Make Pain a Thing of the Past – Health and Wellness – Physician Partners of America

Phantom Limb Pain: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

Amputations are one of the most difficult medical experiences a person can go through. Not only is one’s mobility and lifestyle affected but the grief of losing an appendage can turn someone’s life around. In many cases, both the body and mind have trouble adjusting to the loss of a limb which can result in some unexpected symptoms, including phantom limb pain.

Phantom limb pain is a common occurrence among amputees but is often difficult to talk about because of the physical and emotional experiences that go along with it. Don’t be afraid to talk to your doctor and ask for support. The sooner you seek help, the easier it is to recover from these symptoms.

What is phantom limb pain?

Phantom limb pain is a side effect of amputations in which the patient feels pain in a limb that was amputated. This is similar to phantom limb sensations, where the amputee still feels as if the limb is there. However phantom limb pain is typically more debilitating, as the pain is just as intense as if the limb were still attached to the body.

While phantom limb pain is most common in patients who have lost arms or legs, it can be felt by patients who have lost eyes, tongues, breasts, or other body parts.

What causes phantom limb pain?

It can be both frustrating and confusing for patients to experience phantom limb pain. We think of pain as a physical response to external stimuli; so, if the stimuli aren’t there, why is the pain? For decades, doctors believed that this condition was solely a psychological phenomenon. However current research suggests that patients are actually experiencing the brain’s way of “rewiring” the nerves after amputation. Your nervous system is highly complex and the brain needs time to understand your body’s new “layout” before it can begin to process external stimuli correctly.

It is believed that part of phantom limb pain is the brain’s way of warning the body that something is wrong. When the nerves are damaged or missing at the site of the amputation your brain received new signals that aren’t in alignment with what it understood before. Therefore, it sends pain signals as a sort of “memory” of where the limb used to be. Your brain is simply trying to catch up with your body.

Approximately 8 out of 10 patients experience some form of phantom limb pain after amputation. Some of the factors that can increase the likelihood of phantom limb experiences include:

  • Angina (chest pain due to low oxygen to the heart)
  • Changes in temperature or barometric pressure (similar to how the weather affects arthritis patients)
  • Constipation
  • Shingles
  • Physical touch
  • Smoking
  • Emotional stress

Symptoms of Phantom Limb Pain

Phantom limb pain is your brain’s way of adjusting to amputation and typically gets better with time. However, it is very common for amputees to experience one or more of the following symptoms while they are physically and emotionally healing from their amputation:

  • Stabbing or aching pain in the area of a lost limb
  • Pain near the amputation site after the body has healed
  • Pain in the area of the amputated limb farthest from the body (for example, pain in the hand of an amputated arm)

This condition can be exacerbated by emotional stress and real pain at the site of the amputation, either from the healing process or from an uncomfortable prosthetic. However, with the help of a specialist, you can seek lasting relief from your pain.

How to treat phantom limb pain

Phantom limb pain is difficult to treat because it originates in the brain rather than the body. A variety of treatment options exist and are typically tailored to the patient’s history and severity of their symptoms. In addition to medications and interventional medicine, several unconventional therapies have proven effective, such as:

  • Mirror box: A mirror box is a device that helps patients to visualize the missing limb as if it were there, helping the brain process and reduce the pain. For example, a patient with an amputated leg sits with the mirror facing their intact leg. They can then do exercises or move their leg to visualize the other leg as if it were still there. This has shown to help some patients reduce phantom limb flare-ups.
  • Acupuncture – Acupuncture is used for a variety of chronic conditions and is showing promising results with phantom limb patients. Acupuncture works to trigger self-healing mechanisms in the body, and is widely accepted in the medical community as a treatment for chronic pain.

If traditional therapies have not worked for you in the past, talk to PPOA about other treatment options. We take a holistic approach to pain management that utilizes a variety of techniques and medical interventions to provide you with long-lasting relief. To learn more about your options, contact your local PPOA office today.

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What Is Tech Neck?

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The rapid rate of technology growth experienced in the 21st century affects more than our lifestyles and modes of communication. While technology has broadly advanced our ability to connect online, it is also making permanent changes to the way our brains and bodies work. One of the most prominent issues clinicians see is “tech neck” or muscle issues created from the constant gaze down into the phone or computer screen. 

