Nearly 21% of the adult population in the U.S. lives with chronic pain, defined as lasting longer than 3 months.[1] If you are one of those 54 million individuals burdened with daily pain, you may want to reconsider what you eat.
Processed foods, seed oils and refined sugars trigger inflammation, worsening pain. Chronic pain fuels a cycle of inflammation, but adopting a healthy diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods, maintaining a healthy weight, and staying active can help reduce pain.[2]
Let’s explore the role of nutrition in pain management and how you can make positive changes to your diet.
How Nutrition Impacts Pain Levels
Inflammation is a normal response to injury or illness that typically subsides as healing occurs.[3] When your diet includes foods that trigger an inflammatory response—such as processed snacks, sugary drinks, and refined carbs—it can keep your body in a constant state of low-grade inflammation. Persistent inflammation causes muscle, joint, and tissue pain and damages internal organs.[3]
Eating anti-inflammatory foods can help break this cycle. Nutrient-dense options like fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fatty fish provide essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that reduce inflammation, promote healing, and may even prevent pain flare-ups.[4]Research shows that maintaining a diet rich in these foods can lower oxidative stress and support the body’s natural repair processes, making it a vital component of long-term pain management.[4]
The Health Risks of Inflammatory Foods
The typical American diet consists of processed foods, added sugars, refined grains and minimal fresh fruits and vegetables.[5] These inflammatory foods are associated with gastrointestinal issues, insulin resistance, weight gain, poor mental health and the increased risk of co-morbidities like cardiovascular disease and diabetes.[2] Inflammation is also associated with chronic conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, and myofascial pain syndrome.[3] Systemic inflammation coupled with low levels of omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, Vitamin D, magnesium, and zinc can also lead to neuropathic pain.[5]
What to Eat for Pain Management
To fight chronic pain and inflammation, the Arthritis Foundation recommends the Mediterranean Diet, eating whole foods, healthy fats, and healthy oils and avoiding processed foods and saturated fats. While there is no “one-size-fits-all” diet for pain management, there are food swaps that can help reduce inflammation, maintain a healthy weight, aid digestion, support your immune system and reduce the risk of chronic conditions.[6]
Here are the IASP International Association for the Study of Pain nutritional recommendations for chronic pain patients:
- Eat fresh fruits, berries and vegetables for their antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. Flash frozen options are easy to incorporate into meals, snacks or smoothies.
- Choose high-quality fats like EVOO (extra virgin olive oil), oily fish (salmon and sardines) and Omega 3 fatty acid supplements like fish oil or flaxseed.
- Prevent vitamin and mineral deficiencies with supplements and foods rich in B vitamins, magnesium and vitamin D, like real meats, leafy greens and whole grains. Daily sun exposure for approximately 15 minutes helps increase your vitamin D.
- Drink plenty of water to help blood circulation, eliminate waste, encourage healing and reduce pain. Soups, fruits, and vegetables with high water content can help you meet your fluid intake goals. Dehydration increases pain sensitivity.
- Increased fiber is necessary for proper digestion, healthy gut and weight management. Switch to fiber-rich foods like whole grains, legumes, nuts, fruits, seeds and veggies.
Foods to Avoid
There are a lot of inflammatory foods. Here are just a few that the experts at Johns Hopkins Medicine suggest avoiding:
- Sweetened beverages like sodas, canned or bottled teas and sports drinks
- Fried foods
- Processed meats
- Commercial baked goods
- White flour products (breads and pasta)
- Added sugar foods
- Trans fats (found in many foods, including coffee creamers and margarine)
- Red meat
Tips for Adopting a Pain-Management Diet
Choosing a healthy diet to combat chronic pain, maintain a healthy weight, and provide balanced nutrition doesn’t have to be boring. Herbs and spices like black pepper, garlic, ginger, rosemary, and turmeric enhance flavor and reduce inflammation.[7]
Swapping processed and refined foods for whole grains, lean proteins, and colorful fruits and vegetables is an easy way to boost fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Stay hydrated with a refillable tumbler, and add fatty fish to your weekly meal rotation. Preparing meals at home can also help you stick to healthier choices.
Eating well offers long-term benefits, including joint pain relief, reduced oxidative stress, better sleep, and lower levels of depression and anxiety.[8] The Mediterranean Diet, for example, has shown therapeutic results in reducing inflammation, improving well-being, and lowering the risk of chronic conditions like obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.[5]
If you’re ready to take control of your health, start by revamping your diet. Small, gradual changes can lead to significant results over time. Consult your pain management specialist or a nutritionist to develop a personalized meal plan tailored to your health goals.
Disclaimer: Before making significant changes to your diet, consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian, especially if you have existing health conditions or dietary restrictions. They can help tailor a nutrition plan to meet your specific needs safely and effectively.
Resources:
- NIH study finds high rates of persistent chronic pain among U.S. adults. National Institutes of Health (NIH) [Internet]. Published May 16, 2023. Accessed January 19, 2025. Available from: https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-study-finds-high-rates-persistent-chronic-pain-among-us-adults
- Fact Sheets – Nutrition and Chronic Pain. International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) [Internet]. Published July 09, 2021. Accessed January 19, 2025. Available from: https://www.iasp-pain.org/resources/fact-sheets/nutrition-and-chronic-pain
- Withers E, Samples R, Savois M, Voss M. Nutrition and Chronic Pain. Utah State University – Health and Wellness Extension [Internet]. Accessed January 19, 2025. Available from: https://extension.usu.edu/healthwellness/research/nutrition-and-chronic-pain
- Elma Ö, Brain K, Dong HJ. The Importance of Nutrition as a Lifestyle Factor in Chronic Pain Management: A Narrative Review. J Clin Med [Internet]. 2022;11(19):5950. Published 2022 Oct 9. doi:10.3390/jcm11195950. Accessed January 19, 2025. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9571356/
- Dragan S, Șerban MC, Damian G, Buleu F, Valcovici M, Christodorescu R. Dietary Patterns and Interventions to Alleviate Chronic Pain. Nutrients [Internet]. 2020;12(9):2510. Published 2020 Aug 19. doi:10.3390/nu12092510 . Accessed January 19, 2025. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7551034/
- Noble D. Chronic inflammation: What it is, why it’s bad, and how to reduce it. Mayo Clinic Press [Internet]. Published January 3, 2024. Accessed January 19, 2025. Available from: https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/dairy-health/chronic-inflammation-what-it-is-why-its-bad-and-how-you-can-reduce-it/
- Raman R. 9 Herbs and Spices That Fight Inflammation. Healthline [Internet]. Published January 25, 2025. Accessed January 19, 2025. Available from: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/anti-inflammatory-herbs
- Sala-Climent M, López de Coca T, Guerrero MD, et al. The effect of an anti-inflammatory diet on chronic pain: a pilot study. Front Nutr [Internet]. 2023;10:1205526. Published 2023 Jul 13. doi:10.3389/fnut.2023.1205526. Accessed January 19, 2025. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10381948/
