Learn deep breathing and meditation
Reduce stress
Exercise to boost your natural endorphins
Cut back on alcohol
Join a support group or online forums
Don’t smoke, it can worsen chronic pain
Diary your pain level and activities every day for your GP to know how you are coping
Learn biofeedback to decrease pain severity
Get a message
Eat a healthy Diet
Find ways to distract yourself from pain
Pacing, pace yourself.
THE BEST TIPS ON LIVING WITH CHRONIC PAIN…
BACK PAIN BLOG UK... 
Good tips! Using a diary is an excellent idea. We have used one to monitor our grandson’s moods for years – he is schizophrenic and wasn’t treated properly a couple of years back. He is now on Chlozapine. It can take a while to get any drug cocktail right for a particular sufferer, and pain is no different.
LikeLike
Using a diary was how they found out I had Fibromyalgia. I’ve had for spinal surgeries and the last two have not been very successful, in fact the last one ended up being life threatening,and it was after that surgery that I had epidurals for my pain and the surgeon told me to write a diary of my pain. When he read it he said he was pretty convinced that I also had Fibromyalgia which might have come about due to my surgeries and so he sent me to see a Rheumatologist who diagnosed me with it. But like you say once you have the right cocktail it can be managed.:)
LikeLike
Hi Barmac – what does the ‘pro’ stand for?
I am one of Ohtrala’s daughters and have just read your tips for dealing with chronic pain. I think your ideas for coping are excellent. Unfortunately I am challenged re the exercise bit for the pain due to a condition or set of conditions’ upon which (fingers crossed) I may have stumbled upon someone who has some insight into the issues I experience, and is therefore sending me for an MRI brain scan
I use the words ‘stumbled upon’ when I should say something like ‘limped towards’. I have a post traumatic movement disorder following a serious RTA 10.5 years ago, and apart from that have a range of other issues now such as ‘balance’ tinnitus, joint issues and so forth. On returning for a re-referral re my balance issues I chanced upon a specialist who had previously spent many years working in neurology seeing many people with movement disorders. I was very surprised when he and his colleague were very intersted in my limp when I had gone about my balance. As the appointment continued I learned that the host of issues I have could all be related to (and this specialist believed are all related to my movement disorder). I left there near to tears feeling very understood. I usually feel that I have to explain why I suddenly jerk etc etc and this time I felt it made sense to someone else. I felt less of an oddity. Thank you for your tips. best wishes. Earthvisitor.
LikeLike
Hi earthvisitor, daughter of ohtralalal, no really sure what the pro actually means except that it means you have more than one blog and pay a minimum amount per month for having more than one (if that makes sense, lol)
Sorry to hear the ordeal you have been through to find out what your pains etc were. I am sure you must have been elated and relieved (if that’s the right word) to actually know what it was. Is it Fibromyalgia that you suffer from?
I know when I was diagnosed with it, I was very emotional like you as I had also been told on a number of occassions that I looked well which they seemed to think that must mean I am not in pain !!!!!
Glad the tips can help. Have you joined a pain clinic as they can also be a great help to you?
Take care 🙂 x
LikeLike
thank you for your reply Barmac. I am having an MRI on Sunday week – though we don’t know what will show up yet I am hoping that the information that my specialist was implying will show up on this. It may not of course. But if I could put a name to the set of conditions it would be so helpful. Yes people are often telling me how well I look and sometimes I just smile and say ‘thank you’ and at other times I cringe inwardly, if they are important to me and they and I have time to spare I tell the truth.
