work.

“Typing is much more friendly to people when the keys were slanted,” says Dr. Bautch.

Make sure your work space is comfortable for you; have an ergonomic chair, wrist cushions, and use dictation software if you have difficulty typing.

9 of 14

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 14

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Stick to a routine

Credit: Getty Images

Almost all chronic illnesses are better managed when you can stay on a routine. Getting enough sleep, eating well, taking medications and making time for exercise are all critical to staying healthy. Jennie Spring, a 62-year-old from St. Clair Shores, Mich., found that her RA would flare when her work schedule was erratic. Spring worked for years in labor relations for General Motors Co. and had to hold meetings for each of the shifts of workers.

“Some meetings might start at 11 p.m. and it was a challenge when standing up for hours on end talking to people and not getting seven to eight hours of sleep,” she said. “One of the important things I learned about RA is that you need to have rest and focus on trying to eat properly and regularly.”

10 of 14

11 of 14

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Pick the right shoes

Spring gave up wearing heels years ago. She couldn't run through an airport in them, and they exacerbated the pain in her knees. But finding the right shoes required even more trial and error.

Even her tennis shoes weren’t helping when she spent four days on her feet in an exhibit hall. (She attends events where she sells goods to raise funds for various health-related causes).

“I started out in tennis shoes and my legs and knees were really aching,” she says. “Eventually, I wore Crocs and they were a heck of a lot better than tennis shoes. It had to do with the cement floor. It took me years to figure it out, but I did. It is all part of a learning process.”

11 of 14

12 of 14

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Adjust your work

Credit: Getty Images

Some jobs like retail or food service—which would normally be difficult for someone with chronic pain—may work for you if you have some control over your tasks. Dr. Bautch recommends trading tasks with others.

You might be able to wait tables if you can get off of your feet now and again and have others carry heavy plates to the tables. In a nursing home, you may be able to work in management or in a patient care setting if you have others who can lift or move people as needed.

“You might be able to mix and match jobs if you can find employers who are friendly with that,” Dr. Bautch says.

12 of 14

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 14

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Ask for what you need

Credit: Getty Images

“When I talk with most employers, most are really receptive to the idea of helping an employee if they ask for the things they need,” Dr. Bautch says.

People with chronic pain should tell employers what they need to do their job. And if you have a problem getting it, there are organizations that will advocate for your rights.

Most states have groups whose purpose it is to help people with disabilities get their needs met in the workplace. For information on finding local assistance, you can call the information line at the Department of Justice, which enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act at (800) 514-0301 or go to the

Department of Justice website.

13 of 14

14 of 14

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Be flexible

Credit: Getty Images

Because of her health challenges, Boynes Shuck didn’t end up working in the field she imagined for herself.

“I had started grad school, but realized I couldn’t teach because of the schedule and the inability to miss work for doctor’s appointments and sickness,” she says. “I had always envisioned being a teacher or a writer.”

Instead, Boynes Shuck does social media and public relations work for the

Arthritis Foundation. She is still able to educate people through her work and is satisfied with what she does.

“What I believe is that your journey may look a little different than you had planned,” she says. “You can still do something you are passionate about, you just have to be flexible and make adaptations. Adapt, stay open-minded, and find a way.”

14 of 14

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Tammy Worth

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook
Trending Videos
Advertisement
Skip slide summaries

Everything in This Slideshow

Advertisement

View All

1 of 14 How to cope with pain
2 of 14 Follow the 30% rule
3 of 14 Change positions often
4 of 14 Reduce stress
5 of 14 Educate your employer
6 of 14 Avoid travel
7 of 14 Be prepared for a flare
8 of 14 Avoid repetition
9 of 14 Get savvy about ergonomics
10 of 14 Stick to a routine
11 of 14 Pick the right shoes
12 of 14 Adjust your work
13 of 14 Ask for what you need
14 of 14 Be flexible

Share options

Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Login

Health.com

Magazines & More

Learn More

  • About Us
  • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
  • Contact us
  • Advertise this link opens in a new tab
  • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
  • Sitemap

Connect

Follow Us
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Other Meredith Sites

Other Meredith Sites

  • 4 Your Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Allrecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • All People Quilt this link opens in a new tab
  • Better Homes & Gardens this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Insights this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Surveys this link opens in a new tab
  • Cooking Light this link opens in a new tab
  • Daily Paws this link opens in a new tab
  • EatingWell this link opens in a new tab
  • Eat This, Not That this link opens in a new tab
  • Entertainment Weekly this link opens in a new tab
  • Food & Wine this link opens in a new tab
  • Hello Giggles this link opens in a new tab
  • Instyle this link opens in a new tab
  • Martha Stewart this link opens in a new tab
  • Midwest Living this link opens in a new tab
  • More this link opens in a new tab
  • MyRecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • MyWedding this link opens in a new tab
  • My Food and Family this link opens in a new tab
  • MyLife this link opens in a new tab
  • Parenting this link opens in a new tab
  • Parents this link opens in a new tab
  • People this link opens in a new tab
  • People en Español this link opens in a new tab
  • Rachael Ray Magazine this link opens in a new tab
  • Real Simple this link opens in a new tab
  • Ser Padres this link opens in a new tab
  • Shape this link opens in a new tab
  • Siempre Mujer this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living this link opens in a new tab
  • SwearBy this link opens in a new tab
  • Travel & Leisure this link opens in a new tab
Health.com is part of the Meredith Health Group. © Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved. The material in this site is intended to be of general informational use and is not intended to constitute medical advice, probable diagnosis, or recommended treatments. All products and services featured are selected by our editors. Health.com may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
© Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.health.com

View image

13 Ways to Cope With Pain at Work
this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.