Even before COVID-19 shutdowns and the work-from-home phenomenon, Americans average three or more hours of daily mobile phone use. This doesn’t account for laptop use either, which means that the average desk job worker’s amount of time looking down at a screen is likely much more. While many folks try to combat the poor posture that this work style can cause, tech neck is invasive in our free time as we browse social media and the internet on our phones. 

If you are experiencing neck or shoulder strain and can’t find a cause, tech neck might be the culprit. Below are some symptoms to look out for and ways to prevent permanent damage from tech neck. 

What Is “Tech Neck?”

Tech neck is the strain of your neck muscles from looking down for extended periods. This type of pain did not become common outside the workplace until the advent of the smartphone, as most people look down to browse. The longer people spend on their devices, the more likely they will cause undue stress on their necks and develop recurring issues. 

Complications of Tech Neck

If three or four hours of browsing can cause chronic stiffness, those who spend a day at computers without proper desk posture can develop chronic severe pain issues due to tech neck. Muscles can weaken and tear, and when coupled with incorrect sleeping posture, you can permanently damage your neck, leading to chronic pain. This can radiate down the shoulders and spine, causing discomfort for you at all times of the day. 

Tech neck can also strain the discs in the cervical spine, causing them to bulge or rupture. This will lead to severe pain that can require surgery to remedy. While rare, these injuries occur solely due to posture and can develop over time if not appropriately prevented. 

How To Prevent Tech Neck

There are several ways you can prevent tech neck at home and work with simple adjustments to your space and lifestyle: 

  • Sit upright with correct posture, and invest in a work chair that offers lumbar support and comfort when sitting back. 
  • Exercise regularly to ensure your muscles receive proper stretching and strengthening. Neck stretches can help alleviate stiffness and pain. 
  • Take breaks from desk work to move, and limit screen time off work to ensure you’re not developing a chronic problem. 
  • Be mindful of your position throughout the day to ensure you’re not slouching or looking down for long periods.
  • Invest in a comfortable pillow to provide your neck with more significant support at night. 

If your neck pain is chronic and severe, you may have spinal issues that need to be addressed with a doctor. To learn more about your options for chronic neck pain, contact your local PPOA today!

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Best Treatment Options for Joint Pain

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Arthritis and joint pain are the most common conditions we treat at PPOA. This condition is prevalent in about 30% of U.S. adults aged 45 to 64 and climbs to close to 50% for those 65 and older. However, we believe that many more people experience arthritis in their life and simply don’t report it to their physician because they believe nothing can be done. 

Chronic pain is not normal, and it does not have to affect your life negatively forever. If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms in your joints, there is likely a treatment available for you with PPOA: 

  • Constant joint pain or stiffness
  • Joint pain that worsens due to weather, time of day, or during simple activities that should not cause pain
  • Stiffness, tingling, or numbness in the joints or extremities
  • Swelling in the joints
  • Joint pain from an injury that lasts beyond average recovery time
  • Symmetrical joint pain

These are all common signs of arthritis and other joint conditions that may develop into chronic pain. If these symptoms persist after an injury or cannot easily be explained, you may be developing arthritis. PPOA is here to help you remedy your joint pain so you can go back to living an active lifestyle pain-free. Below are just a few of the options we provide: 

Physical Therapy and At-Home Practices

Typically, our first step is the least invasive options – physical therapy and lifestyle changes. If your joint pain is caused by poor posture, work-related stress, obesity, or poor healing of an old injury, we guide you through exercises and alterations that can heal joint pain. Even if these remedies are not our only step, they are typically included in the treatment plan to help you relieve pain and prevent worsening of the condition. 

Medications and Injections

For joint pain due to injury or another temporary condition, we often prescribe topical treatments, medications, or injections to reduce pain and swelling and expedite the healing process. While we try to avoid these as long-term solutions to prevent dependency on medication, we believe that all solutions should be utilized to ensure immediate and quick relief of your symptoms. 

