Everyday pain management ideas

How to be happy despite pain (Click above to go to the blog) Today I am simply sharing another blog with you...It's written by someone who is a psychiatrist and also a sufferer of chronic pain.  Lots of feedback here from other chronic pain patients as well.  I hope you will find some pearls of wisdom in reading this blog...thanks to the blogger and commentators for their great advice!

People who deal with chronic or recurrent pain may realize over time what may or may not help improve control of their pain. One way of doing this is to keep a diary and make notations of various things about their day, such as What foods did I eat--did I eat too much or too little today? What kind of exercise did I do ? What was my activity level today? How was my sleep last night? What was the weather today? What medications did I take/withhold today? What was my pain level today? By keeping track of these various things in your day, you may actually be able to see what kinds of things help or hurt your pain control efforts, and identify triggers and patterns unique to your situation. A pain diary is a good way to accomplish this goal. You can create your own pain diary from a notebook, or you can use a form like the one below that I found on Healthcentral.com .  Your doctor's office may also have resources like this for you to use. Last but not least, ther

Adjust the Lights, Hold the Morphine? Closer-to-normal lighting in hospital patient rooms linked to less pain in study. By Robert Preidt, HealthDay News THURSDAY, November 7, 2013 (HealthDay News) — Changing lighting patterns in hospital rooms to more closely align with normal sleep-wake cycles may improve patients' health by reducing fatigue and pain, a new study suggests. The findings highlight a simple and inexpensive way to improve patient care, according to the researchers. Their study was designed to determine if there were any links between hospital lighting, mood, sleep and pain in adult patients. Twenty-three women and 17 men in a large U.S. hospital had their light exposure levels and sleep-wake cycles continuously monitored over 72 hours. The patients' moods were checked daily through questionnaires, and their pain levels determined from medical records, according to the study published online recently in t

Today's post is an article from "Life Script" written by a physician. In her column, Bridget Carey, MD discusses depression associated with neuropathic pain, and what you can do about it. The article is in part devoted to meditation, which is another non drug pain management idea! Click photo to go to the column...

Painting Pain as a Therapeutic Outlet Heather Bolinder remembers the pain. In fact, she will never forget it. The trained emergency medical technician and nursing assistant had helped others in discomfort before, but she had never felt such agony herself. That is, until that one July day nearly five years ago. Ms. Bolinder was in her garden, tending to her flowers, when suddenly she felt what she now describes as an “excruciating” pain in her back. She couldn’t move. Family members came to her aid and rushed her to the emergency room at a local hospital. It was the first of many visits to hospitals, physicians and specialists as part of a seemingly never-ending effort to get an accurate diagnosis of, and proper treatment for, her pain. Largely bedridden for more than a year, Ms. Bolinder was forced to give up her job as a nursing assistant as well as her avocation: painting. Even

When looking for material for this post I decided to share this informative piece from WebMD:   Chiropractic Care for Back Pain Among people seeking back pain relief alternatives, most choose chiropractic treatment. About 22 million Americans visit chiropractors annually. Of these, 7.7 million, or 35%, are seeking relief from back pain from various causes, including accidents, sports injuries, and muscle strains. Other complaints include pain in the neck, arms, and legs, and headaches . Learn The Truth About Back Pain Causes and Treatments What Is Chiropractic? Chiropractors use hands-on spinal manipulation and other alternative treatments, the theory being that proper alignment of the body's musculoskeletal structure, particularly the spine, will enable the body to heal itself without surgery or medication . Manipulation is used to restore mobility to joints restricted by tissue injury caused by a traumatic event, such as falling, or repetitive

Reiki is a complementary alternative medicine that originated in Japan in the early 20th century.  It is a spiritual practice, but not religious in nature.  The practice of Reiki requires "touch" between the practitioner and the client, but this can be direct or indirect in nature.  Reiki serves to support the body's innate ability to heal itself.  It may facilitate reduction in anxiety or bolster immune strength, and perhaps play a role in pain management.  The practice of Reiki benefits both the practitioner and the client in these regards. Ultimately,  Reiki serves to balance the positive and negative energy forces within an individual. The beauty of this practice stems from several factors.. 1) Anyone can be taught how to practice Reiki.  It is easy to learn and there are no prerequisites. 2) There are no regulations to the practice of Reiki. 3) Reiki is non-invasive. 4)An individual can perform Reiki on their own body. For more information on this practic

