I thought it might be a good idea to have a thread like this where we can each share different things we've learned that help relieve or reduce our pain even a little.
I've now tried all the different products during a flare up and the one that works the very best, that I now love and can't live without is:
These were MUCH easier to use then the OraMoist! Another difference is that you use two at a time of these instead of just one of the Oramoist; but these stick instantly and they stay stuck whereas the Oramoist didn't. Plus, the best part is that these work the way they say they will and you get almost a full four hours of a nice moist mouth! I was lucky if the other worked for an hour when my flare was at it's worst. Another big difference to me was that the oramoist didn't always totally dissolve and regardless of whether they did or not, they left you with a nasty gooey feeling in your mouth that you literally had to clean out with a cloth or tissue each time you used them as they left a residue in your mouth. (and that residue did not keep your mouth moist) With the Xylimelts however, they dissolve completely and leave your mouth feeling fresh and clean--no yucky residue!
Oh, I wasn't able to find this locally so had to order it from Amazon, but it came within three days and wasn't expensive at all!
My biggest trick is still the soap I have to admit. I'm once again keeping a bar in my pants leg as the spasms have started up really bad in my leg again..only now instead of my calf, it's in my thigh. Soap will stop cramps, spasms, and pain!
The Anti-Arthritis Gloves are gloves designed for use by individuals with arthritis or other hand and wrist disabilities. The gloves are designed to help relieve pain while performing everyday tasks. There are lightweight half-finger gloves and three quarter finger gloves. They offer gentle controlled compression to ease pain and stiffness of arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome and control swelling. The stretchable fabric creates therapeutic warmth that increases circulation to the wearers hands fingers and wrists.
Another little trick I found for my elbow pain due to RA that really helps, especially when I'm typing is to put a little pillow on the arm of my chair. I have a little cross stitch pillow that my daughter Jennifer made me when she was in high school. It says, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee." But it's the perfect size because it's 11 inches long, 8 inches wide, and not even an inch thick. Amazingly it actually stays on the chair arm without any problem too and gives my elbow just enough padding to that it's not killing me
One of the things I've found that helps me with lower back and leg pain is lumbar underwear. Yeah, lol, I know it sounds funny LOL but they really do help. Don't get me wrong, they aren't a "tremendous" help by any means, but they do help a little and every little bit counts! Here's a picture of what I'm talking about:
Amazingly they're actually pretty comfortable! My workers comp insurance paid for them so I know if you have workers comp they will pay for them. You can get them in a number of places on line--just do a search for lumbar wear.
I've also done a number of "little things" to help keep the pain down, such as rearranging my cupboards and even my fridge so that the things I use the most are within easy reach and I don't have to bend to get them. Plus since I'm weakest in the mornings, my husband started a routine of making sure that the gallon of milk wasn't too heavy for me to pick up when I first wake up. At first we just used a small cream pitcher but that didn't hold enough if I wanted to have cereal in the morning as well as coffee lol so he started getting two gallons at a time. He used the first gallon till it was half empty and then left that one for just me and started using the second one. By the time "my" gallon is empty, "his" gallon is about half gone and it's ready for me, so then he goes and buys another gallon for him to start on. It's amazing how much little things like that help!
I have a list of "things that help when I'm in pain" printed out and taped up where I can always see it. On it are listed these things:
My Pain Toolbox: Pray, pray, pray!
Study the Bible!
light--turn on all the lights in the house and open all the shades! (it improves your mental/emotional outlook which will help you feel better physically as well)
Praise and worship music--turn it on and turn it up! (same as above)
sing along with the music
move around--(don't just stay in the same position if you're hurting badly, moving around a little can help relieve the pain, even if it's just going into a different room and sitting in a different chair for a few minutes or laying down for a few minutes etc.)
bounce on ball-- (I have a large 65cm exercise ball that my physical therapist asked me to get to help with my core strengthening exercises. I found that even just sitting on it and bouncing gently, improves my mood greatly because I generally start to giggle, LOL and again, if you improve your mental/emotional mood, the physical follows)
smile and laugh! read jokes, look at funny pictures, anything!
shower--(or soak in tub) sometimes a hot shower will help ease the pain
massage (massage from hubby or friend or a massage therapist--I got my workers comp insurance to agree to pay for me to have 2-3 massages a week during my really bad flare ups)
moist heat--you can get things that will do this and just put them in microwave, for me, my physical therapist does it for me
(for other people, ice packs help alot, so I'll add that here for you guys, but they don't help me...)
heating pad
core strengthening and stretching exercises
back brace, knee brace, arthritis gloves etc they all help some!
small footstool under my desk so I can put my feet up
cushion on arm of my chair to cushion my elbow (arthritis) you can see a pic of it here, it's really for use with a mouse but works great for my elbow lol
desk chair -- my desk chair is one of those ergonomical ones that really helps my back alot and is the most comfortable place I can sit in my house! Obviously everyone can't run right out and buy one, but we got mine at Walmart for a pretty cheap price, so if you keep looking, I'm sure you can find one too.
small round pillow in bed that goes between my knees--it helps tremendously, in fact, so much that I'm just shocked! It's the same length as a regular pillow but it's round and very squishy so it's very very comfy!
a blow up pillow for my back that my therapist gave me to use when sitting in a chair and it really helps a whole lot!!!! I can now sit in a regular living room chair or recliner, much longer!
