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- Chronic Pain
- Articles on this site reflect the
experiences of my wife, Angie. The info below is the result
of my interviewing her, and then posting the interview with the
corresponding resources and links on this site. We hope this helps
you conduct your own research on your unique path to wellness.
Please enjoy! Daniel.
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- Part 1: Flood your body with oxygen
- Part 2: Postural & pain relief exercises
- Part 3: Water exercising
- Part 4: Foam Rollers
- Part 5: Home massage tools for daily use
- Part 6: Osteopathic adjustments
- Part 7: Mind/body/spirit connection
- Part 8: Natural Pain Killers
Daniel: "Tell me about your
history with pain and what you've learned to do about it."
- Angie: "Chronic pain has been a constant part of
dealing with the variety of illnesses I've had. I've had to deal with
spine, neck and hip pain, muscle and joint pain from fibromyalgia, knee
pain from a cartilage problem, a frozen shoulder, bone spurs, etc. Yup,
it's been pretty extreme.
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- Over the years I've learned tactics that
have helped me to deal with the pain naturally. On "My
Current Wellness Plan" page, I go into the wellness plan I've created
for myself with the hope of overcoming the root causes of much of the
pain. Some of the things I've been doing
have already cut down my pain levels, and I'd like to share those things
with people. I'd also like to talk about what I do to
help reduce the chronic pain that's still present.
Daniel: "Most people just take medications. Do you agree with this?"
Angie: "There are a variety of areas and
ways that pain can hit,
and there are multiple causes. Many years ago I used Motrin and other NSAIDs for
severe menstrual pain. I was ultimately able to dramatically reduce the
pain through a couple of methods that got at the root cause.
My back went out and I took NSAIDS daily for back pain. For
years I would take those pills and my gut would burn. To tell you the
truth, if I could just pop a couple of pills each day and feel great
without any damage being done to my system I would. I suspect that
continual use of these had something to do with my decline in health.
They are very harsh on the digestive system and I believe the liver also.
Now I can't take them at all because I
developed allergies to the NSAIDS. I've had to find alternatives to deal
with pain. As it turns out, this has enabled me to get at some of the root
causes of pain, instead of just covering it up. It's also prevented me
from causing further damage. So I would have to say that I believe
if you can fix a root cause of pain, that's the best case scenario.
If you can't, I would try to reduce the pain in the least harmful way
possible for long term health. That's what I do with myself.
I'll share what I do to for relief for
particular types and areas of pain, as well things I do because I believe
they can impact the causes of pain.
Protocols I use for all forms of pain:
Part 1: Oxygen tactics:
(helps me with pain spine, neck, knees, shoulders,
joints, muscles, etc.)
Oxygen approaches
have made a very dramatic difference to me. I love the title of Ed
McCabe's new book. "Flood Your Body
With Oxygen". I find the more I do this, the better I feel all
the way around. It's the first thing I've found that has really started
pushing the pain back.
It is my understanding that the oxygen has an
anti-inflammatory effect, and it has certainly reduced joint and spine
pain, as well as the Fibromyalgia muscle pain. For me I suspect that the anti-viral and
anti-bacterial
effect of the oxygen has also had something to do with this.
In the book
"The Mindbody Prescription: Healing the Body, Healing the Pain"
by John E. Sarno,
he talks about the fact that when tested, most people have what look like
spinal problems, yet most don't have pain. I'll talk more about his
book later, but I have read about a theory that some pain syndromes and
problems can be caused by bacterial/fungal/viral sources in the body. What
may not cause a healthy person to have any pain, could cause excruciating
pain for someone with some type of unchecked infection. Just ask someone
with Lyme disease about body pain that's caused by infection.
There are doctors out there treating
diseases like arthritis and Fibromyalgia with antibiotics. As I've
discussed on other pages, I'm not against antibiotics under certain
conditions, but I prefer to do things that will cause the least damage
with the most impact. Many people are using oxygen approaches to
kill pathogens and increase their bodies ability to fight and to heal.
I'm a huge fan of oxygen as I feel that I've gained
some ground with these protocols.
It has changed the quality of my life! I have less pain in my neck, back,
hips, knees, muscles, etc. It's hard to describe the suffering I had,
and how the difference I feel has impacted my daily life. I have a ways to go to be pain free, but
believe me - I'm suffering less and enjoying life more with the improvement. I intend
to continue with these strategies to see how far it they will take me.
I am using two methods to introduce oxygen
into my body so far: Ozone insufflation & ozone water and
Oxy-Powder tablets. Please take
the time to read about these oxygen approaches. I'll
give you a link to my article on different OXYGEN
APPROACHES HERE for more details on how they helped and what they
are. There are also links to resources, other articles, etc. For links to
websites where you can purchase oxygen
products click here.
Part 2: Postural & pain relief exercises:
(helps me with back, neck, shoulder pain and TMJ jaw pain).