Regenerative Medicine

Regenerative medicine is a novel treatment that uses your stem cells to help repair damaged joints. This long-term solution allows the body to improve naturally without extended medication use or invasive procedures. It can help treat and prevent the progression of arthritis and is a favorite among patients because of its incredible results. 

Surgical Intervention

In cases of severe arthritis or joint pain due to injury, surgery may be your best option for long-term relief. Conditions like carpal tunnel and other injury-related chronic conditions may require these sorts of interventions due to the severity of the injury and difficulty repairing it. While surgery may seem like an undesirable option, the experience at PPOA is unlike other hospitals. We provide one-on-one care and ensure your stay is as quick and comfortable as possible. Surgery can be scary, but at PPOA, you are in excellent hands. 

PPOA helps patients across the U.S. find lasting relief for joint pain. If you are experiencing daily pain or joint discomfort that gets in the way of work and play, give your local clinic a call to learn what options are suitable for you.

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Can Exercise Improve Chronic Pain?

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How To Keep Moving While Recovering

When you’re in pain every day, exercise might not be the first thing on your list of to-dos. If it’s hard to get out of bed or make it to the shower without cramps, aches, or sudden pain, you may feel like the best option is to rest as much as possible. Unfortunately, while this may be the case in some circumstances, a lack of exercise may also be making your chronic pain worse.  

Everyone’s circumstances are different, but most patients see improvement in symptoms when exercise is a part of daily life. Talk to your doctor about safe exercise for your physical well-being and the best activities to improve your symptoms. 

Will exercise help my chronic pain?

In most cases, we recommend patients exercise per their physical condition. For example, someone with a slipped disc should not be participating in aerobic exercise, but they may be able to stretch or take short walks to improve their mental health. 

Below are just a few of the benefits of exercise that can help motivate you to get started: 

Exercise can help strengthen joints and muscles.

Muscle strain or weakness can cause chronic pain, such as carpal tunnel and arthritis. In addition, when the muscles are overworked or used in only one way, they can become weakened and tired. By incorporating exercise that strengthens those muscles, you can help reduce your pain. 

Exercise can help maintain a healthy weight.

Weight gain happens for many reasons, but regardless of the cause, excess weight puts more stress on your joints and skeletal system. If you’re dealing with joint or spinal pain, maintaining a healthy weight can reduce the strain on your body and help lessen the pain. Talk to your doctor about safe weight loss exercise and other options if medical issues are causing weight gain. 

Exercise improves mental function.

When battling chronic pain, it is common to feel depressed, anxious, or generally less motivated. Unfortunately, when you stop exercising, these secondary symptoms only get worse. By exercising to the best of your ability, you can improve your mood and lessen the mental burdens that come with chronic pain.

What types of exercise are best for chronic pain?

Chronic pain may limit your mobility, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up on exercise entirely. Low impact exercises can build muscle strength and cardiovascular strength without increasing pressure on the bones, muscles, and joints. Below are just a few examples of low-impact exercises you can comfortably do at home, based on your physical needs. 

  • Yoga 
  • Low impact cardio such as walking 
  • Pilates
  • Swimming
  • Biking 

Can I exercise while recovering?

If you are recovering after a chronic pain procedure such as surgery, you need to speak to your doctor about appropriate exercise for your recovery time. Surgery puts a lot of strain on the body, so it’s best to take it easy and only exercise as you and your doctor are comfortable. If you are recovering well, start slow with short walks around the neighborhood or gentle yoga sessions until you feel back to normal. And, if pain worsens or you experience other symptoms after surgery, talk to your doctor to ensure your activity level is not too high for your recovery. 

PPOA takes a comprehensive approach to pain relief, including exercise, physical therapy, and other solutions. Your wellness as a whole is considered, and we provide customized solutions for your pain problems. To learn more about PPOA’s holistic approach to pain management, contact your local office today!

 

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What is Causing my Calf Cramps?

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Leg cramps are a common pain we all experience throughout life. After a long hike, an intense swim, or when feeling dehydrated, we can all experience a minor twinge in the calves that make us sit and rest for a while. But what if your calf cramps aren’t happening just now and then? If you’re experiencing calf or leg cramps frequently, you may be experiencing a muscle injury or chronic pain condition. 

