Chronic Pain Today

work is coming along well, flowing good again, back in the groove all is well. Most of the aches and pains are getting better, and the medical stuff is sorting itself out into a better groove.  On the Karma/Wellbeing front: I got a snazzy new guitar and I just love it. Same person that is doing the work and the teaching of this old dog a new trick has a RC blog on today too, so go by and check him out.

 My chiropractor came back and I saw him yesterday. Did a good adjustment and a little bit of soft tissue work on the pressure points, and although I’m sore today from it, I know that I’ll get weeks of relief from it.

Stress is still an issue, I’m caught between worrying too much about some things and worrying too little about others. Never seem to be that lovely middle ground in there. But hopefully soon.

I hope that all my readers are well and happy. Don’t forget to leave me a comment and just tell me hi;)

On PodNova there is a very good podcast on Phantom Pains: Treatment and Relief of Chronic Pain. Many times we know what is causing out pain, sometimes we don’t but we can still see the area or know its there. For those that are suffering from chronic pain because of phantoms it is a different story. Too many times, a patient will lose a limb and there will still be pain. They are looking into the effects of a possible phantom organ link as well (where an organ causing pain prior to surgery is removed and yet can continue to pump out pain responses even after removal).

 I can understand the phantom organ aspect. I had my gallbladder removed two Februarys ago and there are times when I swear that is still the pain that I’m feeling. It is a very surreal state to be in, but then I tell myself that its only psychosomatic and that I’m not really feeling it since it isn’t even there. Little comfort but its all I have to go on at the moment.

Do you or someone you know have phantom pains, either limb or organ? I’d love to hear about it, please post in the comment section if you do. And have a happy and healthy, pain free day dear readers.

Many times those of us with chronic pain limit ourselves in what we believe we can accomplish. “Why I can’t do that, I’ve <chronic pain ailment>”. It is simple to not extend ourselves to further what we ourselves believe that we can be. This president’s day I’m reminded that one of the best loved and best respected president’s that we’ve ever had took little retreats to Warm Springs, GA so that his chronic pain affliction could be tamed for a little while longer. The polio that took Franklin Delano Roosevelt may have slowed his step, but not his mind or his heart. Today, let that be a reminder that nothing can really step in the way of your dreams, but yourself.

This President’s Day, may an affirmation that you are wonderful, you are powerful, and you can move mountains. Say it enough times that you yourself begin to believe it, and then say it again.

This past week I had some peculiar pains that were out of the ordinary, some chest pains, and the makings I thought could be either  a very bad IC - or Interstitial cystitis- flare (I was HOPING for this alternative) or a UTI (urinary tract infection). With my extreme medicinal allergies and the fact that the very last antibiotic that I swallowed put me in the hospital for a week, I was hoping for the IC pain. Went through the urinalysis and they did find WBC (White blood cells) in the urine. Off to a culture so they can pinpoint what antibiotic instead of giving me a broad spectrum and perhaps having to change it mid course. The day that I was suppose to call for the results, along with the other stress of that day, make me a shivering wreck. I was sick waiting for the results. Turns out the culture didn’t grow -i.e. no bacteria was present at 48 hours of growth. I still need to wait for the results of the 72 hour but they believed it would be the same. Spent the rest of the day feeling bad because I had worked myself up that bad.

Chances are you do this to a similar degree. You fret and fret about what if and what may be instead of just dealing with it if and when that gets here. You make it all miserable whether what you are worried about turns out to be true or not. And thats never good. So take care out there gentle readers, and try for more healthy days without fear or worry. You feel bad enough, don’t make it even worse on yourself.

Today I saw on Pain.com (where I get a wealth of personal and professional information about pain and pain management) and they have a brand new podcast on “Pain is not a Disease“. I encourage everyone to pop over and watch, as its incredibly enlightening. 

They also have a front page roundup toward the bottom on the issue of breakthrough pain. This is especially timely when the body is under stress and depending on your condition (fibro and arthritis especially) cold conditions. It is 11 degrees here. In the South. In GEORGIA. Yea, we can’t cope with that. Dew point is -1. And those are numbers after the sun has come up.

SO if you or a loved one has a chronic pain condition or an issue with pain management techniques, have them take a look at the podcast and toward the bottom of the Pain.com main page. The things that they are going into with the podcast and the roundup on the breakthrough pain is very helpful and I would endorse spending a little time there and browsing if you are unfamilar with their site.