CHRONIC PAIN- things that help.

[picklemewalnuts]

This is a 'no comment' thread, so we can list what has helped us, ask each other questions about it, but not argue or disagree about whether it's a 'valid' treatment or not.

!!Buyer beware!! We aren't medics, don't buy anything or take anything off the back of this thread, these are simply 'things that have helped'!

Me first:

1. Exercising in warm water really helps my tired stiff achey body. I joined a local health club that had a warm pool and jacuzzi, with steam rooms and saunas. I miss it so much now it's closed! It helped with relaxation, and also with flexibility. I could exercise without hurting myself.

1. Amitriptyline. This helps me sleep and is pretty good on nerve pain- the shooting pains in my limbs, and neck pain. I vary my dose up and down by 10 mg, trying to keep it as low as I can manage.

Things mentioned by others- do expand if this was one of yours!

Intermittent fasting to reduce inflammation

Diets that reduce inflammation

Acceptance

Meditation (or the ideas that underlie it)

1. Sitting outside on warm days helps my pain, I can focus on the sounds of birds and rustling leaves, and rest in the fresh air.
2. Having a good swear! I find a good stream of expletives takes the edge off when my pain is bad.

Full Catastrophe living by Jon Kabat Zinn

Magnesium spray (for zappy pains or restless legs)

Wearing hot packs from the microwave, tucked into the back of my trousers.

Epsom salt baths

Ooh yes! Epsom salt baths.

1. Compression supports, I have loads and I find them really helpful. My favourite pair of compression gloves has a velcro wrist brace attached.
2. Memory foam, anything too soft or too hard hurts my joints, switching to a memory foam mattress meant I stopped waking up in agony because I hyperextended my knee in my sleep.
3. Heated massagers, I never bother using a non heat setting. I recently got an eye massager and it's brilliant for relaxing.
4. Biofreeze I use the roll on kind so I can directly soothe where the pain is.

Hot water bottles, heat pads, heated throws, hot baths. Basically heat!

Ibuprofen better than Naproxen
Diazepam
Trazodone for sleep (and anti depression)

Antihistamines.

(That's probably a bit specific to particular disorders, but on the other hand, they're cheap, available OTC and at the less harmful end of drugs for most people. I haven't waited for a diagnosis to try them, and have found them effective and expect this to lead to an improved diagnosis. I did confirm first with a doctor that I could safely take them.)

The antihistamines have helped significantly with the brain fog, too.

More pillows than you know what To do with, foam ones, big and fluffy, soft. They all come in handy when you are trying to find just that one half comfortable position.

Hot water bottles can help with pain or provide a distraction sensation on various parts of the body.

That's interesting, @PerkingFaintly . Any idea why they help? Is it for something like urticaria? I'd love antihistamine to help with brain fog.

A weighted blanket helps me get a bit more sleep, which in turn reduces my pain.
It helps me stay in a comfortable position, rather than shifting round in my sleep then waking up in a painful position.

Baths with 2 cups Epsom Salts, 1/2 Cup Bicarbonate of Soda, 1000-2000mg ascorbic acid (vitamin c)

Stretching gently a few times a day, constantly changing position from standing/sitting/lying down

Hot Yoga

Heat packs/hot water bottle

SCD diet, it's hard going because you have to prepare nearly everything you eat but effective for inflammatory autoimmune conditions

When necessary regularly spaced paracetamol and Nurofen Plus.

Apparently hypnotherapy does.

Lurking with interest.
@picklemewalnuts magnesium? Spray in mouth? Where do you get it from?
My zappy pain is off the scale at the mo.
Warmth. Blankets.

I’ve used magazine for restless legs you can get Amazon as a spray cheap and cheerful (well about a tenner)

Magnesium even

Very, very gentle physio.

Pelvic tilts for lower back pain. Push down, tilt up. Can be done on a bed.

Pushing the backs of knees down onto rolled up towel or flat surface, on floor or bed for knee pain.

^^ Both of these are likely pain from osteo, although I also have PsA.

Acupuncture.

Sound baths
Hypnosis
Yin yoga
The Curable app
A large gel ice pack to sit on
Swimming, especially outdoors in cold water
Meditation, but only once you’ve actually become quite well practised at it. I think it took me 6 months of meditating for an hour every night before I could really relax myself and go into a sort of trance
Acupuncture

Heat pads or if shoulders then heated wheat pack (the microwave one)

TENS machine

Warm weather

Walking

Yoga though need to be careful I don't overstretch because of the hypermobility

Used to find massages help my back and shoulders but I haven't had one in too long

Sometimes hot showers, can't have baths as I find, weirdly, even without bubble bath or anything I still get persistent UTIs

I used to use kinesiology tape a lot but as I haven't seen my physio in years I wouldn't have a clue how to do it anymore.

Oh, yes and swimming! But only if the water isn't too cold. I miss swimming big time!!

@picklemewalnuts

Things mentioned by others- do expand if this was one of yours!

Intermittent fasting to reduce inflammation

Diets that reduce inflammation

Acceptance

Meditation (or the ideas that underlie it)

Ooh any idea how to go about figuring out a diet that reduces inflammation?

Thought of another one too - Tempur mattress and pillow. I literally couldn't be without it. I struggle so much when we used to go away.