Challenges of Living With Chronic Pain

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6 Mar

Chronic Pain, Pain Relief, Pain Therapy, Pain Management, Nerve Pain Therapy, Carolina Pain Scrambler, Greenville South Carolina

Challenges of Living With Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is complex: the symptoms vary in duration, intensity and are highly individualized. However, individuals with chronic pain often share many of the same frustrations, difficulties, and challenges.

Getting out of bed may be difficult.

When living with chronic pain, it may be physically difficult to get out of bed. Many people with chronic pain report increased pain when they wake up in the morning.

Emotions are often affected.

Dealing with chronic pain often affects emotions. The mind and body are inherently connected. Depression may develop when chronic pain affects the ability to work, socialize and exercise. Chronic pain can lead to depression, and depression can worsen chronic pain; it is often a vicious cycle.

Sleeping may be difficult.

Symptoms of chronic pain can prevent restorative sleep. Lack of proper sleep can cause reduced energy and increased pain during waking hours. Practicing proper sleep hygiene can help.

Daily chores may be overwhelming.

On days when chronic pain is manageable, individuals may try to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. However, pushing oneself can cause fatigue and rebound pain. The practice of activity pacing can help create balance and manage pain levels.

The ability to concentrate may be impaired.

When pain is heightened, it may be difficult to accomplish tasks that require concentration. During these times, practicing mind-based coping techniques can calmly distract the mind.

Family and friends may not understand.

It is often difficult for others to understand the challenges of living with chronic pain. Even the most well-intentioned family and friends may need guidance to understand the daily difficulties associated with chronic pain. It may be helpful to share an open letter about chronic pain with friends and loved ones.

Article Provided By: PainScale

If you would like to discuss what Carolina Pain Scrambler do to help relieve your chronic pain symptoms or receive more information on our treatment process, please do not hesitate to call us at 864-520-5011 or you can email us at info@carolinapainscrambler.com

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4 Mar

How Is Chronic Pain Diagnosed?

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Chronic pain is defined as any type of pain that persists longer than six months. The pain may come and go, or it may be present all the time. Getting diagnosed properly is an important part of developing the right treatment plan.

Valuable questions

In order to determine pain levels, a health care provider often asks important questions, such as the following:

When did the pain begin?
What does the pain feel like?
Where is the pain located?
What pain treatments have been tried? Did they help?
Does the pain impact everyday life?
How is the pain affecting the ability to function?
What activities make the pain worse?
Does the pain interfere with sleep?
Does the pain cause mood fluctuations?

Tracking this information at home and maintaining a pain log is an effective way to help a health care provider determine a diagnosis and find appropriate treatments.

What is a pain scale?

A pain scale is a tool used by health care providers to determine the severity of pain. There are different types of pain scales and the type of information the scale gathers often depends on the scale. Information gathered includes, but is not limited to: pain severity, duration, pain type, and emotional impact. Informing the health care provider of fluctuations of pain levels throughout the day is helpful for diagnosis and treatment. If certain things make the pain worse or better, be sure to label those activities with a pain number and tell the provider.

What other tests are done to diagnose chronic pain?

In addition to using a pain scale, a doctor may also order an MRI, a CT scan, and/or an X-ray to determine a proper diagnosis. Other diagnostic tests include, but are not limited to: muscle function tests, nerve conduction tests, bone scans, and blood tests.

Article Provided By: PainScale

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2 Mar

Chronic Pain, Pain Relief, Pain Management, Nerve Pain Treatment, Peripheral Neuropathy, Carolina Pain Scrambler, Greenville South Carolina

Emotions and Chronic Pain

Living with chronic pain can cause resentment, frustration and anger. These emotions can be directed toward health care professionals, friends, family members, co-workers or even the individual who suffers from chronic pain. Anger is the one of the most prominent emotions when dealing with a chronic pain condition. Although anger is a natural emotion, too much anger can interfere with pain management.

Uncontrolled anger can increase pain levels, affect physical functioning, disrupt sleep patterns, interfere with social connections, and lead to a loss of emotional support. Anger has also been linked to increased inflammation and muscle tension. Learning how to effectively deal with anger does not mean giving in to the pain. Emotional awareness is the first step in processing anger.

Honest, open communication with friends, family, and health care professionals about chronic pain-related anger is extremely important due to the impact anger can have on others. Becoming mindful of anger provides the opportunity to reframe thoughts and find alternative ways to respond.

Article Provided By: PainScale

Regular Post

28 Feb

Lifestyle Tips to Control Neuropathy

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There are many complications due to diabetic neuropathy. Here are a few lifestyle and home remedies to help manage diabetic neuropathy.

