Chronic Pain Today

In a few short hours I will be going to see the doctor that may or may not finally make the diagnosis of fibro in me. I’ve been diagnosed with so much along with path and yet still the doctors and labeled tests for me and shook their head as to what is wrong with me. This doctor saw me a couple of months ago, did a preliminary pressure point test on me, left saying “it definitely seems like fibro” and the was going to wait on xrays and things to make sure there wasn’t arthritis to diagnose instead. (There isn’t, I already got the results). So will he now write it down in my medical “permanent record” or will there be even more tests and hoops to jump through?

All I do know is that there are more good days now that I’ve armed myself with some books and a competent chiropractor that does acupressure treatments as well on me. It has really given me new hope that I can tolerate life better now.

Fingers crossed that the update to this post will be favorable. (Who in their right mind hopes for fibro? The tired one that is just sick of tests and the waiting)

I’ve been seeing a chiropractor for a month or more now for my fibro and other chronic pain conditions. When I went to the pain clinic the first time, I told them that I didn’t have “vicodin deficiency” I wanted no drugs (other than the Elavil I was on) just holistic treatments. He sent me to this chiro that is a godsend as he does pressure point acupressure along with other treatments along with spinal adjustments.

I went from waking up with that headache/jawache/neckache that no Tylenol can touch, to now I can go 12 days between appointments before it comes on again. That was a huge improvement to me. I see him once a week or twice a week. I caught a cold and had to wake two weeks between appointments, hence that is how I realized I can go 12 days before pain again.

There is a definite chiropractor – fibro relief connection. I don’t know precisely how, but that pressure point acupressure is wonderful in that it hurts while he’s doing it but there is so much relief from symptoms afterwards. Now that we are going into the cold months when it’s the worst for me, I’m curious to see how this continues. I’m amazed at how much better I am from such a short length of treatment so far.

What about you, dear reader. What holistic non med approach are you using for your chronic pain? Is it helping?

I was reading an article (http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/5949/47071/fibromyalgia?ic=6042 ) on how fibro can make you feel much older than you are and it got me thinking, do you feel older than you are because of your chronic pain? I know I do. It is like my body is aging three or more years for every one of other people. I’m wondering if there will be a plateau of symptoms and pain, or if that increase will keep continuing. What do you think? Do you think that chronic pain just keeps increasing as you age? Or do you think that you can reach a plateau and that symptoms and pain will just stay at that threshold?

I’m thinking that eventually there has to be a stopping point, or at least a point where it doesn’t feel any worse. (Like for me there is a cold stopping point. 20 degrees feels just as cold as 0 to me, there is that stopping point of “ok, its cold enough”.)

I welcome any and all comments on this ponderment.

In a new study that is out just recently, it seems that having migraines will reduce your risk for developing the deadly breast cancer. It seems that they may have up to a 30% less risk of developing breast cancers that result from hormones and their work. It is a incredibly fascinating read, one that if you have time you should check out.

They are saying that high amounts of estrogen in your system ups your risk of breast cancer, and that the migraines that form because of a woman having LOW estrogen will obviously show less risk of cancer. So in that sense its not the migraines that reduce your cancer, but they are a sign or symptom that you may have lowering estrogen in your system and that would signal a lower breast cancer risk.

So if you have migraines, have your estrogen level checked. You may be getting them because of it lowering and that means that while your migraines may still be treatable, you’ll still get the benefit of the added lowering of the risk of breast cancer.

Happy health to you, and don’t forget your breast self exam.

Chronic pain and clinical trials have a relationship. Most people who live with day to day pain are always searching for that one drug, that one pill, that single shot that could make the day a bit more bearable. If you are like that, then you know that clinical trials can hold the key to a treatment option, especially if your current pain management system isn’t effective.

There are several new clinical trials that are in the process of recruiting or soon to be recruiting, if you are interested please take a look at them here: http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?term=Chronic%20Pain and see if you qualify for any. There are many good things that can come out of doing this, whether its just information or quite possibly a saving grace.

Good luck on your search.