What words would you use to describe your pain?

[Mhairi54]

I often find it difficult to find the words to describe my pain, and I was just wondering what words other people use to describe their pain? I often think of my pain as stinging or burning (although that is definitely better than it used to be). When I was at the height of my flare last spring/summer it felt as though I had broken glass across my back. Just wondering if we all experience a similar type of pain?

[Matilda7]

The soles of my feet, and recently my ankles and lower legs definitely burn and sting. I agree it's hard to explain to other people, such odd sensations, but very debilitating, and all made worse by the heat. I also have numb, lumpy areas on the soles of my feet.

[hawker955]

Stinging or burning nowadays. In the early, pre-treatment days it was like working with two sprained wrists. Luckily I have no pain or swelling like that now. Thanks to Humira.

[Eiram50]

Sharp , burning, stinging and mist of all- relentless !

Hope you're as good as can be this morning.

Marie

[Matalow]

My feet feel as if I'm walking barefoot on a pebble beach,ouch😢

Regards Mike

[sylvi]

I have a problem with a muscle in my shoulder and i said the other day it is worse than being in labour,i have cried with the pain just laterly.xxxxx

[lynz1983]

when my hips flare up they feel like someone is stood behind me with there hands on my hips and thumbs in my spine pushing in at the spine and pulling/twisting my hips.

[Hairdevine in reply to lynz1983]

So hard to sleep isn't it ? My pain makes it so tuff to move around in bed

[lynz1983 in reply to Hairdevine]

yeah I find sometimes it helps if I put a pillow under my left hip as that side is the worst as I have a screw in my left hip for a sufe I think it just takes the pressure off abit

[Matilda_1922]

I find it hard to explain. I use the word "burning" but last time it was mistaken for nerve pain.

It's really difficult to get over how you feel, pain etc to health professionals.

[Gnarli]

Grinding pain in joints filled with broken glass or joints being inflated with red hot glue. Howzat?

[Lucy11]

I've been well controlled for awhile now but before I often told my doctor it felt like a toothache in the bones of my hands and feet.

[LizzieR]

I'm afraid that most of the ways I describe my pain are unprintable

I do use pain meditation though I.e. instead of howling and screaming pain, you try and name the feeling exactly e.g hot, tingling, etc. It helps me a lot but in the end I usually reach for the unprintable words again!

For doctors, words like grinding, like being stabbed, electric shocks... Etc.

[Mhairi54 in reply to LizzieR]

I often resorted to unprintable words too when I was at the height of my flare!! Now, although my pain is much better than it was, I feel as though I'm stuck in a place where I'm better than I was but still not where I'd like to be. Very frustrating!

[Hidden]

My worst pains are the nerves in my head. Before being diagnosed with OA, the only way i could describe it, was, 'it feels like someone is constantly flicking every single nerve in my head'. Now been on Gabapentin since, even though my OA has got worse & told there's not alot that can be done, i still feel those nerve pains, but not so excruciating. I put up with it & carry on as much as possible. 😞

[helixhelix]

Burning, stinging, throbbing, deep aches and painful stiffness are the most common. But it's all so subjective...and I have no idea how the degree of pain I feel relates to others' experiences. How do you tell if you have a high or low pain threshold?

But generally when talking to doctors I don't bother to describe the pain, but focus on how it affects me. So at its worst the pain was at a level where I couldn't sleep, couldn't move parts of my body, couldn't eat and couldn't look after myself (cut up food, wash, etc). These days its far, far better so more about not being able to grip well, walk distances or regularly sleep beyond 4am when I wake up as so stiff. I've found that doctors seem to understand this better as it's more objective.

[Mhairi54 in reply to helixhelix]

That's how I've been describing it - how it affects my ability to function, but then that's probably the OT in me!! I agree, it is such a subjective thing. Bloody awful is how I'd describe it!!

[Ali_H]

I am very lucky re the pain department but on the odd flare I describe my Joints as 'blow torch hot'.

Ali

[Liz1962]

Just very heavy legs and arms, feels like I'm walking in to the ground with pebbles in my shoes xx

[Entero]

For me inflammatory pain has a way of putting my teeth on edge, like when accidentally biting into a bit of tinfoil- as you do!

[Mhairi54 in reply to Entero]

Even the thought of that makes me flinch!

[rumbly]

i call it butt cheek pain and described it as a electric shock about a 10cm dash.

[Mmrr]

Burning, crunching, throbbing.

Then chilled and empty othertimes