Chronic Pain Today

It’s 3 a.m. and you’re having chills and waves of nausea. Is it a side effect of the new drug you were recently prescribed or the effect of the iffy Chinese food you had this afternoon? Where do you go for advice, comfort, and information at that hour? Enter Online Support Groups.

A survey in March 1998 by Tom Ferguson M.D. at Boston’s Center for Clinical Computing and William Kelly at the Sapient Health Network showed that online health communities are significantly more helpful than even specialists in 9 of 12 healthcare aspects. The nine areas that were found to be superior were the convenience, cost effectiveness, emotional support, compassion, source of medical references, source of information, source of coping tips, death issues, and most likely to be there for the long haul. They also rated a bit higher in the area of technical medical information. Online health communities therefore seem to be a very good bet for anyone with a chronic illness. It is also a means of finding a place to go where you are both understood and appreciated. Many find that it gives them a new purpose in life; a sense of accomplishment when they help comfort someone new to their illness. But how does one pick the support group that is right for him or her?

There are a few do’s and don’ts when it comes to support groups:

DO: Be willing to share your thoughts and feelings with the community. They can’t help if they don’t know what is bothering you.
DON’T: Give out personal information such as address and identity info. Support groups are an anonymous outlet for a reason. Don’t set yourself up for identity theft.
DO: Be a good listener and communicator. If you can’t express in words how you feel, turn to emoticons (those little smiley faces that smile or frown).
DON’T: Use all caps as it’s considered shouting by online chat groups. Crazy fonts and AlTeRnAtIvE type will make others a bit standoffish around you.
DO: Welcome all new members and try to make them feel at home. Remember how you felt when you first signed on.
DON’T: Be controversial. Share recent news but avoid promoting the latest scam or quack cure.
DO: Sit back and watch the group for the first few days to get a feel for the community.
DO: Be open to new friendships. Support groups are like therapy; they don’t work with a closed mind.
DO: Think before you type. Remember there are real people behind the user name.

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Some of the more frequently asked questions regarding chronic pain.


What is Chronic Pain?

By simple definition, chronic pain is any pain that lasts over time. But really, what does that mean? Chronic pain was formerly defined as a pain that lasted over six months, then it was three months, and now it is widely accepted to be any pain that last longer than what normal healing time would be. It is also used to define pain that is caused by an unknown or incurable condition, such as fibromyalgia.


What Does Pain Mean?

Pain means different things depending on what meaning of the question you are going to answer. Learn what it means by definition, the mechanics of how pain works in your body, and the changes it takes on in the individual.


Who Is At Risk for Chronic Pain?

According to the University of Michigan Health Systems, while one in five live with chronic pain in America, most were women and many of those women were African American. Typically a woman’s chronic pain complaint was less likely to garner a reaction than their male counterparts at their health care professional’s office. Research in this area has also shown that adults over age 50 were more able to cope with their pain, while those younger were more prone to depression.


Where Should I Start in Beginning to Get a Chronic Pain Diagnosis?

Wondering what medical specialist is right for your specific chronic pain condition? There are several choices, and one is right for you. From family practitioner, to chiropractor, to pain specialists and psychiatrists, some of the different types of medical professionals are explained for you.


How Can Chronic Pain Affect My Career?

Coping with chronic pain while you are at work is a necessity. Without some changes in the workplace, you risk getting worse pain than you have originally or injuring a different area that currently isn’t in pain. Some of the injuries that you can get in the work place are neck, back, shoulder, and wrist pain. Others include eyestrain, stiffness, headaches, carpal tunnel syndrome, and repetitive strain injury. Some of these come simply by doing basic office things like typing for long periods of time or staring at a computer monitor eight hours a day, but there are things that you can do to help lessen your chances of increasing your chronic pain.