Getting dressed every day. --The temptation for me is to not get dressed every day. Partly because it's such a chore and hassle and it hurts. But I force myself to do it anyway. I generally have to wait for several hours after I wake up, before I can move enough to do it, but then I do get dressed. The reason is simple: I've found that when I get dressed, I feel better about myself. I've found that even though I wear clothes that are comfy, that if I put on clean clothes, that look decent, even though they're comfy; brush my hair, etc. that I feel better about me in general. That in turns translates to feeling just that tiny bit better physically too. Originally when I first started having to force myself to get dressed, I told myself to do it for Bruce. I felt that he at least deserved to have a wife that looked half way decent when he got home from work. I still think that's true too, but over time realized that it was actually helping me both physically and mentally feel better.
Make an effort to socialize/fellowship with others every single day.-- Again, I realize how impossible that can be for many of us. For me, I mostly get this from being here on FH with you guys as I can't really get out much. But again, I've found that talking with others, be it in person or here on the board, helps me to feel better. I think it's because it takes my focus off of myself and puts it on other people, and that's what helps. It also keeps my brain working which is good for me too. Plus, we know that the Lord says that the more we focus on others and try to encourage them or help them, the better off we'll be ourselves, and I found that to be quite true. So the less I feel like talking, the harder I force myself to come and post anyway lol; and it always helps. I think another reason it helps too is because it helps distract me from the pain itself somewhat.
play computer games, read, or something like that to distract yourself from the pain
Next, on my computer desktop I have this written out on a note pad that says "Read when you're in pain"
The Lord has planted me where He wants me,
He has assigned me my portion and my cup. Blessed is the Lord who gives and takes away!
He is my God and in Him will I trust.
Remember: Hang in there, the pain WILL diminish and it WILL go away.... talk to the Lord and wait on Him. Find ways to distract yourself. You do NOT need more pills!!!!
WALK; take a shower; use the PATCHES; pray; praise the Lord with song! Take IBUPROFEN & FLEXERIL; use the heating pad!
hold belly button in!
BREATHING EXERCISES!
Idea: try drinking more WATER....
Remember that on your bad days, the pills really don't help anyway. But the day will pass and tomorrow will come.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 But He said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christs power may rest on me. That is why, for Christs sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, hardships, persecutions, difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
I TOLD you the pills don't help!!!
But if you're going to take them, wait at least an hour and 15 mins in between doses. If 2nd dose doesn't work, wait till it's been at least 4 hours and 15 mins since 1st dose.
Anything not done from faith is sin.
He whispers in our ear, "I love you my child, and I am here with you, lean on me; together we can get through this." Then He vows that although we may be in sorrow or pain now, that in the end our reward will bring us tremendous joy! Hang on to Him who loves you more than we could ever imagine. Let Him take your burden and carry it for now. Think instead of the day that really will come, probably sooner then we think, when we will stand in His presence and receive our rewards and be continually filled with His joy and love!
One last thing I did: When you live with pain pretty much all sensations associated with your body, are painful and I wanted to change that. I especially had a hard time making myself go to bed at night because I knew that I was going to wake up in tremendous pain, so I avoided it like the plague. (which of course didn't help) So what I've done is turned my bed into the most luxurious place in the world to be! I did it over time of course because it takes money and that's something most of us, including me, don't have much of. I found by accident a blanket that was so luxurious and soft, it just made you want to cuddle up into it. It's made of micro fleece. This material though is softer then cashmere and it's not expensive! So I got the blanket, then eventually got sheets and pillowcases made out of it, and then my favorite style of pj's made out of it! Now when it's bedtime, I look forward to it because I'm in luxury! You won't believe how soft it is, it's just incredible! I also got one of those heated mattress pads from ebay for a great price which is something I can't imagine living without now, especially since we live in New England. Last but not least, I finally found a pretty bedspread so it even looks pretty. So now bedtime is like going to an expensive spa!
Well that's pretty much what's in my toolbox besides my prescription pain meds. But I want to use those as little as possible. I look at all these things like saving pennies, because each of these things alone, may not do a whole lot. A penny by itself may not be worth much, but when they keep piling up, they can add up to quite a bit!
Edited to add: Here's another program that I use every day that's really helped me alot: Smart Diary Suite 4.5 Medical Edition
You can get the free version and if you keep an eye on giveaway of the day, they offer it once in awhile for free!
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please comment on this so we can encourage and share with each other..