More than 50 million U.S. adults contend with chronic pain that persists for more than three months. Almost 7 million find it so bad that it limits mobility and makes social interaction and work difficult.

For far too many people, it leads to depression, dementia, and misuse of pain-dulling substances.

Fortunately, new research suggests two powerful, nondrug ways to reduce your risk of chronic pain or dial it back once it starts.

A study in the journal Pain found that the more physical activity you get, the less likely you are to contend with chronic pain — possibly because exercise makes you more pain-tolerant. People with severe chronic pain in several body parts were 16% less likely to experience that pain if they consistently got a good dose of exercise.

Your goal should be to discover the amount of activity that lets you become more pain tolerant. Make sure exercise doesn't cause increased pain over an extended period of time, but accept that you'll feel physically challenged during and after exercising.

Another way to ease chronic pain?

A study in the journal Nature Human Behavior reveals that when you are touched with care and appropriate intensity, pain decreases. And while a full massage is great, just a short hug or interaction with a comforting stuffed animal, a body pillow, or even a robot can do the trick.