This article will explore the various causes, symptoms, treatments, and prevention methods for calf pain. However, if you believe something serious is going on, it is always best to contact your pain specialist for a consultation and diagnosis. 

What is causing my calf cramps?

Calf cramps happen for several reasons. Sometimes, overexertion of the muscles or dehydration can cause temporary calf strain. However, recurring issues can worsen your calf cramps or have them coupled with shin splints and other injuries. 

Dehydration or low electrolytes –

Your muscles depend on water and electrolytes to function during exercise. If you aren’t drinking water and replenishing your body with electrolytes like potassium and magnesium, you could be doing your body a disservice. 

Too much exercise

Muscle strain will happen if you increase your exercise regimen too much or too fast. It would help if you paced yourself to see the results you want without ending up with an injury. 

Lack of pre-workout stretching

Stretching before a workout loosens up the muscles and prepares them for more challenging work ahead. If you start a 5K run after sitting all day, you’ll likely injure yourself and have calf cramps later. 

Pre-existing medical conditions

Sometimes, calf cramps signify an underlying condition that needs medical attention. Contact your doctor immediately if you are experiencing calf cramps but have not changed your activity levels.  

How can I avoid calf cramps?

If your calf cramps are due to exercise or stress, there are several ways you can prevent them in the future: 

Use heat to relax muscles

A heating pad or hot bath can help relax the muscles after exercise and prevent camping later. If you feel exhausted after a workout, soothe with a heat compress to avoid pain the next day. 

Stay hydrated and eat before exercising.

Replenish your body with water and electrolytes before and after a workout. A healthy snack and electrolyte water can help you feel better throughout the day. 

Stretch your legs

Stretching before and after a workout will help you feel looser, creating a better exercise experience. Be sure to do this five minutes before and after your workout to take care of your muscles properly. 

Should I see a doctor?

In some cases, calf cramps can signify something more serious than a strenuous workout recovery. If your leg pain is sudden, chronic, or has occurred without changing physical activity. You should consult your pain specialist. Sudden or unexpected calf cramps could be a sign of severe muscle strain, Achilles tendonitis, deep vein thrombosis, or compartment syndrome. 

PPOA treats all types of leg pain, from sports injuries to chronic conditions. If you are ready to be free of chronic leg pain, give your local PPOA office a call to schedule a consultation.

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Handling Heartbreak: Why am I in pain after a breakup?

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The pain of a breakup is something no one ever wants to feel. It is poignant enough to make many couples avoid a breakup at all costs, even if it’s been coming for a long time. Not only are breakups emotionally tumultuous, but they can also cause physical pain. Every time you think of your ex, you get sick to your stomach or feel your heartbeat hard in your chest as if you were genuinely ill. 

If you are experiencing the gut-wrenching pain of a breakup right now, you’re not alone, and you’re not crazy for feeling intense physical pain along with the emotional hurt. In this article, we’ll explore the reason for your physical pain and provide different ways to ease it as time passes. 

The Physical Pain of a Broken Heart

After a breakup, the feeling of rejection and loss is more than just grief. fMRI studies have shown that when a person feels rejected or abandoned, the same centers of the brain that respond to physical pain are activated. This study looked at 40 participants who were asked to look at photos of their ex after a recent breakup. The same pain centers associated with physical pain were activated, showing the physical hurt of a separation is often just as intense as the emotional ones. 

The problem with breakup pain is no pill or surgery to fix it. As physicians, we can treat a broken bone or torn muscle, but we cannot provide an instant cure for the pain of loss. The pain can last for months or years and often comes with other symptoms that make daily life more difficult. 

Everyday Experiences After A Breakup

If you are going through the withdrawals of heartbreak, you may experience these common “symptoms.”

Intense feelings of grief

People handle breakups differently, but grief is the universal symptom that makes us all hurt. Even if you were the one who initiated the split, it is normal to feel grief for the time, love, and companionship that was lost.

Intrusive thoughts

You may find it hard to concentrate while at work or when hanging out with friends due to intrusive thoughts about your ex. You reminisce about the good times or replay old fights in your head, obsessing about the relationship more than ever before. In many ways, this experience is similar to drug withdrawals. Though you don’t experience the physical symptoms, you may feel that your lie is empty and that you need something to fill the gap where your partner once stood. 

