How I Manage Chronic Pain
How I Manage Chronic Pain
Every morning when I open my eyes, I am met with stiffness and discomfort, often accompanied by the unnerving sensation of my arms being completely numb or filled with pins and needles. From the moment I wake up, I find myself analysing the intensity of the pain that will accompany me throughout the day. There is never a day that goes by without some level of pain, but there are moments when it is more manageable and others when it becomes completely debilitating. Throughout every single day, my focus revolves around finding comfort or alleviating some of the torment/pain that engulfs me, and on particularly excruciating days, it feels as though the entire day is lost to me; I am unable to accomplish much or anything at all.
So how do I manage my pain?!:
Last year, I made a purchase that turned out to be one of the most valuable buys for me - an acupuncture mat. As someone who suffers from severe spinal stenosis and experiences acute pain, lying on the acupuncture mat provides immense relief. It works so well that I often find myself dozing off while using it. Even my husband finds it beneficial for his backaches. Additionally, I have a neck and shoulder massager as well as a massage gun to further alleviate discomfort. And, I’ve found that incorporating gentle slow-flow yoga into my routine and practising meditation to regulate my breathing has also proven to be helpful strategies.
When the pain levels are severe, take a bath in Epsom salts. It provides relief from the pain, but for me, unfortunately, it also results in overwhelming exhaustion. Nevertheless, on days when the pain is unbearable, I willingly endure the debilitating fatigue that follows a bath, just to experience a brief respite from the agony.
I have an elbow splint that I wear most days, kinesiology tape that helps with my radiculopathy pain, as well as tubular badges. Also, crutches to help when I am unable to put any weight on my legs.
Additionally, I have my everyday prescribed medication, which does provide some relief, but unless I am heavily medicated, they only alleviate a portion of the discomfort. I do have more prescribed stronger pain meds in my medicine cabinet to use as necessary, but I make an effort to steer clear of them when possible. I don't respond well to them, and they have the potential to create dependency, so I exercise extreme caution when deciding to utilise them, and I don't choose to use them frequently.
I have also been approved to receive a prescription for medical cannabis, but the cost of it is exorbitant, and I am still uncertain and have some reservations about it….
There are additional gadgets and supplements I'm interested in trying out, such as infrared heat lamps, and there are various massage devices I'd like to test out - but all of these come with a price tag.
Finally,
I have made adjustments to my diet, specifically eliminating foods that can lead to inflammation, significantly reducing my consumption of fizzy beverages, and taking the time to educate myself on the benefits of consuming foods with low inflammatory benefits. As a result, I have incorporated more fermented foods and beverages into my daily routine. (kombucha and matcha teas have become personal favourites).
About me
I am a married mother of four children, in my mid 40's. I run a small business and enjoy writing, which is why I blog. My blog focuses on my experiences of living with chronic illnesses and disabilities such as ME/CFS (Myalgic encephalomyelitis), spinal stenosis, chronic pain, and fibromyalgia.