Flare Magazine – BACK PAIN BLOG UK…

1. Acute Pain

Acute Pain is a pain that lasts less than 3 to 6 months, or pain directly related to tissue damage. This is the type of pain caused by a paper cut or needle prick. Other examples of acute pain are like labour pains, the pain is acute and identifiable.

Acute low back pain is defined as a pain present for up to six weeks. It could feel like an aching, stabbing, burning, or dull pain. The actual intensity of this type of low back pain could range from mild to severe and could fluctuate or move to other areas of your body like your hip or thigh area.

2. Chronic Pain

Chronic pain describes pain that lasts more than three to six months, or beyond the point of tissue healing. Chronic pain is usually less directly related to identifiable tissue damage and structural problems. Chronic back pain without a clearly determined cause, failed back surgery syndrome (continued pain after the surgery has completely healed), and fibromyalgia are all examples of chronic pain. Chronic pain is much less well understood than acute pain.

Chronic pain can take many forms, but is often described as a pain with an identifiable cause, such as an injury. Certain structural spine conditions, including degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, and spondylolisthesis, can cause ongoing pain until they are successfully treated.

3. Neuropathic Pain

Neuropathic pain could be placed in the chronic pain category, but it has a different feel than chronic musculoskeletal pain. The pain is often described as severe, sharp, lightning-like, stabbing, burning, or cold. The individual may also experience ongoing numbness, tingling, or weakness. Pain may be felt along the nerve path from the spine down to the arms/hands or legs/feet.

It is thought that the pain is caused by damage or disease affecting the somatosensory nervous system. Neuropathic pain may be associated with abnormal sensations called dysesthesia or pain from normally non-painful stimuli (allodynia). It may have continuous and/or episodic (paroxysmal) components.

Flare Magazine is the ultimate guide to Fibromyalgia, M.E & Chronic Fatigue and to help raise awareness of these conditions. The magazine was brought about through a support group in the North West. It is written by a team of 3 volunteers with contributions from members. I have also joined the team to write on Complementary Therapies. All those involved are volunteers who have FM/ME/CFS. They currently have 5 Trustees, Beth Urmston (who is one of the editors and created the magazine), Julie Britten, Cath Farrer, Sian Philips and Sara-Louise Williams ( another editor).

You can download the magazine or head to Flare Magazine website for the flip page Flare magazine where you also find all the back issues of the magazines for free download. Each back issue is available as individual pdf files or as bulk zipped files, if you require the zip files please contact the admin by clicking here.

This month’s issue number 37 is also celebrating it’s the fourth year of publication. As with past issues this magazine is full to the brim with information and this month includes, The Apology I owe to my patients with Fibromyalgia from Amanda Shelley who worked in urgent care for many years. How to manage your housework better, my article on Complementary Therapies, Common myths about CBT, all about Magnesium Baths and Epsom Salts. Vanilla is discussed in Nature’s Pharmacy section, and the usual Questions to ask your Doctor and Tummy Ticklers. Labi Sifri on something inside so strong, with Doctors, say the Darndest things (they certainly do) Fibromyalgia Awareness, Looking back at awareness and a recipe for Butterfly Cakes, and we are only halfway through the magazine.

The second half of the magazine covers The Blackpool Raffle, links to their online Shop, an article on Fibromyalgia educators could fill a vital gap in care, and Why we are fundraising for research. All about National Doughnut Week (yum, yum) and an article on Doctors by Kronically Kayt. Being drug-free with help at hand plus A Global Campaign on M.E rights. An article on supplements and Are You a parent with Fibro?, Do you know what I know and a reader offer for the N:Rem Sleep System which I have written about on a few occasions.

The last pages of the magazine cover Easy Fundraiser by shopping online, The Fibro Community, Making a complaint to the NHS, a Disabled View and a Warm Home discount. The final two chapters include groups and blogs and important notices.

It’s no wonder this magazine is distributed bi monthly with so much content put together by a voluntary team but one which I think is well worth a read. Well done Flare Magazine for putting together such in-depth information on all things Fibro, M.E and Chronic Fatigue.