Watch your blood pressure

Hypertension, high blood pressure, is commonly seen in people with diabetes which increases the complications of diabetic neuropathy. The damaged blood vessels reduce blood flow. Always check your blood pressure to avoid any future complications.

Eating Healthy

The best way to control your blood sugar levels is watching what you eat. Focus on eating a well-balanced healthy diet full of fresh, unprocessed, whole foods. Reduce simple carbohydrates, and any added sugar or additive. Limiting your saturated and trans-fat intake and sticking to unsaturated fats. Eating lean proteins, fiber, omega-3 fatty acids help lower or maintain complications. Triglycerides are high risk factors for diabetic complications. In place of table sugar, use stevia to avoid spikes in your blood sugar levels. Drink lots of filtered water and avoid soda, juices, and other sweetened drinks. Always read the nutrition label to know what is entering your body.

Staying active

Daily exercise and activity is the best way to control your diabetic symptoms, blood sugar, high blood pressure, healthy weight, and flexibility. According to the American Diabetes Association, about 30 minutes of moderate-intense exercise should be performed at least 5 times a week. If severe neuropathy is present, you might be recommended to non-weight-bearing activities such as bicycling or swimming.

Quit Smoking

If you have diabetic neuropathy, you are more prone to develop kidney problems. Therefore, reducing additional stress on the kidney from the toxins in smoking can help. Smoking is a risk factor for diabetic neuropathy and developing circulations issues in your feet. You have a higher chance than a nonsmoker to die of a heart attack or stroke.

Contact your healthcare provider if you need further assistance in controlling your diabetic neuropathy.

Article Provided By: PainScale

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26 Feb

Peripheral Neuropathy, Pain Relief, Nerve Pain Treatment, Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy, Chronic Pain, Pain Management, Pain Therapy, Carolina Pain Scrambler, Greenville South Carolina

Facts About Neuropathy Symptoms

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Neuropathy occurs when there is a problem with the peripheral nerves, which are responsible for transporting signals from the central nervous system to the rest of the body. Symptoms may vary depending on what nerve is affected. Here are some common symptoms.

1. Numbness or tingling

Body numbing or tingling may occur when there is neuropathy or pain in a localized area of the body. It occurs when nerves that carry sensation messages (touch, pain, temperature) do not perform correctly.

2. Localized pain

Localized pain is caused when there are sharp or shooting pains that occur randomly in the body (especially in the legs). It may even occur from something as simple as a light touch.

3. Imbalance

People with peripheral neuropathy may lose their balance. It occurs when tissues in the body deploy receptors called proprioceptors to respond to stimuli. Loss of balance happens when these receptors become affected by neuropathy.

4. Abnormal walking gait

Neuropathy pain may cause people to develop an abnormal gait due to the dysfunction of the motor or sensory nerves. Symptoms may include dragging feet, a stooping walk or a lopsided shuffle when walking.

5. Muscle cramping

Peripheral neuropathy may cause dysfunction to motor nerves, which results in muscle cramps even with the slightest exertion, such as during daily activities.

6. Muscle weakness

Muscle weakness may occur along with muscle cramping. It occurs when patients have a hard time performing small movements that require precision, such as buttoning a shirt or picking up an object.

7. Gastrointestinal disorders

Digestive disorders may occur when neuropathy affects the autonomic nerves in the body, which control involuntary actions. Symptoms may include bloating, flatulence, constipation, and heartburn.

8. Low blood pressure

Autonomic nerves also control blood pressure. When neuropathy occurs, it may cause the affected person to develop hypertension. Symptoms may include blurred vision, fainting, dizziness, heart palpations, and fatigue.

9. Bell’s Palsy

In some cases of neuropathy, a very specific nerve may be affected. Bell’s Palsy may occur when the nerves that control the facial muscles are affected. Symptoms may include mild muscle weakness with loss of movement in the face that varies depending on the progression of the disease.

10. Miscellaneous symptoms

Other symptoms of neuropathy may include eye pain, sweating, heat intolerance, loss of bladder and bowel control, double vision, difficulty concentrating, and weakness in the fingers.

Article Provided By: PainScale

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24 Feb

Chronic Pain, Pain Relief, Pain Management, Pain Treatment, Peripheral Neuropathy, Back Pain, Carolina Pain Scrambler, Greenville South Carolina

Why You Can’t ‘Fix’ Your Pain

Being a positive person is obviously a good quality to have, but sometimes an overly optimistic attitude or misguided belief about what’s possible can actually get in the way of healing. One example of this is the notion that there is a cure or fix for everything that hurts.

