I've been asked by one of my dozen new doctors to make a list of pain management things I've tried. And I don't want to write it. I want to sleep. Or blog. Yes, I want to blog! So I'll blog my list :) .... and I learned a new, cool pain scale. Rate your pain, 1-10, 10 being doused with gasoline and lit on fire. Finally, a pain scale I can relate to, that doesn't depend on my perception of pain! (Thanks Dr. M!)
Rachel's list of pain management techniques; listed in the order of my brain remembering them.
Type; Time period; what it helped; % of time it worked; downside
Relaxation therapy: tapes or scripts to relax body part by part; learned 1997, still use; I liked it. It helps decrease any pain by some amount. Works for mild to moderate pain, works on new pain, works on anxiety or mania; Works 50% of the time for full relief. Downside: have to clear my mind and believe in it, Pain increases if "tighten and then release, relaxing further" is used
Alpha waves: tapes for subliminal or sleep wave therapy; learned 1997, last used before 1999; Liked the calm music, but didn't find any noticeable changes with those tapes verses listening to other music. Worked: 5% of the time. Downside: don't have a tape player anymore, and seemed silly
heat pack therapy; learned 1990's, still use; it can calm tight muscles, and bring down pain. Great in the winter. Great while I'm using it. Works 85% of the time. Downside: should only use for 20 min/hour, pain comes back as soon as heat is removed. Can't use anywhere. Doesn't seem to touch the electric nerve pain in my foot.
ice pack therapy; learned 1990's, still use; great to calm inflammation or deep, aching pain. Great in the summer. Area feels great for around an hour afterwards. Works: 95% of the time. Downside: should only be used for 20 min/hour. Hard to keep with you. Can cause more pain from tension of other muscles from being on the cold. Doesn't seem to touch my foot pain.
water workout; learned 2003, last used 2006; works for non-inflamed back pain. Need to slowly work up to reps, and some arm activities cause arm pain, so I don't do them. Works: 5-75% of the time, depending on length of consecutive treatments. Downside:I have to get to a pool or go to a class, and pricey.
Ultrasound; first tried 1996, last used 2008; Feels good during and after treatment. Works: 99%. Downside: Need a PT to do it, need a babysitter to go to PT
Professional Massage: 1997-2008; During the massage my pain is always better. Alone massage is enough to make pain tolerable, but doesn't usually make it disappear. Works: 99% Downside: Sometimes I have increased pain the next day or two. It's expensive. Husband doesn't have the knowledge and patience to do himself at home.
bubble bath; learned 1978, still use; works for any muscle or nerve pain from the shoulders down; Mild pain can be removed. Moderate pain can be reduced. Severe pain can only be reduced DURING the bath. Works: 99%. Downside: not always convenient, neck pain can occur if used to long.
music therapy; learned 1995, still use; using music cues to change mood, lift energy, create sparks of hope; The right CD can get me dancing with my kids and melt my pain away, or remind me of my faith and bring God's peace. With the perceived boost of love from my family or God's peace, the pain is better; Works: 5-35% Downside: I forget to do it when I need it, and my family has different music tastes than me.
journal-ing; reinforced learned around 1998, still use; By writing down my current feelings or situation and anxieties, I get two fold pain relief. My anxiety is less, so my perceived pain is better. I love writing, so time passes faster when I'm in a writing grove. I have to be in the mood or get in the mood within a few paragraphs, or it will make my pain worse with the "should be" factor. When I journal, I often discover more of my "shoulds". I should be more of this or that. A good mom should do this. I should be feel this during that part of my life. A good wife should do this. My church thinks I should.... any of those sentences are my "shoulds". Works: 40% Downside: Have to be in the mood, have to be able to position myself to write comfortably.
friend therapy; slowly learning, still use; If I call a friend who has been in similar situations and "lived to tell about it", I can feel better. To have a friend acknowledge my pain is as real and as bad as I feel, it's priceless. I can endure another day. I can feel better about my situation. I can lift the fog from my brain and be reminded to do what helps. Works 100% of the time. Downside: I have to call before my rational brain shuts down, or I won't call because I think no one would want to talk to me.
Lebed method exercise; learned 2006, last used 2008; A gentle exercise program that was originally created for breast cancer patients during recovery. I feel better while I'm doing it, and after. It's enough to get my blood moving and give an endorphin rush, but not too much to cause rebound pain. When I can go to the class, not just my DVD, I get so much more out of it. Pain relief 50% Downside: Does not work on acute pain; I haven't tried it since the back surgery since there are many back twisting, turning movements. I also know the first time after 3 week or more break, I will have cold symptoms for a few days.
