Living with chronic pain often means navigating discomfort that lingers well beyond a typical recovery period. It can affect mood, energy levels, sleep, relationships, and one’s overall outlook on life. While traditional approaches like medication or surgery remain part of many care plans, a growing number of people are turning to wellness therapies to support the body in gentler, more sustainable ways. These therapies don’t aim to "cure" pain, but they can help manage it—often by addressing the layers of stress, inflammation, and physical tension that feed into pain cycles.
At Altered States Wellness, we offer a range of services that complement your efforts to live more comfortably with chronic pain. Float therapy, contrast therapy, PEMF, and red light therapy are among the tools many clients have found helpful when integrated into their broader wellness routines. This guide will explore how various wellness therapies can support those living with chronic pain, and how to build a care strategy that feels supportive, not overwhelming.
Understanding the Nature of Chronic Pain
Chronic pain isn't just about what’s happening in a single joint, nerve, or muscle group. It often involves the nervous system becoming hyper-responsive, interpreting even minor signals as threats. That state of constant alert can trigger or worsen pain, even when there's no ongoing tissue damage. Over time, pain can become a pattern—a response loop shaped by both the body and the mind.
Stress, poor sleep, and inflammation can feed this loop. And because chronic pain is so deeply personal, no single approach works for everyone. That's why many people are finding relief in wellness therapies that address more than just the site of pain—they support the nervous system, reduce tension, and encourage a return to balance.
The Role of Float Therapy in Pain Management
Float therapy, also known as sensory deprivation or REST (Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy), allows the body to fully relax in a warm, buoyant tank filled with magnesium-rich Epsom salt water. Free from gravity and external stimuli, muscles can soften, breath can slow, and the nervous system can shift into a parasympathetic state—the body’s natural rest-and-repair mode.
People managing chronic pain often hold themselves in protective postures without realizing it. The absence of pressure and support in a float tank can help unwind those physical habits. The high magnesium content in the water may also support muscle relaxation and ease tension around joints.
Beyond the physical benefits, float therapy encourages deep mental stillness. When the body isn’t fighting gravity or processing external noise, the mind often becomes quieter too. That shift can be especially helpful for those whose pain is worsened by anxiety, overstimulation, or insomnia.
Cold and Heat Contrast Therapy for Circulation and Recovery
Alternating between hot and cold temperatures—known as contrast therapy—has long been used by athletes to support circulation, reduce inflammation, and encourage recovery. For chronic pain sufferers, this method can stimulate blood flow to affected areas, potentially reducing stiffness and enhancing mobility.
Cold exposure may offer a numbing effect that temporarily eases nerve sensitivity, while heat helps soothe tight muscles and improve flexibility. Shifting between the two temperatures also trains the vascular system, prompting it to contract and expand in a rhythmic way. That action helps flush metabolic waste and bring nutrient-rich blood to areas that may be slow to heal.
One key aspect of contrast therapy is its rhythmic nature. The gentle stress of cold is followed by relief in heat, which encourages the nervous system to become more adaptable. Over time, this pattern can help the body learn to regulate itself better—reducing sensitivity to pain triggers and increasing resilience.
Red Light Therapy and Cellular Support
Red and near-infrared light therapy use specific wavelengths of light to stimulate cells, often referred to as photobiomodulation. This therapy doesn’t generate heat, but it penetrates into tissue layers and may support mitochondrial function—the energy centers of our cells.
By improving cellular energy production, red light therapy may help tissues recover from stress or strain. Some people with chronic pain report reduced joint stiffness, improved circulation, and a general sense of ease after consistent sessions. While more research is being done, early studies suggest that regular exposure to red light may support healing in skin, muscles, and joints.
The soothing nature of red light therapy sessions also makes it an approachable option for those who might find vigorous physical therapy too intense. Just lying under the panels for a short period can offer a sense of calm and care without needing to push through discomfort.
PEMF Therapy and Nervous System Modulation
Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) therapy uses low-frequency electromagnetic waves to stimulate cells and influence electrical activity in the body. Every cell in the body has an electrical charge, and disruptions to those charges can affect how tissues heal and communicate.
For those living with chronic pain, PEMF therapy may support the body’s natural repair mechanisms. While not a substitute for medical treatment, it may encourage better energy flow in cells, help relax tense muscles, and support sleep—one of the most important elements in any pain management plan.
One of PEMF’s strengths is its passive nature. Clients can lie comfortably during a session while the electromagnetic pulses work beneath the surface. It’s a non-invasive way to potentially influence pain thresholds and encourage relaxation on a cellular level.
The Importance of Breath, Sleep, and Gentle Movement
Wellness therapies work best when paired with daily habits that calm the nervous system and support recovery. Chronic pain is often worsened by shallow breathing, poor posture, disrupted sleep, and prolonged inactivity. Even gentle movement like restorative yoga, stretching, or slow walks can send reassuring signals to the body that it is safe—and those signals can shift how pain is experienced.
Deep, diaphragmatic breathing helps activate the vagus nerve, which promotes calm. Quality sleep helps repair tissues and reset pain pathways. Small, consistent routines often go further than occasional, intense efforts.
Many people living with chronic pain feel trapped between needing rest and fearing the consequences of inactivity. The right blend of therapies and habits can help break that cycle, allowing for recovery without overload.
Building a Sustainable Routine That Supports Healing
Managing chronic pain with wellness therapies isn’t about chasing a quick fix—it’s about creating a rhythm of care that respects your limits while nudging the body toward greater comfort. That rhythm might include weekly float sessions, regular red light therapy, or short daily breathwork exercises at home. What matters most is consistency and patience.
Start with what feels manageable. A single therapy session might not erase pain, but it could improve sleep, lift your mood, or help you reconnect with your body in a more compassionate way. Over time, those small shifts add up.
Listening to your body is key. Pain can fluctuate based on weather, stress, or activity levels. Having a supportive routine in place gives you options—tools you can reach for when discomfort spikes, without relying solely on medications or passive coping.
A Gentle Approach to a Lifelong Journey
Living with chronic pain is never easy. But it doesn’t mean you have to accept suffering as a constant. Wellness therapies offer a way to participate in your own healing, on your own terms. They help create space for stillness, circulation, rest, and resilience.
No single therapy holds the answer for everyone, but there’s value in exploring what makes your body feel held, soothed, and supported. Whether it’s the weightlessness of a float tank, the tingling reset of cold therapy, or the quiet pulse of PEMF, each session becomes a reminder that your body is capable of more than just pain—it’s also capable of healing.
When approached with care and intention, wellness therapies can become part of a more peaceful, grounded life—even when pain is part of the picture.