Today's post is about the topic of palliative care.  Palliative care is a subspecialty in the  broader field of pain management, and its main purpose is to focus on quality of life rather than prolongation of life.  This type of care is mainly when patients and their families are going through serious illness.  Many people think that palliative care end-of life care, but in truth it can be of use at any point in time during a serious illness. Typically palliative care practices involve a care team which can include physicians, social workers, spiritual care, nurses, counselors, etc.  The team approach can help patients with many kinds of needs during their course of care.  Some examples of palliative care include: --spiritual care or counseling for the patient and/or family --wigs for patients who lose their hair during chemotherapy --pain management needs (medication and non drug measures) --needs for home health equipment -- placement in a care setting that is appropria

When looking for resources to write this section of my blog, I came across an article from Pain.com that I will share below.  I could not express my own thoughts on this topic any better than they do--but if you are in a hurry, here are the key points from my perspective: 1) A well balanced diet has positive effects on overall health, and inasmuch as that affects     mood, weight control, etc. it affects the impact of pain on daily life. Conversely, a     diet that is lacking in nutritional needs is akin to running a car engine on bad gasoline--     it simply does not run efficiently/well.    2) A dietician is a good person to consult if you have no idea how to improve dietary habits. 3) Some foods may be more beneficial at helping lower pain levels if we but include them    in our diets. As promised, here is the article from Pain.com. You can click on the image to go to the actual article.

The promotion of regular sleep is known as sleep hygiene . The following is a list of sleep hygiene tips which can be used to improve sleep. A good night's sleep is something we all should strive for as much as possible.  It is a basic body necessity and ensuring a good night's sleep contributes much to our overall health and well being.  Did you know that there are many things we can do while we are awake to help improve the odds of a good night's sleep? Here is an article from the University of Maryland Sleep Disorders Center with some very good ideas for you! Sleep Hygiene Helpful Hints to Help You Sleep Poor sleep habits (referred to as hygiene) are among the most common problems encountered in our society. We stay up too late and get up too early. We interrupt our sleep with drugs, chemicals and work, and we overstimulate ourselves with late-night activities such as television. Below are some essentials of good sleep habits. Many of

TENS, or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation , has been in existence since the days of ancient Rome.  The basic idea is that electrical impulses the use of electricity across the surface of the skin to modulate, or confuse the pain signal sent to the brain via the nervous system .  It is not the best remedy for everyone, but it has its place in modern medicine.  TENS units are available from medical supply stores and are relatively inexpensive to buy and use.  Sometimes the best option is a surgically implanted unit is the best option for a patient. Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transcutaneous_electrical_nerve_stimulation

Relief from chronic pain can also be accomplished using a technique that come to us from ancient Chinese medicine.  These techniques seek to restore balance to the life force of the individual (Qi). The practice of acupuncture began in China nearly 2500 years ago.  The acupuncture practitioner seeks to stimulate certain points on the body to restore "Qi" (pronunced chee ) using small needles in an effort to re-establish this harmony. Modern practice of acupuncture has evolved to include the practice of acupressure, in which the practitioner uses fingers to apply pressure to these key points in place of needles. Additionally, some practitioners use needles that supply low frequency electrical current, known as electroacupuncture. There have been studies reveal that these practices have proven to be beneficial in some patients. It is always best to do further research if you are interested in these practices, and discuss your situation with your health care team before pr

painAction.com is a website supported by Endo Pharmaceuticals, and could be a useful resource to chronic pain patients.  Registered users have access to lots of resources about pain mangement...non-pharmaceutical ideas are included on the site. Tools for making the most of your doctor visits are included.  Click on the image below to go to the site.

