How Can I Manage My Pain Day to Day?

If you live with endometriosis or persistent pelvic pain, you probably already know that pain doesn’t follow a neat, predictable schedule (how rude)! Some days are manageable. Others are overwhelming. And many days fall somewhere in between.

This unpredictability can make planning your life, let alone managing your pain, feel exhausting.

From a clinical perspective, we understand that pain for people with endometriosis and/or chronic pelvic pain can be influenced by multiple systems: inflammation, hormones, muscle tension, nervous system sensitivity, and even stress levels. So it makes sense that your symptoms can fluctuate, even when you're doing “all the right things.”

The good news? There are strategies you can use to support yourself through the ups and downs, even when the pain doesn’t disappear completely. The goal is to re-frame your thoughts from “curing the pain” to “living your best life and managing the pain”. Here are five day-to-day pain management strategies that can be helpful.

1. Create a Gentle Daily Rhythm

Pain can make you want to push through one day and crash the next. Instead, try building a consistent daily rhythm that balances movement, rest, nourishment, and connection- even in small ways.

This approach, sometimes called pacing, helps reduce flare-ups and promotes nervous system regulation. It might look like:

• A short walk after breakfast

• A 10-minute rest or breathing break after lunch

• Avoiding long periods of sitting or standing without a change in position

These small, achievable daily tasks, keep your body moving and regulated, versus having a big “boom” in exercise, and your body “crashing” afterwards.

2. Use Heat and Movement Together

Heat can be a powerful pain reliever, especially for cramping, muscle tension, or nervous system sensitivity. Try combining warmth (like a heat pack or warm bath) with gentle movement to improve blood flow and promote muscle relaxation.

Some examples:

• Heat on your belly or lower back while doing slow pelvic tilts

• A warm shower before a gentle yoga or stretching session

• Walking short laps after using a heat pack to promote relaxation

3. Practice Nervous System Soothing

When pain persists, the nervous system can become more sensitive, a bit like a car alarm or security light going off too easily. Calming your system can reduce pain intensity and help you feel more in control.

Simple strategies include:

• Box breathing (inhale for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4)

• Body scan meditations- this may be self guided or through a clinician led recording

• Soothing routines (like putting on soft clothes, dimming lights, or playing calming music)

You’ll find guided practices like these in the Matilda app.

4. Support Your Body with Food and Fluids

Pain can affect your appetite, digestion, and hydration. But nourishing your body can help stabilise energy, reduce inflammation, and ease symptoms. Remember that your body is working extra hard when it is in pain to “self soothe” and regulate, and therefore may require more energy or fuel than usual.

Tips:

• Aim for small, regular meals with protein, fibre, and healthy fats

• Stay hydrated with water or herbal teas

• If you don’t feel like a meal, try a smoothie (tip- you can add all sorts of protein, fibre, and healthy fats into this)

• Track any food sensitivities without becoming overly restrictive

5. Plan for Pain Without Giving Up Joy

It’s okay to adjust your plans on a pain day, but try not to cancel everything that brings you joy. Instead, ask: How can I do a version of this that works for me today? Having a “go-to” line for family or friends also helps with this. This may mean you say: “I don’t think I can manage riding down for an ice-cream today, but maybe a walk in the sunshine and a smoothie could work?”

Examples:

• If a dinner out feels too much, could a friend come over for tea instead?

• If a workout feels out of reach, could you stretch or move for 5 minutes?

• If you’re feeling isolated, could you send one voice message to someone you trust?

Keeping some lightness, laughter, and connection in your day is not just “nice to have”, it’s protective and shows your body and mind compassion.

Final Thoughts

Managing day-to-day pain isn’t about getting it perfect. It’s about building habits, tools, and support systems that meet you where you are.

Some days you’ll need more rest. Other days you’ll move more.

At Matilda, we’re here to support you with evidence-based resources, weekly check-ins, and a community that gets it. Because pain is only one part of your story.