Chronic Pain Today

Rest, relax, and love.

Keep in mind that alcohol isn’t going to be your friend if you are on medication or if you aren’t but still have chronic conditions. Alcohol is very drying to your body and will cause you to dehydrate much faster. Sip on something throughout the holiday parties, keep in mind your salt and sugar intake, and party smarter. The sugar may lift your spirits quickly, but they will cause a nasty crash later not to mention they are horrid workers in a chronic body. Sugar can make you more lethargic, and cause breeding grounds for yeast and thrust, something that a chronic body has enough of already.

I’m trying not to harp, but I know that many will say “oh just for the holidays” and then spend the rest of January trying to feel “right” again, instead of taking the precautions before hand and not doing the items that will cause that affect.

Good luck in your holiday parties, your festiveness, and your clean ups afterwards;)

T

I’m not talking about the food or the gifts, I’m talking about YOU. Have you prepared YOU for the holidays. You’re going to need to find some extra-strength stress relief to have throughout, make sure you don’t overeat, and keep plenty of hydrating fluids around. You’re going to have to sit down every so often, stretch a bit, and take care of yourself first. Don’t try to be Superwoman and do everything. Breathe.

For me, I know its going to be the stress that does me in. I’m not really planning much, but its going to be too much I know it. I am going to need to stretch more and breathe more, worry less and try not to do it all myself. I’m going to have to ask for help.

I hope that you have a very eased holiday season, as pain free as possible. Happy holidays.

Just a little note today, reminding people to stay hydrated. Those with chronic pain and chronic conditions can easily find themselves dehydrated. Don’t know if you are or not? Theoretically if you are peeing any color at all, you’re on your way to being dehydrated. You would need to be intaking enough liquid to keep your pee colorless. This will help with our med consumption,  as many on chronic pain remedies (pain meds, antidepressants, etc) will cause constipation, so this hydration will also help in that.

Keep in mind that there are those foods items that can help out in that field. Lettuce is hydrating, so is watermelon. Check out what foods are ones that contain a lot of water. On hot days, stay hydrated by making popsicles, jello, and things like that. Remember that soups and items (hold the salt!) can also be very hydrating. Limit your intake of salt as this has a countereffect on the water intake.

Stay healthy this holiday season dear readers, and keep a nice full container of water nearby.

Have you heard of vulvodynia? Not too many are willing to talk about it. I’m blessed not to have the issue (I’ve plenty of my own issues, thanks) but I would love to throw it out there for those of you who may have it. This is categorized as pain around the vulva area. This is really complex and deserves discussion. As a woman who is cursed with a condition that affects sex and sexual functions herself, I can empathize with those that have this affliction. If you have it, how do you deal with it?? I’m curious to hearing any patient stories on this. Please comment if you or someone you know has this, or add to the patient stories in the vulvodynia link above.

According to the ACOG (American college of Obstetrics) :

“Women with vulvodynia may have some of these feelings around vulva:

• Burning
• Stinging
• Rawness
• Itching
• Aching
• Soreness
• Throbbing
• Swelling “

So if you have any of the above symptoms, please get more information on this chronic pain condition that affects women. We need to arm ourselves with the knowledge that pain is a symbol that something is wrong, and that “hurting just to be hurting” is not an option. Arm yourself with knowledge.

My chiropractor’s wife is having a baby and so that means that he is taking a multiweek hiatus on the pain management clinic. It has been 11 days since I’ve had an adjustment and the pressure point therapy AND the soft tissue work on my neck. I feel like I’m in withdrawal. I’m trying to remember all the things that he said I could do at home that would recreate what he does in the office, but to no avail. It was amazing how different I felt after seeing him after just a few weeks. His fee is totally worth it.

In another light. My LBS (low blood sugar) is getting extremely wonky right now. I’m not sure if it is related to me trying to get sick or what, but its been giving me fits later in the day and evening. I wanted to go out tomorrow evening like normal people, but now I’m afraid that I’m going to be symptomatic like I was last night again and ruin it for everyone.

I’m ready for 2009, who’s with me??