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Does pet ownership help reduce chronic pain?

Top 5 benefits of pet ownership for chronic pain issues:

  1. Petting animals reduce stress levels through the reduction of cortisol while increasing endorphins in the bloodstream.  This helps improve your mood and reduces tension that contributes to chronic pain.

Dog Pet

2. Pets provide a distraction from pain.  Playing with and teaching animals distract from daily pain.

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3. Pets provide companionship.  A sense of loneliness can cause depression, which can worsen chronic pain because healthy self-care is reduced.


4. Pets provide a reason to get up and move.  Walking your dog, letting your pet outside or lunging a horse forces you to move throughout the day.  Movement, muscle tone and weight loss reduce pain.


5. Pets provide an opportunity to socialize.  Pet owners share a common interest, which means sharing about your animal with others improves your mood and reduces stress hormones that contribute to pain.

 

It doesn't matter what animal brings joy into your life.  Even if you don't own an animal you can get similar benefits by volunteering at an animal shelter or enjoying time with a friend's critter.  The important aspect is including animal interactions as part of your treatment plan.

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