Self massage is really a form of distraction technique.  I saw this article in Arthritis Today  by Adrienne Foley and thought it would make a good starting point for those of you who are interested: Self-Massage Relieves Arthritis Pain and Stress Learn the steps of self-massage to help ease your arthritis pain. By Adrienne Foley A hard workout or long walk can often lead to sore muscles that clamor for immediate relief. When you don’t have time for a professional massage, sometimes you have to take matters into your own hands.  Self-massage is a great way to target painful areas and provide immediate relief, when and where you need it most. “Self-massage is probably the oldest form of healing,” says Bob McAtee, RMT, CSCS, CPT, owner of Pro-Active Massage Therapy in Colorado Springs, Colo. “It’s an instinctive activity that many animals perform. When a dog or cat is injured, she licks the area. When w

Heat therapy is another non-drug intervention that can be useful in pain management.  The application of heat is especially useful for muscle spasm, chronic pain (especially back pain) and arthritis, and sometimes, fibromyalgia. The application of heat relaxes muscles and increases blood flow in the affected area.Before applying, be sure to check skin surface to see that it is dry and free of cuts or sores.  Do NOT apply heat to skin that is damaged. After treatment check for purplish-red skin or hives, which would indicate that the treatment was too intense. Heat can be applied as either dry heat or moist heat.  The difference between these two methods is that moist heat tends to penetrate the tissues more deeply than dry heat. Heat should be applied for at least 15 or 20 minutes to obtain some level of pain relief. Here is a simple method to make your own hot/cold pack: 1) Take a clean sock and fill it halfway with plain dry rice.  Be sure NOT to use instant rice.     Tie

Cold therapy has been around since the age of Hippocrates.  You might think of applying an ice pack as first aid for sprains, black eyes, and such, but it also plays a role in some forms of chronic pain. The application of cold packs to arthritic joints,or pinched nerves for 15 to 20 minutes at a time can provide dramatic relief from those pesky aches.  The cold sensation  has a numbing effect, so pain in the immediate area of cold application is usually relieved for a time. The cold temperature also causes the blood vessels in the area to constrict, resulting in decreased blood flow.  The decrease in blood flow tends to decrease the inflammatory response in the affected area. It might be useful to try this the next time you feel that unpleasant ache!

The benefits of exercise to enhance control of chronic pain are well known, but often underused.  There are many types of exercise that can be done to increase the sense of well being...these include, but are not limited to: Aerobic exercises: aerobics, dance, swimming, walking, running Weight training : Nautilus type exercises, free weights Non traditional exercises : yoga, pilates Not every type of exercise is for everyone.  Many people with pain issues have restrictions on what they can or cannot do.  The basic rule of them is to work within your personal limitations to the best of your ability. Exercise usually promotes a generalized sense of well being in the individual who chooses to give it a try. This is due to the release of endorphin, a naturally occurring substance that mimics the effects of morphine in the body. Exercise is also a great natural antidepressant and stress reliever. Over time exercise enhances weight loss efforts and control of blood sugar. As a ru

Anyone who has experience caring for children has probably at some point, made use of distraction techniques. They are also common in the public relations world and in politics..but they can also be used to help individuals in the pain management realm. People who are suffering from pain due to most causes can use this technique to get a little short term relief from their pain. Distraction techniques are many in number.  They include activities such as reading a book, watching a movie, phoning a friend, playing a game, to name a few.  A distraction technique is simply choosing to focus on something other than the pain experience. Ask yourself:what can I do to help myself stay distracted from pain? For further reading: Chronic Pain Distraction on About.com

All medical information in this blog is merely information - not advice. If users need medical advice, they should consult a doctor or other appropriate medical professional. The disclaimer also provides that no warranties are give in relation to the medical information supplied on this blog, and that no liability will accrue to the website owner in the event that a user suffers loss as a result of reliance upon the information. Post by Marietta LeDonne .

This is my first week blogging, so I would like to start off with some ways to help people manage pain that do not require medication.  These are important to know because no matter what medicines you take or don't take, you can employ some or all of these techniques to improve your quality of life. Today's focus is a technique known as guided imagery . Using mental visualization, a person can guide their thoughts to a relaxed, more positive stress free state.  Everyone has access to guided imagery because we all have the power within to use it.  Guided imagery techniques have been in existence for many years, and their are many resources available to those who are interested in using it. Click the link above to read further information on Wikipedia.