One of the things that has helped my pain levels is certain types of
gentle exercise. Not the ones that I've seen in most books, or most
of the exercises that were taught to me in physical therapy. Some of
those exercises actually made me much worse. I've been really helped
by the exercises in
Pain Free : A Revolutionary Method for
Stopping Chronic Pain by Pete Egoscue.
I try to do these every
other day, depending on how I'm feeling. If I don't feel well enough to do
it, I don't beat myself up. I just get back to it as soon as
possible.
These exercises have helped me to keep my
shoulders, head and neck where they should be, which helps with shoulder
pain. I had a frozen shoulder and this has been one of the things that
have helped prevent a reoccurrence. It's also helped with TMJ jaw
pain, etc. It's one of the things I've done that has helped to restore the
proper S curve in my spine. I think this has actually helped me with
bladder problems, probably by relieving pressure on my bladder through
better posture, and strengthening supporting muscles.
I also use many of the exercises in the
book
Taking Control of Tmj: Your Total Wellness Program for
Recovering from Tempromandibular Joint Pain, Whiplash, Fibromyalgia, and
Related Disorders
by Robert O. Uppgaard. This has helped
my with pain from the shoulders up. (We will be writing a more
detailed article on TMJ, so stay tuned.)
I was so weak at one point I really
couldn't manage any form of exercise without causing severe inflammation
flare ups. I finally decided
not to give up. I started doing exercises with one repetition.
I did arm and shoulder exercises with VHS tapes which weigh well under one pound.
Gradually things got better. I'm still not where I want to be, but
I'm not where I was. Don't give up! Start where you can, no
matter how small. start with less than you think you can do and work
up slowly.
Part 3: Water exercises:
(Helps with back, hip and muscle pain)
I use water exercise in addition to the
other approaches, and I find this to be an effective combination.
There's something about the water - it's as close to weightlessness as
someone can get without going into space. (Unless you go to Disney's
new space ride or join NASA for astronaut training.) It takes
pressure off, and the gentle motion in the heated water increases my
circulation and gets my lymphatic system pumping. Ed McCabe, in his
book about oxygen use, says that pain can be a result a stagnant lymphatic
system that keeps lactic acid from moving out. I find the water
calming, strengthening and I usually feel some relief from pain.
My favorite form of exercise in the water
is with my AquaJogger belt. It goes
around my waist and keeps me up in the water. I can then go into the
deep end and gently jogging through the water without having to touch the
bottom or hold myself up in the water. With the problems in my neck,
I am unable to swim horizontally. The
AquaJogger gives me the ability to swim without having to irritate my
neck or put my head in the water. In addition, I use the jogging belt to do skiing
motions, leg scissors, and arm exercises.
When I'm done exercising, I remove my belt
and go to the side of the pool in the deep end. I hold the wall and
allow my legs to dangle, using the weight of my hips and legs to stretch
my back muscles. This actually hurts. It's when it stops
hurting that I know I'm done. This gives me traction and I usually get
some relief from this. It's important to clear this kind of thing
with your doctor before trying it. It is an approach I was taught through
physical therapy sessions.
Part 4: Foam Rollers
(Helps with spine, back muscles, shoulders, etc.)
This is a very strange thing a chiropractor
turned me on to, that I do not see discussed on the web. It's a firm
 pole
made of foam. I actually lay on it. It seems to put my spine
in position, while releasing my muscles. This thing has saved me
many trips to the osteopath for adjustments. I also used to have a
kind of "hump" just below my neck at the top of my upper back. By
laying on this pole every day, this hump reversed. I do various
positions on it which helps press things back into position. This
has provided me with great relief. It's hard to describe exactly
what it does and how it feels, but it's one of the best pain relief things
I've found for my back. It also helps my posture. If a person
has spine damage, I would definitely ask their doctor before trying this.
It's a tool used by physical therapists. I do believe it's also
helped with my shoulders. Along with the exercises I described
before, it puts my shoulders back into the correct position.
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Part 5: Massage At Home
I love getting a massage. It feels
great while I get it, and for a little while after I feel better.
Once in a while I find it even helps for days after. It increases
circulation, gets out spasms and just feels fantastic. However,
massage is very expensive. Also, I feel like I need the massage daily. I
decided it would be less expensive in the long run to invest in some
massaging devices, than to buy a massage on a regular basis.
I bought the following items:
- Massage
chair from Human Touch Technology
Every time I went to the mall I
would just be in excruciating pain. I eventually noticed this massage
chair in Sharper Image. I would go in there and sit in that chair
for a good 20 minutes while my husband would shop around. It was heaven.
At the time the chair was $1,500, which seemed enormous to me. Finally I
figured it would be far less expensive in the long run to make this
investment than to keep paying for massages. I have this in my bedroom,
and can get my back massaged whenever I wish. I've gotten my moneys worth
and more out of it.
