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.

@OhYouBadBadKitten I love the headspace sleep casts! My DH hates them but I listen every night. Very fond of Brian and Simon's voices to lull me off to sleep.

@RitaFires

1. Compression supports, I have loads and I find them really helpful. My favourite pair of compression gloves has a velcro wrist brace attached.

1. 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.
2. Heated massagers, I never bother using a non heat setting. I recently got an eye massager and it's brilliant for relaxing.
3. Biofreeze I use the roll on kind so I can directly soothe where the pain is.

@RitaFires could you link to a Heated eye massager?

I have the calm app it's very similar. It's funny what weird stuff I get obsessed with, I like the sea shanty songs or a walk through Shakespeare London or dinosaur coast. I find it very hard to get to sleep

Check for medication interactions with turmeric. It interferes with metabolism of a lot of meds apparently. Obvs ok with food but its high doses in supplements.

Having a large water bottle by side, keeping hydrated.

Anbesol (for mouth ulcers)

@MorePotatoSalad This is the one I have, I bought it on a whim but I'm really happy with it. It helps with headaches and I find the vibration function clears my sinuses a bit. www.amazon.co.uk/RENPHO-Massager-Compression-Bluetooth-Rechargeable/dp/B07SM61FCT?psc=1&th=1&ref_=ast_slp_dp&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

Biofreeze
Magnesium oil and tablets
Hot water bottle / oat packs
Frozen packs for migraines
Cefaly - had it a couple of months now, it's a TENS machine for migraines. It has significantly reduced the rescue meds I need, and I can pretty much get rid of milder migraines now. The hormonal ones aren't responding so well, but this month though I've had a hormonal migraine, it wasn't too bad. We'll see how that lasts.
Yoga and trying to reduce stress. I follow Adriene's gentler programmes, and also attend a yoga course for people with chronic pain/disability
Pacing
Pilates - specialist (hypermobile)

Calm App.
The sleep stories are brilliant.
There's even one narrated by Matthew McConaughey and his lazy drawl is gorgeous!

Has anyone used a TENS machine for back pain and/or sciatica?

Supplements
Magnesium bisglycinate
B12
Turmeric
CoQ10

Medication
Amitriptyline
Diazepam for painful spasms but the GP won't prescribe it
Syndol - the original version, but used v sparingly

Other stuff
Proper acupuncture (not dry needling)
Classical osteopathy (definitely not the crunching clicking sort)
Baths with Epsom salts
Heat pads
TENS machine
Daily walks - makes the most difference of all
The Pathways app
Lying down when I need to
Sunshine
A wool mattress topper
Sissel pillow
Gin, when it's unbearable, a gin and tonic will take the edge off

@colouringindoors yes I have used TENS for backpain and sciatica. I recommend it.

@colouringindoors yes, tens for sciatic is good. It interferes with the pain messages.

You are supposed to wear it three times a day for 20 mins, or something. I never bothered with that, just wore it more or less all the time.

Has anyone had success with nortriptyline? I have been taken 10mg for 5 days and feel a lot better but I'm wondering if it's placebo as surely that dose is too low to do anything?! I'm not complaining, just surprised!

I haven’t but good to hear it is helping even if only so far. Hope it holds out for you.

Thank you whoever recommended the tumeric and black pepper tablets. I've been taking them for only 4 days and already feel a difference in my achey knees.

Any advice on heat packs or do you use a hot water bottle?

Hot water bottles are good. The long rice packs for the microwave are handy for shoulders but do cool down quickly.

We use these they are fantastic if you have a microwave amazon.co.uk/Hotties-Thermal-Packs-Limited-Replacement/dp/B00IXJA320/ref=sr_1_5?crid=36VEO3HH95RZU&dchild=1&keywords=hotties+microwave+hot+water+bottle&qid=1615325585&sprefix=Hotties%2Caps%2C165&sr=8-5 hotties]] they come in and out of stock all the time. DD has these and ice packs alternately all day. I must have bout 40 since we discovered them, they last about a year then leak. We have 8 covers.

Sorry amazon.co.uk/Hotties-Thermal-Packs-Limited-Replacement/dp/B00IXJA320/ref=sr_1_5?crid=36VEO3HH95RZU&dchild=1&keywords=hotties+microwave+hot+water+bottle&qid=1615325585&sprefix=Hotties%2Caps%2C165&sr=8-5 this]]

@doadeer

Any advice on heat packs or do you use a hot water bottle?

I have a hot water bottle, a long microwaveable heat pack, and a genius microwavable shawl shaped heat pack you can drape over your neck and shoulders. So depending on where the pain is I can choose one of them.

@doadeer I use heat packs and microwaveable wheat packs. I find the heat packs are great for lower back pain or pain when out whereas the wheat pack is great for shoulder and neck pain when I'm at home.

On a good day maximise the morning to get things done.

Electric hot water bottles The opposite of weighted blanket, a pure down duvet weighing nearly nothing. Never never getting cold. FODMAP laboriously eliminating odd items e.g. milk and yoghurt is o.k. but cheese, garlic, honey are poison, wheat sugar mushrooms apples and pears are enemies but other fruit is fine.. Organic food. Getting eating done with before tea time to give the gut overnight rest (Michael Mosely experiment) Hydrotherapy pool is brilliant though chlorine allergy isn't, and in U.K. hydropools are in every special need school, yet nowhere else.

Interesting to see all ideas, and thanks for the thread, O.P. I now need to discover what is an SCD diet, what is Bowen therapy, if magnesium oil spray is in pharmacies, and what is "proper" acupuncture non-dry needle.

Lidocaine patches - helps my costochrotitis

Regular massage (when no restrictions) - deep pressure

Massage gun with infrared

Migracap

Brace supports for my wrists

Oxygen tank for migraine relief - high flow - 20 minutes at a time

Capisum cream

Heated throw

Eye mask and ear plugs to help shut everything down - sensory

Keeping my levels up - vitamin d, b12 and folic acid as when it drops I feel even worse

Sad light - to help with depression

Cats - distraction, comfort and ❤️, also good for pressure and massage

Personal wand - orgasms help with pain

Where would I find info on oxygen tank?