Quite understandably, many patients go to their doctors with the goal of getting fixed. They want to find out what the problem is, get it fixed, make the pain go away, and then move on with their lives. But humans are not machines – you can’t just replace or repair a broken part and then everything runs as good as new. The pain you experience is often the product of many interconnecting factors and not just one simple cause. Human beings simply don’t come with an easy-to-read owner’s manual.

Back pain is a prime example. Back pain or sciatica may indeed start with a trigger, like a herniated disc or a lifting injury. But a single targeted tissue injury can quickly lead to a train of events that include back muscles tightening up, joints stiffening, and nerves to malfunction. As this happens, the back gets harder to move, the legs get weaker, and it becomes increasingly difficult to sleep, get comfortable, or go to work. If this situation continues, then a person can easily become anxious, depressed, withdraw from friends and family, and feel the pinch of lost income.

Expecting that all of these complex and interconnected problems will get solved simply by undergoing back surgery to “fix” something structural can turn out to be a recipe for disaster. Recovering from an extensive back surgery like a fusion can mean months or years of recovery without a guarantee of substantial and lasting pain relief. Regardless of the treatments you choose, it helps to adopt the mindset of healing from what hurts as opposed to focusing on a quick fix or cure. Muscle imbalances, inflamed joints, herniated discs, and injured nerves can all go through a recovery process, and the more time and attention you put into that, the better the outcome.

And it’s not just the body that needs to heal. The psyche and soul of the person in pain need a path to ease uncomfortable mood changes and provide relief from overwhelming stress. Continuous pain can trigger a “flight or fight” response, which leads to changes in the nervous system, endocrine system, and immune system that keep us constantly on edge and in panic mode. One surgery or treatment won’t necessarily restore emotional balance and make all of this disappear.

Healing can also mean acceptance of what is, with all of its imperfections. For instance, a natural part of how the body heals is to lay down scar tissue. A broken bone or torn tendon can heal, but it won’t look exactly the way it did before the injury. We can’t go back in time and look, move or feel exactly the way we did years ago, so it’s better to focus our time and energy on making today the best it can be. Acceptance is not giving up, but rather reaching an understanding of how we can be the best version of ourselves after all that we have gone through.

Both the human body and the human spirit are designed to heal, repair, and restore itself when injured. Shifting from a “fix it” mindset to one focused on healing can open up new doors toward better pain management and well-being.

Article Provided By: WebMD

Regular Post

21 Feb

Chronic Pain, Pain Relief, Peripheral Neuropathy, Nerve Pain Treatment, Pain Management, Carolina Pain Scrambler, Greenville South Carolina, Cope

10 Tips to Cope With Chronic Pain

1. Practicing meditation or deep, controlled breathing

Deep breathing and meditation guide the body and mind into a state of relaxation. Deep breathing involves slowly inhaling through the nose (so the belly expands), holding for a few counts and slowly exhaling through the mouth (so the belly deflates). Meditation involves the repetition of a positive word or phrase (mantra) while deep breathing in a comfortable position.

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2. Easing stress in daily life

Undesirable feelings of anxiety, depression, anger, sadness and stress can escalate the body’s pain response. Reducing everyday stress triggers helps reduce chronic pain symptoms.

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3. Finding a support group

Engaging with other people who have chronic pain helps individuals feel less isolated and better understood. Individuals may also be introduced to new coping methods or treatment options by other members in the group.

4. Exercising to release natural endorphins

Exercise releases endorphins, which are brain chemicals that support mood while simultaneously blocking pain signals. Exercise, when done in moderation, can help reduce chronic pain.

5. Keeping a daily journal of pain level and activities

Keeping a daily journal not only helps express feelings and emotions, it also provides insight into chronic pain trends and effective coping mechanisms. Sharing a pain journal with a health care professional helps them better understand how an individual’s chronic pain is managed between visits, which leads to better treatment.

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6. Limiting alcohol intake

The consumption of alcohol often disrupts sleep. Because sleep issues are often a symptom of chronic pain conditions, cutting back alcohol intake or nixing the habit altogether can increase the quality of sleep which promotes pain reduction.

7. No smoking

In addition to the many negative health consequences of smoking cigarettes, smoking also causes circulation problems which can aggravate pain levels.

8. Scheduling a massage

Massage therapy can both lessen muscle tension and reduce stress. Getting regular massages can help reduce pain levels.