By the way, I liked this chair far better
than any other I tried. Even the more expensive chairs couldn't compare to
this for me. The massage hands really work my muscles effectively and it's
comfortable. I just went to Sharper Image and tried the newest
version of the chair. My older version is great but this is so much
better. They
added another two "hands" so you actually have four "hands" massaging you
at the same time. There are several other features they added, like the
calf massager and more controls, that make this chair unbelievably
heavenly. I've got a link to the new chair on the Sharper Image
site, but the older one is also available less expensively.
Click here for the resources page.
- Deep Knead
Shiatsu Massager
This does a great job on my neck.
I bought my first one many years ago, and when I wore out my first one
I bought another. I find it helps my neck and that helps my TMJ also.
Honestly there is nothing "shiatsu like"
about it. It simply rubs my neck in a way I find very effective.
I can get at the sides of my neck as well as the muscles along the spine
by moving my position. It goes in two directions, which feels great. I've
been told you can use it on your feet as well. However, I'd use a
towel on your feet for that.
There is another variety of massagers that
just vibrate. Personally, I don't care for the massagers that vibrate.
That does nothing for me, and is actually irritating. Some folks love this
though. Follow the link to the sharper
image site on the resources page.
Part 6: Osteopathic Adjustments:
(Spine pain, shoulders, muscle spasms)
Here is where I may differ from others.
I have years behind me of going to Chiropractors. I had all kinds of
approaches used on me. Several of them made things much worse for
me. I have been to several osteopaths. I have never been hurt
by the kinds of approaches and adjustments they have used. I have
gotten a great deal of relief. However for me, it has always been
temporary as my body has not been able to hold an adjustment. My spine
would "go out" very easily and daily. (I am now taking a
number of things designed to help my body strengthen and hold. I'll
let folks know how that goes).
Here's another thing I've never seen anyone
else talk about. My medical insurance changed and I only had 30
visits allowed per year for adjustments. I was going maybe twice a
week just to get some relief. I was freaked out when I realized I
would not have enough coverage.
It happened that I had two wonderful
doctors. I asked and they were kind enough to share with me how I
could achieve my own adjustments. They always did the same moves on
me, so I also worked at finding ways to reproduce the actions of their
adjustments on myself. I ran my approaches by them to make sure that what
I was doing was safe, and they confirmed that I should be ok. What I
do is actually far more gentle than what they do and I find I experience
less muscle trauma and recovery time.
I don't recommend this for most folks. I
suspect most doctors would be horrified with this. For me, it's set
me free from constant doctor visits, and from dealing with the
excruciating pain in between visits.
Part 7: Mind/Body/Spirit Connection:
I previously mentioned the book
"The Mindbody Prescription: Healing the Body,
Healing the Pain"
by John E. Sarno. In a nutshell,
Dr. Sarno believes that often pain can be the result of suppressed
emotions like anger and fear. The body creates the pain as a
diversion so the person doesn't have to focus on the emotions and the
cause of the emotions. I believe that for anyone with chronic pain,
this book is worth reading. I've seen it do a lot of good.
When reading his book, I took his
recommendations a step further when dealing with suppressed emotions. I would strongly suggest to folks
that they read the article on the Spiritual & emotional
aspects of healing.
Part 8: Natural pain killers:
There are a number of natural pain killers
that are highly effective. Although they tend to be less harsh on the
digestive system than NSAIDs and drugs like Celebrex, they are still
somewhat irritating. Still, there are some that are worth trying
such as Boswellia, white willow bark and some natural Cox inhibitors.
For some people, MSM is highly effective & non-irritating, though it takes
time for it to work.
Another thing that is effective is an
enzyme product called Wobenzyme. When taken on an empty stomach, it goes
throughout the body and digests the by product of inflammation. It
actually reduces inflammation and allows the body to calm down and heal.
I have used it successfully in the past, and am starting on it again.
It's another strategy that helps with the root cause instead of
suppressing symptoms. It is not instant but can help stop the
inflammation at it's source.
(I will be supplying links to some of these
products shortly.)
Tips
- One of the most liberating things I
learned about exercising with chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia is to only
exercise very, very gently for maybe 15-20 minutes. Under doing it is best. In
the past I would
try to work up to longer and harder exercising, as some doctors suggest to
FM sufferers. Yet it would inevitably set me back. Then I read an
article suggesting that with CFS/FM it's best to only exercise very
lightly for 20 minutes. This really helped me. Sometimes I go a little
longer, but I take it slowly and gently. It keeps me from causing
damage, creating inflammation and from overtaxing my adrenals.
- I used to get deep tissue massages when I
did have a massage. I would get rock hard spasms and felt like I wanted
them worked out. I had a masseuse refuse to do deep tissue because
of the fibromyalgia. Instead she gave me a longer (70 minutes), gentle
session where she worked the painful areas over and over in a light
fashion. It was the most effective massage I'd ever had.
- I have a Select Comfort air bed. It's one
of the best things I've bought. It takes pressure off and gives me relief.
The bed is adjustable!
- Several therapies did nothing for me.
They include accupuncture, homeopathics and cranial sacral therapy."
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