Changes in sleep and eating habits

You may have trouble falling asleep the first few nights (especially if you’re crying a lot) or find that you have difficulty getting out of bed in the aftermath. Some people eat comfort food to feel better, while others feel too stressed to eat normally. While these habits do not want to form, be kind to yourself and understand that these temporary disruptions are a normal reaction to loss. 

How To Ease The Pain

Despite the physical pain of a breakup, most of us are expected to go back to work and fulfill our social obligations just the same. Therefore, it’s natural to want to ease this pain in any way possible. While you can’t run from the feelings of heartbreak, there are several steps you can take to make your day-to-day activities easier. 

Be mindful of your eating, drinking, and sleeping patterns

During a breakup, your world can begin to feel like it’s spiraling out of control. While this is difficult to control, you want to watch your habits to ensure they don’t make things worse. Try to control your eating and drinking if it becomes excessive, and make an effort to stick to your regular sleeping and waking times.

Reconnect with activities you love

Relationships take up a lot of our time. After one ends, it may feel like you have too much free time to sit and think about the breakup, which can be problematic all on its own. Instead, invest the time you now have into hobbies and activities you love. This will help you find yourself again after the breakup and busy your mind with thoughts about your ex. 

Enjoy your own company

Often, in relationships, we have to make sacrifices of our time and tend to the needs of the partnership. This can make it easy for us to lose part of ourselves in the process. To heal your broken heart, treat yourself kindly and do things for yourself that you’d want your partner to do for you. Take yourself out for coffee, or treat yourself to a night in to watch your favorite movie. These acts of self-care can help you learn to enjoy single life (at least for now). 

Heartbreak may feel catastrophic, but the pain will subside with time and dedication to self-care. However, if symptoms of depression worsen or are exacerbating your chronic pain symptoms, contact your physician for help. 

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What are the Different Causes of Jaw Pain?

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Jaw pain is one of the more complex types of pain to ignore. Because it is centered on the face, it can make participating in focused or social activity tough. While you may think it’s just a cramp, severe or ongoing jaw pain can be a sign of serious dental or muscular problems. This article will explore the common causes of jaw pain and what to do if yours doesn’t subside. 

Different Causes of Jaw Pain

If your jaw pain doesn’t subside after a few hours of its onset, you may want to explore some of these causes to determine whether or not to see a physician: 

Temporomandibular joint and muscle disorder (TMD)

This is one of the most common causes of jaw pain caused by injury, overuse, or inflammation of the “hinge” joints on each side of your jaw. Like arthritis, it can cause pain, clicking sounds in the joint, or other symptoms that inhibit your ability to move your jaw comfortably. 

Tooth decay

If a cavity, abscess, infection, or gum disease progress without treatment, it may cause pain that radiates down the jaw. This pain will likely progress slowly but can become constant and unbearable if not treated soon. Be sure to visit your dentist frequently and make an appointment immediately if the pain in the tooth begins to cause problems with the jaw. 

Myofascial pain syndrome

This is a lesser common cause of jaw pain but can signify a more severe problem. Myofascial pain syndrome is caused by pressure on sensitive or “trigger” spots in the muscles, often overworking them. It can cause pain in the power itself or unrelated parts of the body (referred pain). 

Trigeminal neuralgia

This condition is caused by compression of the trigeminal nerve responsible for feeling in a large portion of the face. It is not limited to the jaw but can often cause pain in the upper and lower jaw. Luckily, trigeminal neuralgia is not typical, but it may be a cause of your unexplained jaw pain. 

Heart attack

While this is rare, in some circumstances, heart attacks can cause pain in other areas of the body, including the jaw. Referred pain in the left side of the jaw is more common among women but can happen to anyone. If you have any of the following symptoms coupled with jaw pain on one side, call 911 and seek immediate medical attention: shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea, sweating, chest pain, or feeling lightheaded. 

When To Seek Help

Jaw pain can be caused by a toothache or overworking the muscles, typically not severe. However, if your jaw pain is unexplained, painful, or persists for more than a few days, you should seek help to determine a diagnosis and possible treatment options. The longer you wait to treat jaw pain, the worse your symptoms may become. Before it becomes an unbearable daily pain, talk to your local PPOA for help with jaw pain. 

