Hi All,
Been searching and i know some of you been talking about pain managment etc and i rembered this article was some help so some people on the APLSUK site please take it as an article of information it may be useful it may not but thought you would like to read it.
Paddy
Pain Free Exercise?!
I can't Imagine!
As MANY OF YOU KNOW - OR HAVE
experienced - chronic pain is a debilitating condition that affects a person's lifestyle by
limiting their ability to perform daily behaviors and to participate in activities
they enjoy The individual will often get caught in a vicious cycle of pain leading
to inactivity; inactivity leading to deconditioning, and deconditioning leading to
progressively increased stress on the body and more pain. As you can only imagine this
takes a toll on the individual both physically and psychologically.
The good new is there are conservative alternatives to medication and pain injections.
Regular exercise is one form of treatment that has been proven time and time again to have a positive
effect on individuals suffering from chronic pain, particularly if the source of the
pain is from Fibromyalgia syndrome or Arthritis. Now, those of you who suffer from chronic pain,
I know what you are thinking. "How do you expect me to exercise when I am in this
much pain?" My answer is, imagine an environment where you are weightless,
warm, and pain free. Sounds good, doesn't it? Now imaging not needing an assistive
device to walk around. Imagine that instead of cringing in pain as you reach for that
object on the top shelf; that your arm actually floats right up to grasp it. Imagine
coming up from a deep squat without a groan. Imagine bounding up the steps like
a child. Sounds like an interesting place, doesn't it? The good new is that place is
not an Imaginary land where you can never gain entry That place actually exists in
water. Water has a number of qualities that assist in diminishing pain, all the while
building strong muscles and establishing pain free joints to help us get around in our
world. The buoyancy of water allows us to be weightless, or any variation there of; thus
exerting a minimal amount of compression on our joints. To clarify; if you stand waist
high in water, you are experiencing half of your normal body weight. If you stand
neck deep you are only 10% of your normal body weight and if you are suspended,
you are experiencing weightlessness. Water also provides the static pressure, which is
actually a circumferential force similar to panty hose or compression hose - only
without the struggle of putting them on and off This circumferential force whorls
to increase circulation back to the core of the body and decrease swelling in the lower
extremities. This is important because inactivity and deconditioning of the body's
muscular structures can increase pain due to poor circulation or stagnant fluid
collecting around muscles and joints Water also provides a natural resistance to
our movements in the form of viscosity, turbulence and surface tension. The
viscosity of water provides resistance 12 times that of air.
You are able to improve muscle tone and strength with simple pain-free movements
of the body through the water. Turbulence is created when an object moves through
and disrupts the water, and can be used to resist or assist movement. Finally, surface
tension creates additional resistance of a breaking through from water to
air. For those individuals that feel their pain is exacerbated by the cold, it is
important to find a pool between 88 and 94 degrees Fahrenheit. This eliminates the
temperature gradient between skin and air. An added bonus is the fact
that the tactile stimulation of the water also helps to decrease pain by negating or
blocking pain signals to the brain.
Aquatic exercise is available in many forms. Many health clubs have come to
discover the benefits of aquatic exercise for their clients and now provide a pool facility
as well as a wide range of classes. A better alternative for individuals who have medical
precautions, or are not quite physically ready to begin an exercise program on their own, is
aquatic physical therapy provided by a licensed physical therapist. Ask your doctor
what aquatic physical therapy can do for you.
What is Chronic Pain?
Chronic pain is pain that continues a month or more beyond the usual
recovery period for an injury or illness or that goes on for months or years due to a
chronic condition. The pain is usually not constant but can interfere with daily life at
all levels. With help from the American Chronic Pain Association (theacpa.org),
here are some tips for you and your family to better understand and
manage chronic pain.
Is my pain all In my head?
This question is often asked by people who have been told
that they will have to learn to live with their pain At times, it is
difficult to pin down a specific physical
cause for the pain. But that does not lessen
the suffering. When we experience any
pain, it is in both our bodies and minds.
We cannot separate the physical and psychological affects any situation has on us.
How can I make my family understand how much pain I'm in?
There is no way for another person to feel your pain. It is more important for them
to understand what their role is in helping you manage the pain. The ACPA Family
Manual is an. excellent resource for family members. It can help them realize that
while family members dont feel the physical pain, their lives are affected in much
the same way as that of the person with pain. Throughout the book they may read
what others who live with a person with pain have to say and learn how to
with the changes in their life and yours.
I don't understand why my doctor is asking me to take a new medicine.
How can I find out more about what it is for and ways it
might effect me?
The best way to have all your question
answered is to ask your doctor. But visits to the doctor can be emotional and often
we don't think about questions until we
have returned home. If this happens, you
can call the doctor's office and speak to a
nurse for more information. You also can
ask your pharmacist for information
about your prescription. Or, log on the
web site of the pharmaceutical company
that makes your medication. Many of
them now have useful patient education
materials. Remember, only a health car
provider or pharmacist can answer you
questions about your medication.
What is a multidisciplinary pain management program (MPP)?
AMPP offers a variety of skills taught by trained staff to help a person better manage his or her pain.
