Jun

10 Steps to No Drug Pain Management

I’ve been down for the count the last week, which is why I haven’t posted in what seems forever. It’s hard for me to think clearly when I’m in pain, and even more so when I’m on Vicodin for said pain. I intensely dislike taking narcotic pain killers; I can’t stand the floaty, disconnected feeling I get from them. This is the first major Sjögren’s flare I’ve had in a long time.

I skipped my bellydance lesson last Thursday because of pain and I should probably have skipped tae kwon do on Saturday, but I didn’t. As it was, I had to drop out half-way through. The dojang’s closed this coming weekend for 4th of July and I’m without a car to get there during the week. So I’m hoping that by the time I get back in two weeks, I’ll be over this.

That’s the main problem with flares — I never know how long they’re going to stick around. Sometimes they last only a few hours, other times, a few weeks. The longest flare I’ve ever experienced lasted almost four months. I don’t ever want to go through that again.

One of the most difficult things I have to deal with during flares is, of course, pain management. After almost 20 years with this condition, I’ve learned a few coping mechanisms. Unfortunately, none of them all work the same all the time, every time. Sometimes exercise helps alleviate it, sometimes it makes it worse and it’s often hard to tell which way its going to go until I actually try. Which wouldn’t be all that bad, except trying when I should be resting can prolong the flare. So, it’s always a kind of craps shoot. That being said, here’s a list of 10 things I do to manage my pain levels

Rest. The biggie and the one I often have the most trouble implementing. A thousand and one things always seem to need doing. Ideally, I should sleep when I need to and keep activity to a minimum, but I almost never do. This is one of those “do as I say, not as I do” matters. Also, work can interfere with rest. You may have the best boss in the world, one who’s more than willing to give you a couple of days off to rest but if the pain goes on for a couple of months, you just have to get up and get moving, no matter how much it hurts.
Yoga. One of the best activities for me when I hurt. During a flare, keeping moving (gently) is even more important so the muscles don’t shorten and I can retain my flexibility. It’s important for me to not compare myself from day to day; I have to accept the fact that one day I’ll be able to bend over and touch the floor and the next I may barely be able to reach my knees.
T’ai Chi. Similar to my reasons for yoga, but eliminating any ki blocks also seems to help alleviate, or at least mitigate, my pain levels.
Meditation. Again, helps unblock ki. Also, it doesn’t help to actually lower my pain level, but it does make it easier to deal with. Often I meditate with a mantra during flares. There are two main mantras I use for pain management: “This will pass” and “Pain is resistance.” The last is frequently the more effective, since it helps me relax cramped muscles, which can help lower my pain threshold.
Ask for help. May seem obvious, but it’s actually one of the steps I find the most difficult and it directly relates to Step 1, above. One of the questions I have to ask myself repeatedly is “Do I really need to do this task?”
Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize. I have to keep reminding myself to cut my “to do” list down to the absolute essentials.
Eat properly. More fruits and veggie, less carbs (especially wheat), less red meat can sometimes help. On the other hand, sometimes I really crave red meat; I’ve found that by giving in (at least a little) to cravings, I may not lower my pain level, but I can make it through the hard parts a little easier. Deprivation may be good for the soul, but when you’re in pain, even the smallest discomforts get magnified.
Long, hot baths. And I do mean long — two hours isn’t unusual for me when I’m in pain. A Jacuzzi is even better, when I can get it.
Sleep with an electric blanket. When I’m flaring, I often have trouble maintaining my body temperature, so I get cold, even in the summer. I’ve found that an electric blanket can work similarly to an hot bath, without the fear of falling asleep and drowning.
Swim in a warm-water pool. The YMCA frequently has a warm-water (warmer than body temperature) pool for hydrotherapy. Usually, I have to get a note from my doctor to use it, but it’s well-worth the effort.

Sometimes, though, I still have to look to the medicine cabinet to find enough relief. I wait until all other options have failed before I take a pain pill, but sometimes — like this last week — I just have to do it. I fully appreciate the North Carolina’s “Patient’s Rights”, particularly the part where it says “You have the right to be free from pain”.

Update: I took first place in forms at the NC State Games on June 20th. There were only two of us in our age group and belt rank — I was hoping for more so I could see where I might not stack up to someone close to my own rank level. Still, it was exciting!