Everyday pain management ideas

Listening to the sermon this Easter morning, the words "All Aboard!" were used, in the context of being all aboard in the spirit of the Risen Lord.  It got me to thinking about being all aboard in a different context...the context of daily living. I got to thinking that people who are depressed fall away from this idea as they become internally focused, shutting off everything on the outside while dwelling on their inner pain. People who suffer from chronic pain can fall into this trap as well; the struggle of living with daily aches and pains. Sometimes it becomes so all-consuming that that the sufferer falls out of touch with the life outside the scope of their illness.  Family events, travel, adventures--all fall by the wayside because the pain gets in the way.  Meanwhile, life is going by...and those who are not "all aboard" miss out on much that life has to offer. It is my hope that some of the pain management tips I offer you will make it possible

Karen Lee Richards, co-founder of the National Fibromyalgia Association, wrote an article for  HealthCentral a couple of years ago entitled "10 Causes of Fibromyalgia Flares."  You can read the article in entirety by following the link.  Here is my summarized version of her article: Fibro flare-ups are temporary increases in number/severity of symptoms in those who suffer from fibromyalgia. These can include worsening pain, fatigue, memory and concentration problems, and sleep and/or digestive disturbances. These flares can last anywhere from a couple of days to weeks. Not unlike migraine headaches, these flares are usually triggered by something. It is important to note that a flare is a delayed reaction--it can take up to 48 hours after the trigger event to feel the symptoms. What kinds of things are these "triggers?" Here is a list of 10 common things that can initiate a fibro flare. 1) Weather Changes     --most commonly due

As a chronic pain sufferer, you might think that you are stuck in a hopeless situation; believe it or not, that is not the case! According to WebMD, many factors play into an individual's pain threshold. The most significant factors cited are the following: 1) Genetic variation:  Each of us has a unique genetic makeup; no two people are alike. The five senses vary from person to person. The pain threshold follows the same rules as the rest of our being determined by genetic code. 2) Gender:  Males seem to have higher levels of beta-endorphins than do females. As you might recall from prior blog posts, endorphins are naturally occurring pain killers.  If a male and female suffer exactly the same injury, this suggests that the female would feel more pain.  Interestingly, the female pain threshold seems to increase near the time of childbirth. 3) Fluctuation of pain threshold: It appears pain threshold and stress levels are intricately linked. Life events such as th

Pain Threshold and Pain Tolerance Some of the things presented on this blog refer to the terms pain threshold and pain tolerance . After thinking about it for some time,  I came to realize that some of my readers would have no idea what I am talking about!  If you didn't know any better you might even think that they were just two different ways to say the same thing. So, today, I am going to clear that up for you. Pain threshold refers to the "least experience of pain that that a person can recognize." Of course, this varies from person to person.  Depression affects a person's pain threshold in the sense the pain threshold is reached earlier in a person with depression than in someone who does not have depression.   You might visualize the pain threshold much like crossing the threshold at the entrance of a house or other structure.  As you approach the doorway, you are still outside ( outside the realm of pain ); once you step across t

“People are afraid of themselves, of their own reality; their feelings most of all. People talk about how great love is, but that’s bullshit. Love hurts. Feelings are disturbing. People are taught that pain is evil and dangerous. How can they deal with love if they’re afraid to feel? Pain is meant to wake us up. People try to hide their pain. But they’re wrong. Pain is something to carry, like a radio. You feel your strength in the experience of pain. It’s all in how you carry it. That’s what matters. Pain is a feeling. Your feelings are a part of you. Your own reality. If you feel ashamed of them, and hide them, you’re letting society destroy your reality. You should stand up for your right to feel your pain.” ― Jim Morrison

I have been writing posts for this blog on a regular basis for about 6 months now. At this point, the same theme seems to echo from everything I write about.  Today's post is going to focus on prevention, rather than treatment, of chronic pain. The Eye of Horus is an ancient Egyptian symbol of protection, royal power and good health. As I thought about this post, I remembered that I discussed all these healthy lifestyle changes as an approach to treating a chronic pain problem. However, I have never discussed a preventive   approach to chronic pain conditions.  I remembered the saying, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." So, what can a person who is relatively healthy and has not problems with chronic pain do to stay ahead of the game? If the truth be told, most of us will suffer some kind of pain in our lifetime; it is not 100% preventable.  That being said, it can be minimized!  A good prevention program is much the same as all I have disc

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