These programs may not offer a cure, but they can help to improve the quality of
life and at the same time reduce the over whelming control
that pain can have on daily life. Visit the
section titled Choosing a Multidisciplinary Pain Program at theacpa.org
How do l find out more information about my pain problems?
Most chronic pain conditions have an organization that is
designed to provide specific information about cause,
treatment, and research. Visit the Resources section of
theacpa.org for a complete listing.
Ten Steps - From Patient To Person
Making the journey from patient to person takes time.
The isolation and fear that can overwhelm a person with
chronic pain grows over time. And the return to a fuller,
more rewarding life also takes time. It's a journey with many phases.
The ACPA describes these phases 'as Ten Steps.
STEP 1: Accept the Pain -
Learn all you can about your physical condition
Understand that there may he no current cure and accept that you will need to deal
with the fact of pain in your life.
STEP 2: Get Involved -
Take an active role in your own recovery. Follow
your doctor's advice and ask what you can
do to move from a passive role into one of
partnership in your own health care.
STEP 3: Learn to Set Priorities -
Look beyond your pain to the things that
are important in your life. List the things
that you would like to do. Setting priorities can help you find a starting point to
lead you back into a more active life.
STEP 4: Set Realistic Goals -
We all walk before we run. Set goals that are
within your power to accomplish or break
a larger goal down into manageable steps.
And take time to enjoy. your successes
STEP 5: Know Your Basic Rights
We all have basic rights. Among these are right to be treated with respect, to say
no without guilt, to do less than hurnanly possib1e, to make mistakes, and to not
need to justify our decisions, with words of pain.
STEP 6: Recognize Emotion
Our bodies and minds are one. Emotions directly affect physical well being. By
acknowledging and dealing with your feelings, you can reduce stress and decrease
the pain you feel.
STEP 7: Learn to Relax -
Pain increases in times of stress. Relaxation exercises are one way of reclaiming control
of your body. Deep breathing, visualization, and other relaxation techniques can
help you to better manage the pain you live with.
STEP 8: Exercise -
Most people with chronic pain fear exercise. But unused
muscles feel more pain than toned flexible ones. With your doctor, identify a modest
exercise program that you can do safely. As you build strength, your pain can decrease.
You'll feel better about yourself, too.
STEP 9: See the Total Picture -
As you learn to set priorities, reach goals, assert your basic rights, deal with your
feelings, relax, and regain control of your body, you will see that pain does not need
to be the center of your life. You can choose to focus on your abilities, not your
disabilities. You will grow stronger in your belief that you can live a normal life in
spite of chronic pain.
STEP 10: Reach Out -
It is estimated that one person in three suffers with some form of chronic pain. Once you
have begun to find ways to manage your chronic pain problem, reach out and share
what you know Living with chronic pain is an on going learning experience. We all
support and learn from each other.
Coping Skills
Coping skills arc techniques that can be helpful in managing pain. ACPA
groups build on these coping skills:
We do not dwell on physical symptoms of pain.
We focus on abilities, not disabilities.
We recognize and talk freely about our feelings about pain and its control
over our lives. We do not make judgments. Group discussions are confidential.
We use relaxation exercises to help ease the tension that increases pain and
redirect attention away from our pain and suffering.
We demonstrate mild stretching exercises and encourage you to do them
daily, if your doctor approves.
We set realistic goals and evaluate them weekly. This helps members to see
that their desires can be achieved, one step at a time.
We recognize our basic rights, including the right to make mistakes, the
right to say no, and the right to ask questions.
What We Have Learned
In 20 years of helping each other, we have learned a lot. Here is a bit of that wisdom:
* We need the support of others who experience and understand chronic pain.
* Recognizing emotions helps us to understand ourselves.
*While our pain is certainly not all in our heads, attitudes and expectations
do make a difference.
* Learning how to relax is essential. It helps prevent tension and redirects our
attention on to things we have some control over.
* Staying active, within realistic limits, can help us remain flexible and strong
and reduce our sense of suffering.
* It is important to set realistic goals and chart our progress toward them.
* Chronic pain not only involves the person with pain but the family as well.
* Hearing others talk of similar feelings and experiences caused by pain reduces
our isolation.
* There are no wrong feelings.
* Half the battle is won when you begin to help yourself
Your Basic Rights
People with chronic pain are often
"people pleasers." We find it hard to express our needs and require that others
respect them. And when our needs are not met, tension is increased and
our pain seems worse. But you do have the Same basic rights that you grant to
others. You have the right to:
1. Act in a way that promotes dignity ad self~respect.
2. Be treated with respect.
3. Make mistakes.
4. Do less than you are humanely capable of doing.
5. Change your mind.
6. Ask for what you want.
7. Take time to slow down and think before you act.
8. Ask for information.
9. Ask for help or assistance.
10. Feel good about yourself
11. Disagree.
12. Not have to explain everything you do and think.
13. Say "no" and not feel guilty.
14. Ask why.
15. Be listened to and taken seriously when expressing your feelings.
See the American Academy of Pain Medicine. painmed.org
and American Board of Pain Medication abpm.org
and Choosing a Multidisciplinary Pain Program at theacpa.org
END
APS and lung/muscular pain
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