9. Eating a healthy diet

Eating a healthy diet can help reduce the risk of heart disease, aid healthy digestion, improve blood sugar levels and maintain a healthy weight. Choosing anti-inflammatory foods is especially helpful for individuals with chronic pain conditions.

10. Taking the focus away from the pain

Focusing on positive things or engaging in an activity that keeps the mind busy diverts attention away from chronic pain. While pain may not be fully alleviated, distraction is a powerful pain-reduction tool.

Article Provided By: PainScale

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19 Feb

Beating Insomnia with Chronic Pain

Approximately two-thirds of people with chronic pain also suffer from insomnia. It takes a multidisciplinary approach to with different medical specialists to treat both pain and insomnia. For example, certain pain medications can improve sleep while others disturb it. The first step to improving insomnia is to understand its cause.

For some people with chronic pain, insomnia may be caused by an inadequate bedtime routine. This may include using electronic devices such as computers, smartphones, and TVs to help individuals fall asleep, which only make it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep. Ensuring a quiet environment and turning off all electrical devices two hours before bedtime can help improve the quality of sleep.

Because pain intensifies at night, it can become impossible to sleep. Some individuals may benefit from using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help them fall asleep at night. This includes a variety of methods to improve sleep and change negative thoughts to positive ones that promote sleep. Cognitive behavioral therapy is preferred over medications as it does not contain side effects that may be counterproductive to sleep.

The long-term goal of cognitive behavioral therapy is to help individuals control negative thoughts that keep them awake at night. Relaxation training is also helpful for individuals to reduce muscle tension and distract them from thoughts of pain. Techniques include guided imagery, progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, and deep breathing muscle relaxation exercises. Individuals are encouraged to participate in three to eight sessions with a trained behavioral therapist to become familiar with this form of treatment.

Along with reconstructive behavioral therapy and relaxation techniques, individuals can follow these tips to create healthy sleep habits:

Do not use the bed for anything except sleeping. Avoid watching TV or reading books in bed as this will help the body and brain know that it’s time for sleep when your head hits the pillow.

Only go to bed when tired. If you are unable to fall asleep within 20 minutes, get up and go to another room. Return to bed when you are tired.

Wake up at the same time every day and go to sleep at the same time every night. Aim for seven to eight hours of sleep at night.

Avoid napping during the day.

Exercise early in the day and do not exercise close to bedtime.

Avoid excessive caffeine and alcohol intake.

Article Provided By: PainScale

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17 Feb

Chronic Pain, Pain Relief, Pain Treatment, Pain Management, Peripheral Neuropathy, Pain Therapy, Carolina Pain Scrambler, Greenville South Carolina

Accepting a Chronic Pain Diagnosis

Receiving a diagnosis of chronic pain can be devastating; yet a clear diagnosis can also bring peace of mind to those who have internally questioned why they are in pain. As with any chronic health condition, chronic pain requires individuals to actively make changes in their lives to reduce the severity of the condition. This usually involves a combination of medical treatments, lifestyle changes and psychological help.

After receiving a chronic pain diagnosis, individuals often go through stages of emotions similar to the Kübler-Ross model of grief. They are grieving life as they once knew it. Emotions that may be experienced include, but are not limited to, the following:

Shock and denial
In the beginning, individuals in chronic pain may resist going to needed doctor’s appointments because it may be difficult to face the truth. Even after a diagnosis, individuals may be in shock or denial and not agree with the diagnosis or treatment plan(s).
Anger
After the initial phase of denial, anger usually arises. Not only can the experience of pain cause angry feelings, but receiving a diagnosis of chronic pain can lead to frustration and irritation. Individuals may ponder, “Why me?” or “How could this have happened?”
Bargaining, fear and anxiety
Individuals with chronic pain may experience fear about the future. “What if” thoughts often creep into the psyche. Struggling to find the “meaning of life” after a chronic pain diagnosis is common.
Depression
Thirty to fifty percent of individuals with chronic pain also deal with depression. Chronic pain can cause depression, and depression can increase chronic pain; it is often a vicious cycle.
Acceptance and hope
While most individuals with chronic pain eventually gain acceptance of their condition, some individuals never reach this stage as they are stuck in anger, fear or depression. Accepting a chronic pain diagnosis does not mean giving into it. An individual may experience pain for the rest of their life, but they can always control their reaction to it with treatment(s) and lifestyle changes. Acceptance takes time. Adjusting to a major lifestyle change is a process. Psychotherapy, group therapy or simply family support are all important factors in finding acceptance of and hope for a chronic pain diagnosis. Anti-depressant medications are available for those diagnosed with clinical depression.