To know more about this: http://www.lebedmethod.com/
narcotic meds; used 1997 to current, on and off; works great at reducing or eliminating pain quickly and for many hours. Can reset my perceived pain scale when the meds wear off. Works great for short term. Works: 90% Downside: for daily long term use I feel like I'm on an emotional roller coaster. I get more post-med neck pain from over exerting while the meds worked. and body becomes dependant and/or tolerant of the meds. Some pain doesn't respond to narcotics.
prayer; learned 1978, still use; helps my mental attitude during painful episodes. Mild pain can be ignored. Works: 10% Downside: Sharp or severe pain doesn't seem to be changed by prayer. If I don't feel like praying, it doesn't change my pain
indoor tanning: learned 2006, still use; improves my vitamin D, which tends to be low, improves mood and relaxes muscles like a massage. Works: 60% Down side: Long term use causes skin cancer
yoga/stretching; learned 1997, last really used 2008; works great for deep aches and relaxing. Works better when done many times during the day and/or many days in a row. Works: 50-80% Downside: Doesn't help with nerve pain and makes acute spasms worse.
deep breathing/meditation; learned ~1997, still use when I remember; releases tension. It feels good to breath, and the pain feels better at first. Sometimes I use colors to help. Black is color of the painful area of my body. I try to breath in deep breaths of healing yellow (sunshine), pulling it down to the pain. And I blow out the black. Works to get thru short term painful situations, like doctor visits. Can put me to sleep if the pain is mild/moderate. It always reduces pain, but doesn't always reduce it enough. Works: 90% Downside: For constant pain that is moderate/severe it won't reduce the pain enough. Have to remember to do it before pain gets bad enough that I can't make it up and follow it.
Food allergy diet: learned 2003, stuck to until 2007 (gallbladder attacks): Discovering and eating for my food allergies was a great experience. My inflammation pain and many minor health problems disappeared that first year. It works best when stuck to it 95% of the time. When I'm on it, and devoted to the work, I feel better. Works: 70% downside: It's hard to feed yourself and a family different diets; Cravings suck, it's not convenient for eating anywhere but at home, it's hard to stick to it. It's overwhelming to stick to it 100%. When starting back up, it's best to do a stricter cleaning out diet. Pain will increase for day 3 and 10. Cravings, Cravings!
Visualization: learned 1998, still use; I've created a happy box that exists in the middle of my brain. Sometimes I just walk around it, but I try to climb in and shut the lid. Pain doesn't exist there. It just holds my soul, and good memories, the only things I want to leave this life with. It's a beautiful, wood, carved box with a lid. It's soft and warm and light inside. It's decorated with my favorite things. I also have a mental beach scene I use. For this one, I'm always sitting with Kay Suber. She says all kinds of funny things like, "those silly crabs, they'll walk past us soon." Those lines come when I'm having a sharp pain, like dental shots. Makes the pain better while I'm using it, and will last longer if used during sharp pain. works: 75% of the time; Downside: Only works while I'm focusing, which sometimes is only 30 minutes. Longest I've gone is 2 hours. Some pain that I can't mentally get away from, and then I can't shut the lid on my box.
Biofeedback: Tried in 1998, 1999 don't use: I didn't have luck releasing muscles on command. I didn't feel nervous with the machines, but I was frustrated that my best attempts didn't work. Any "tighten and then release" things left me in more pain than I started with. Worked: 5%, only because the dark room, comfy chair was nice. Downside: Didn't work for me with the people who worked with me
****update****
prone therapy: laying flat in bed or on the couch. Right now I spend 8-10 hours AWAKE laying flat. Gives excellent relief after driving somewhere. Works 80%. Downside, I miss out on life. Pain always improves, but not always enough to not need drugs or another therapy. There are not always places to lay flat.
book therapy: Reading an interesting novel or biography. The Twilight series especially has been like a drug to me. Pain goes away when I read it. Works 90% Downside: The book ends, my family doesn't like being ignored. Pain comes back when I stop reading
wow, if you really read this, I'm either paying you or I should pay you! Or maybe if you read it, and it helped with your pain, you should pay me :)
So what helps you when you're in pain? What do you think about while you have a shot?
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