Pain is part of life. But pain doesn't have to rule your life. Advances in medicine and technology have created a wide range of options for treating pain.

Medications are the most common form of treatment for both acute and chronic pain. When used appropriately, medication can help reduce pain, and most individuals experience only limited, if any, side effects from the use of pain medications. Many people also find relief using non-medication options, such as physical therapy, acupuncture, and dietary supplements.

Your lifestyle also can help or hurt your effort to deal with pain. What you eat, how much sleep and exercise you get, and how you manage stress all contribute to pain control.

Just as experiencing pain is deeply personal, the most effective way to treat it also varies from one individual to the next. Often a combination of approaches will work best.