Furry friends are much more than just day to day companions. New Research shows that they are a great tool to cope with pain and function better with chronic pain. When I rescued Lola, I was in a dark place emotionally and physically. I was in need of a reason to get out of bed and improve my quality of life!
5 reasons pet therapy is a great tool to manage chronic pain:
- Relaxation
- Distration
- Physical Activity
- Socialize and Maintain Quality of life
- Improved Mood
Relaxation
Nothing is better than cuddles on the couch with Lola. Nothing. Good or bad day, this always makes me feel better and encourages me to slow down my mind and body. It is thought that pets seem to sense when their owner is in pain or feeling stress, so they tend to stay close by to monitor the situation! Australian Shepards are VERY sensitive to their owners feelings and anxiety, so this keeps me in check to manage my emotional health for hers as well!
Distraction
Pets bring joy and laughter to most situations! Thinking about your pet’s basic needs – like taking them out for walks, potty breaks and feeding them or training them, can be a nice distraction for those with chronic pain to not focus to much on the pain. I know when I woke up with terrible neck and back pain the last thing, I wanted to do was get up and go for a walk, but I am SO grateful I did looking back.
Physical Activity
This brings me to physical activity! Different breeds have different activity levels, but owning an Australian Shepherd/Border Collie mix keeps me active physically to keep up with her! Also, mental stimulation is needed, so I had to learn how to get creative in that department – more that in another blog 5 Cost Effective Mental Stimulation Tips For Dogs!
Moving your body and being out in nature is great to alleviate pain and your furry friend is just the ticket to do just that. Dogs LIVE for their walks.
Socialize and Maintain Quality of Life
Because we moved so much and I work remote, this left very little opportunities to build “community” in order to maintain a quality of life. Getting Lola has helped me get out and socialize more on my walks and even during our behavioral challenges, I used this as an opportunity to reach out and network with other dog owners for advice and help socializing Lola.
Improved Mood
Pets increase positive feelings and associate with less pain overall! Coming home to a smiley dog is the best feeling in the world. They just want to be loved and ou to be happy as well.
Truly my happy place is with Lola and she makes anywhere home for us! It has done wonders for my emotional health.
Not only does pet therapy aid in chronic pain management, but also your immune system. This study, proves the positive effect of petting a dog on ones immune system function. Another study, I found proves how pet therapy can improve behaviors of older adults with dementia.
On the contrary, owning a pet CAN be stressful at times! I don’t want to paint a picture of unicorns and rainbows all the time. But in my opinion, the good out ways the challenging times in the long-term for your healing and personal growth.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, everyone is different in how they want to manage their pain. Lola has succeeded in promoting relaxation, yet physical activity and socialization for us both. Oh and also so much joy and cuddles on even my darkest days!
If you are here, hopefully you are a likely dog lover like myself and see the beauty in all the snuggles, and smiles a dog brings to your life.
After all, this is the blog where hearts heal and tails wag!
Hiya! My name is Amy. I am a Lyme Warrior navigating my healing journey with my emotional support dog, Lola by my side! I rescued Lola girl in 2022 when I needed her the most, she is an Australian Shepherd/Border Collie Mix with lots of love to give. Buzz along with us as I share all things pet therapy, dog training and my personal healing journey from Lyme and all the things that accompany it!