Re pain clinics I am being referred to one as of today – I saw the head of physio who sort of triage’s patients and he says i am in too much pain so wants to reduce that before he can move my treatment forward. He has suggested my GP try me on hormone patches – we shall see, I am held up because he and she are going on holiday. I am kind of hoping so much that the brain scan identifies the main issues once and for all so that I can find out all I can do to work through them and live life more fully. My poor husband has been the main housekeeper for a long time now many months whilst I have battled depression and chronic fatigue – going to work is about all I seem to do and if I spend time out I take a long time to recover. Right now I am on a light duties sick note so that I can work but at a gentler pace whilst my knee is so bad. Its bad enough to twitch and jerk suddenly, and to be dizzy and lose my balance for weeks on end and now with the limp on top and lack of sleep due to pain I am not a lot of fun to be with – mind you we still have a good laugh. Fibromyalgia – I have just looked it up certainly would fit the bill for quite a lot of what I suffer with but not I suspect all.
It seems quite selfish to be in so much pain though when were are in a place at work where all is uncertain and what I want to be doing is supporting and cheering up my colleagues so that we all get through our uncertain futures the best way possible.
I will read some of you other posts in order to inform myself more, I would welcome you as a friend on my blog – I don’t do much blogging current as a) not used to it and b) too tired but will do my best to bring more to the pot as it were. best wishes Earthvisitor
LikeLike
I hope all goes well for you earthvisitor – unfortunately you will not have any information straight away after an MRI but soon hopefully.
Nice to have you as a friend, your Mum is lovely she makes me laugh with some of her posts.
Please keep me informed of how you are getting on, hope the weather helps some of the pain for you at the moment.
Have a lovely weekend and take care, 🙂 x
LikeLike
Hi Barmac – what does the ‘pro’ stand for?
I am one of Ohtrala’s daughters and have just read your tips for dealing with chronic pain. I think your ideas for coping are excellent. Unfortunately I am challenged re the exercise bit for the pain due to a condition or set of conditions’ upon which (fingers crossed) I may have stumbled upon someone who has some insight into the issues I experience, and is therefore sending me for an MRI brain scan
I use the words ‘stumbled upon’ when I should say something like ‘limped towards’. I have a post traumatic movement disorder following a serious RTA 10.5 years ago, and apart from that have a range of other issues now such as ‘balance’ tinnitus, joint issues and so forth. On returning for a re-referral re my balance issues I chanced upon a specialist who had previously spent many years working in neurology seeing many people with movement disorders. I was very surprised when he and his colleague were very intersted in my limp when I had gone about my balance. As the appointment continued I learned that the host of issues I have could all be related to (and this specialist believed are all related to my movement disorder). I left there near to tears feeling very understood. I usually feel that I have to explain why I suddenly jerk etc etc and this time I felt it made sense to someone else. I felt less of an oddity. Thank you for your tips. best wishes. Earthvisitor.
LikeLike
Hallo earthvisitor … I think pro is short for profile.
xxxx
LikeLike
Sounds silly ohtralala but I’m not sure what it means except that I was given it when I started writing more than one blog which I now have to pay for. Thanks for referring your daughter to my blog, I hope she enjoys reading it and keeps well. :)x
LikeLike
Nowt to do with all that .. just a last word on audio books. I remember getting them for my Mum when she couldn’t concentrate on reading. I remember how she laughed at Cold Comfort Farm .. and she loved the James Herriott stories.
Now I will shut up!!!!! Honest!
xxx
LikeLike
I am definitely going to get some for Dad, I think he will really enjoy them. Thanks ohtralala xxx No need to shut up, love reading your comments and posts. Have a lovely weekend in this glorious sunshine 🙂 x
LikeLike
It is important that we learn to deal with diseases such as for example arthritis, which is a disease that the pain prevents us from acting in a complex way. We must keep an eye on taking medicines such as vicodin or lortab, to ease our pain and sometimes a short time away from the people teaches us to forget our problems. A few weeks ago I read in the Forum of Findrxonline friends suffering similar illness to seek peace in places far away from the noise and chaos in the big city. That is why it is always good to give a time for inner peace.
LikeLike
Great tips! I use an all natural pain management system with zero side effects and it actually helps my lower back pains! Worth a try! http://allnaturalpainmanagement.com/
LikeLike