Pain management
I have lived with pain of some kind for over 20 years now from Crohns and Colitis as well as the associated issues they cause, the steroid side effects and the damage they can leave us with. it is only recently that I have felt in the right place to try to tackle it head on!
I can’t escape pain due to the level of complexity of my scars and level of disease, but I can learn ways to manage what is not changeable and help my brain and body distinguish and manage better what is!
I am diagnosed with Crohns, Colitis, Fibromyalgia and Osteo Arthritis as well as Tennis Elbow, Carpal and Cubital Tunnel Syndrome. I have tried mediations including Tramadol, Amitriptalyne, Codine, OxyCodine, Heat, Voltarol, Tiger Balm, various Triptans, Physiotherapy and Steroid Injections, all have helped in some way but none have rid me of the pain for any length of time.
I studied CBT a few years ago and fall back on the methods learned from time to time, but not as well as I probably should.
So how can I battle pain and live a more mobile, comfortable life?
Education, education, education… this is where I am at now so I wanted to share my journey as I start learn and see if it has a positive impact, I am very hopeful and optimistic and I believe knowledge really is power so how will this work?
I have been researching the pain issues I suffer, the physical changes as well as why they happen. I am leaning about the brain and how it uses the central nervous system in my brain and spine to control and process pain signals from other parts of the body, and how they impact me.
I have stumbled across a pain management programme called Curable (they are the creators of the info graphic above) and I will invest to give it a go. I’m not advertising at all as I haven’t tried it yet but will share some of the lessons learned and how effective they are, I will share these as a pain journey blog and would love your input along the way. What has helped you? What hasn’t helped you? And any ideas you feel may benefit my readers.
I currently work in the Physiotherapy department at the local Hospital and will try to gain and share any tips from there as well as share any physiotherapy I have tried that has really helped me.
Hopefully together we can learn to heal an develop, to overcome the signals incorrectly travelling around our bodies and in turn improve our wellbeing.
Thank you for reading and please stick with me as this unfolds, I am making myself accountable to take a real try at this by putting it out there so please work with me if you would benefit from the support.
Take care and I will be sharing some updates as I travel through the weeks and beyond of this journey.
Andrea xx