These emotional stages do not follow a strict schedule nor are they always sequential. People with chronic pain may experience many emotions at once or their emotions may fluctuate among the stages.

Individuals with chronic pain experience a plethora of emotions in relation to their chronic pain: anger, frustration, anxiety, depression, etc. These are common emotional reactions; however, when they affect daily living, they should be shared with a health care provider. Talking with a trusted family member, seeing a mental health counselor or joining a support group can help an individual properly deal with the emotional aspects of chronic pain.

Article Provided By: PainScale

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12 Feb

Understanding People With Chronic Pain

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What is chronic pain?

Chronic pain is pain that lasts beyond six months despite the treatment of the underlying injury or condition, if one exists. Differing from acute pain that tends to result from a specific injury, chronic pain does not always have an identifiable source. The lack of reprieve from pain can be exasperating and exhausting.

Frequently, someone who has never experienced chronic pain has difficulty understanding the complexity of it. When an individual has a family member or friend with chronic pain, they often do not know how best to support them.

Some suggestions on how to support a spouse, friend, or relative with chronic pain include the following:

Learn about pain and symptoms

Similar to most medical conditions, every person with chronic pain has a unique, individual experience. People that live with chronic pain do not always show any visible symptoms, so it is helpful to ask them about their condition and daily life with chronic pain. One of the best things to do to provide support is merely to listen to their answers. Some questions to ask include the following:

Where is the pain?
When did the pain start?
Is there is a coexisting condition, such as depression, inflammatory bowel disease, peripheral neuropathy, sciatica, endometriosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, etc.?
How does chronic pain affect daily life?
What things help?
What things hurt?

Demonstrate good listening skills by paying close attention and making an effort to understand.

Understand the pain scale

The pain scale is a tool that is used to measure and describe the intensity of the pain an individual feels at any given moment. Values from 1 to 10 are used to describe the level of pain. A rating of 1 indicates “free of pain and feeling wonderful”; whereas, a rating of 10 indicates the “most horrible pain ever experienced.” Once familiar with the pain scale, asking the person with chronic pain what their pain level number is at a particular time helps to better understand and support them.

Look for signs of pain

Although it can be challenging to determine if and when a person is in pain, some symptoms are indicative of high pain levels. These symptoms include decreased activity, teeth grinding, poor concentration, sleep disturbances, mood swings, moaning, hand wringing, irritability, restlessness and grimacing.

Show empathy

Understanding more about a loved one’s chronic pain and what they face on a daily basis helps develop empathy. Being empathetic means making an effort to understand the behaviors and feelings of another person by looking at the world through their perspective. Part of empathy includes respecting the effort level of the person with chronic pain. While they are coping with chronic pain, they are simultaneously trying to look normal and sound upbeat and happy as frequently as possible. Although they may not be as active as they once were, they live their lives to the best of their ability.

Respect physical limitations

It is impossible for another person to determine how well a person with chronic pain can move or what their optimal activity level is at any given time. While it is sometimes possible to read it on their face or in their body language, this is not always the case. It is important to respect their physical capabilities. When the person in chronic pain says that they need to lie down, sit down or take medication immediately, listen to them without judgement. This may mean that they are experiencing a sudden bout of pain and cannot continue with the current activity. Also, understand that just because the individual with chronic pain can do a physical activity, such as walking, on a particular day, this does not mean they can do the same activity on other days. Patience and respect is key. If the person with chronic pain is moving slowly or cancels a previous commitment on short notice, do not take it personally.

Provide support

Always be supportive and include the individual with chronic pain in daily life whether they are mobile or not. Sometimes, a loved one may need assistance with dressing, bathing, getting to the doctor, or grocery shopping. Offering support on a regular basis provides them with a sense of normalcy. Continue to invite the individual in chronic pain to social engagements despite the fact that they may have to cancel at the last minute. Just because a person cannot always join in certain activities or has recently cancelled plans, does not mean that you should stop asking them to join you. Chronic pain is isolating enough.

Be aware of depression symptoms

Because changes in chronic pain levels are unpredictable, chronic pain is often exasperating not only physically, but mentally as well. Chronic pain is often accompanied by secondary depression. Depression can lead to the individual hiding their pain, masking their emotions, and isolating themselves. Be sure to discuss any depression symptoms you notice with the person in chronic pain and offer them love, support and understanding. Also, make sure to advise them to discuss any depression symptoms with a health care provider.

Article Provided By: PainScale

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