Morning all
It's that time of the week again and maybe you're feeling a little flat after having a busy week at work, or, with through spending quality time with your family during the holiday time. Maybe things a re a bit stressful at the moment.
This week’s Fluffie post is all about relaxation which is a useful aid to our daily management of Pain and Fatigue, anxiety/stress/depression, which are a couple of things that as Fibromite/Spoonies we are often battling against. This is a chance to share how you deal with relaxation remember that what may be natural to many of us isn’t so obvious to people who are newly diagnosed so let’s share and give them some inspiration.
Pain management medical professionals from far and wide often have relaxation incorporated into their Pain Management Programs/Courses because they often look at dealing with pain using a holistic approach, meaning they like us to look after each aspect of our health Physical & Mental
There are many Relaxation techniques/methods that can be used for pain/fatigue or anxiety/stress/depression.
Links for reading and info are at the bottom of this post
What relaxation methods do you use, or, have adopted/adapted?
1) Do you lay down in the P&Q listening to the sounds of nature, don the ear plugs and disappear to another universe using guided Imagery as a method of distraction/escapism?
2) Do you opt for a massage or hot stones, alternative/complementary therapies as a spa pampering treat,
3) Do you practice Progressive Muscular Relaxation (PMR), Practise Yoga, Tai-Chi or other light exercise therapy, breathing exercises….???
Or,
4) Have you adapted your own personal relaxation routine?
How does your relaxation routine help you, what benefits do you gain from doing it?
>Have you found that you can manage your pain better since introducing relaxation to your daily routine? Remember we will probably never be completely free of the pain we must be in the mind-set of knowing that in reality we can only manage it & not cure it!
>Do you practice to help control depression, anxiety or stress and does it work for you, in what ways is it beneficial. {i]Health anxiety is not uncommon with invisible illnesses such as Fibro due to the ‘antiquated’ opinions of some medical professionals and the traumatic length of time it takes to get diagnosed or to find the correct treatments
>Does it help to improve your sleep pattern or levels of fatigue?
>Please remember that it can take a while to get the hang of some techniques so try not to give in after one or two attempts but keep practising. If after a while the technique still isn’t working for you then it may be an idea to try a different method, see point A below
After considering the above:
If you don’t already practice relaxation would you consider trying to add it to your daily routine, here’s a few things to remember?
A) It is advisable and good practice to speak to your GP if considering new treatments and therapies as they may be able to help you and point you in the right direction or even be able to refer you. They know your medical history and, also which medications that you take.
B)Your regular Pharmacist may also be a good place to get advice and support from too regarding alternative/complementary treatments/medicines and so on.
C)Please, please remember that buying herbal remedies and cure-all’s ‘online’ can be a risky thing to do so be careful and do your research first. If you’re not sure about something please ask someone appropriate like your GP or local pharmacist for advice. Many of them are scams by people who aren’t even qualified that pretend to be medical professionals so be wily at all times!
It also good to remember when discussing these things that although we are all the same as in having fibro, chronic pain & fatigue that we are all actually unique with our own illnesses. This means that a treatment which works for me isn’t necessarily going to work for everyone else, so, it’s good to keep an open mind, whilst also making sure that it is a quality treatment that you are receiving.
Also note that I'm not a medical professional just a fellow fibromite/spoonie sharing some info. This post is open to social media Twitter and FaceBook
Wishing you all wellness and sending healing & Energising Fluffies to you all
Xxx Fluffmeister
Links for reading and info
Mayo Clinic: Stress Management & Relaxation techniques
mayoclinic.org/healthy-life...
"During visualization, try to use as many senses as you can, including smell, sight, sound and touch. If you imagine relaxing at the ocean, for instance, think about the smell of salt water, the sound of crashing waves and the warmth of the sun on your body."
(Above excerpt is from the relaxation techniques link to the mayo clinic above) 
Medical Dictionary-thefreedictionary: - Guided Imagery Definition - very good descriptions and reference material.
medical-dictionary.thefreed...
NHS Choices: Relaxation tips to relieve stress
nhs.uk/conditions/stress-an...
patient.co.uk: Relaxation exercises - Discusses muscular relaxation techniques
patient.info/health/relaxat...
WebMD: Guided Imagery - Topic Overview
webmd.com/balance/stress-ma...
WebMD: RELAXATION THERAPY
webmd.com/vitamins-suppleme...
"Relaxation therapy is used for stress, fatigue, anxiety, depression, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). It is also used for fear of social situations (social anxiety and social phobia) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Some people try it for pain, including headache and jaw pain associated with temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ). Other uses included relief of cancer treatment side effects, high blood pressure, congestive heart failure (CHF), metabolic syndrome, and many other conditions."
(Above excerpt is taken from WebMD link above)
But my memories are intact 
Just a bit fun :)Quiz: Migraine Myths and Facts
The Expert Patient Programme
