Drink Up: The Importance of Water in Pain Care

It has been said that water is the building block of life, and when the human body is made up of 75% water, it’s hard to argue against. As such, drinking plenty of water is crucial for anybody looking to remain healthy over the course of his or her life. Sounds simple enough, right? Well, with the popularity of soft drinks, sports drinks and sugary alternatives, it’s easy to forget.

When people are dealing with chronic pain, one of the first things to consider is if they are getting enough water. Many simple ailments can be explained by dehydration, and those who are chronically dehydrated are more likely to experience pain.

Water gives us life along with refreshment. Let us help you start living refreshed and pain free.

Joint Pain

Remember when we said that your bodies are 75% water? Well, part of that goes into making the cartilage that pads your bones at your joints. One of the major reasons someone can be experiencing chronic joint pain is the lack of enough water. As your body goes longer without proper hydration, your cells begin to malfunction, meaning that important tissue like cartilage are unable to easily recover.

The breakdown of cartilage causes bones to rub up against one another without padding, causing major pain. Proper hydration goes a long way to keeping your body functioning.

Back Pain

Much like your joints, the vertebrae in your spine are separated by discs that act as sort of shock absorbers for your back. The makeup of these discs is heavily reliant on water as, throughout the day, they are squeezed out by your actions and simple gravity. When considering this, it becomes easy to note that lack of water will impact the effectiveness of these discs, causing back pain.

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Much like cartilage, the discs in your spine absolutely need water to function properly and can easily deteriorate without it.

Drink Up

So, how much water should you be drinking and when should you drink it? Preferably, drink water throughout the day whether you’re thirsty or not. A good rule of thumb is to drink about half your bodyweight (in ounces) of water each day.

Carry water wherever you go and take regular sips throughout the day. Eating foods like raw fruits and vegetables, which are dense in water, as snacks also helps keep you hydrated.

We’re Ready to Help

Hydration is key to many pain management plans. At Total Pain Care, we strive to make sure that you live pain free as soon as possible. Wherever you are experiencing problems, our pain management specialists are trained to help you get better. If you are living in pain and need help, please contact us online or call 973.754.2499.

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  1. Ronald Amaya, PA-C is a Physician Assistant. He attended Weill Cornell Medical College and received his physician assistant degree in NYC. He has 18 years of experience in cardiothoracic surgery and over 8 years in pain management. Dr. Amaya is NCCPA board-certified in medicine and surgery.

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  2. Paulette Scott, MD is a pain management specialist. Dr. Scott is also the pain management representative at East Boston Neighborhood Health Center, Boston. She fulfilled her physical medicine and rehabilitation residency at Long Island Jewish Medical Center and completed her fellowship in pain management at Harvard Square Clinic. Dr. Scott is board-certified in physical medicine, rehabilitation, and pain management.

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  3. Andrew D. Bunn, MD is a pain management specialist. Dr. Bunn also serves as the co-director of East Boston Neighborhood Health Center, as well as the Program Director for Lahey Hospital & Medical Center and Newborn Services | MassGeneral Hospital for Children. After earning his medical degree from Drexel University College of Medicine, he completed his anesthesia residency at Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania where he also completed his fellowship in pain management. He is board-certified in both anesthesiology and pain management.

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  4. David D. Ford, MD is the Director of Pain Management. Dr. Ford earned a medical degree and completed his residencies in both surgery and anesthesiology. He joined the staff of Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates Watertown in 1990. He is board-certified in both anesthesiology and pain management. Dr. Ford specializes in painful disorders of the spine and sports-related injuries. He has initiated the use of advanced interventional techniques for the successful treatment of these and other conditions.

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