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NHS’s List of Worst Possible Pain Experiences

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One might think that the most significant source of the pain would come from traumatic injuries like animal bites or car accidents.  However, the National Health Service (NHS) has found that many common injuries and illnesses can cause pain that is just as excruciating, if not more so.  During a traumatic injury, your body rushes with adrenaline and other hormones that temporarily deaden the pain. However, if you have a creeping illness, shock does not protect you from pain.

Below is the NHS’s list of worst pain experiences a human can have, and what you read here may surprise you:

  • Shingles – a painful rash caused by the varicella-zoster virus
  • Cluster headaches – sudden and excruciating headaches that center around the eye
  • Frozen shoulder – a degenerative disease of the shoulder joint that can make it nearly impossible to lift one’s arm, with constant aches and pains in the area
  • Broken bones
  • Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) – prolonged pain after a traumatic injury to the limb
  • Heart attack
  • Slipped disc – The bulging and degradation of the disc padding between vertebrae
  • Sickle cell disease – Malformation of blood cells that causes a variety of painful symptoms
  • Arthritis
  • Migraine 
  • Sciatica – compression of the spinal nerves
  • Kidney stones – Deposits of minerals in the kidneys that pass through the urethra, causing excruciating pain as they move
  • Appendicitis – inflammation or rupture of the appendix
  • Trigeminal neuralgia – Chronic pain in the nerves of the head and face
  • Acute pancreatitis – inflammation of the pancreas
  • Gout – An inflammatory arthritis of the joints
  • Endometriosis – Tissue that usually lines the uterus begins forming outside the uterine wall, causing painful cysts and other symptoms
  • Stomach ulcer
  • Fibromyalgia – A disease-causing widespread pain, fatigue, sleeping problems, and other medical issues
  • Pain after surgery

Unfortunately, many of these conditions cause chronic pain. If not treated, they can debilitate you significantly and impact your life quality in unimaginable ways. However, options other than medication and tolerance can help you recover from a chronic pain illness. 

Talk to your local PPOA clinic to learn more about chronic pain treatments for various diseases and conditions. We can help you avoid some of these common causes of debilitating pain and give you your life back to enjoy. Give us a call today to learn more.

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The Five Most Common Causes of Hip Pain

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Hip pain is one of the chronic pain conditions that can make you feel as if you’re aging. While hip replacements and hip problems are common after retirement, they should not be a reason to slow you down or limit your activity. Most causes of hip pain are easily treatable if you go to a pain specialist. 

Below are the five most common causes of hip pain and how you can prevent or treat them. 

Arthritis

There are a variety of arthritis conditions that affect the hip joints, but they all cause pain, stiffness, and mobility issues if they become advanced. Like most arthritis conditions, treatments include physical therapy, injections and medications, and occasionally surgical intervention if other treatments are not manageable. PPOA offers a variety of treatment options as arthritis specialists and can help you avoid long-term reliance on pain medication. 

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a degenerative bone disease that causes the bones to become fragile and brittle due to aging. Osteoporosis can become so severe that even bending over or a minor fall can cause fractures, leading to strict limitations on lifestyle. Osteoporosis commonly leads to hip fractures and should be treated by a physician to avoid serious complications. 

Pinched Nerves

Pinched nerves occur when a bone, tendon, or muscle puts pressure on a nerve, causing pain, tingling, and loss of mobility in the joint. Pinched nerves are a common cause of hip pain and make it very difficult to walk or move without shooting pain. Pinched nerves can be treated surgically for long-lasting relief, so if you suspect you may have one, contact your local PPOA clinic to receive a diagnosis. 

Sprains and Other Injuries

Hips, like any other joint, can sprain or overextend, causing ongoing pain. This can happen during exercise, during a fall, or simply due to overuse. Sprains are a common cause of hip pain in younger adults and should be checked out to ensure they heal properly. 

Tendinitis

Tendinitis, like arthritis, is an inflammatory disease that affects the tendons that keep the bones together and in place. Tendinitis causes similar symptoms to arthritis, including tingling, numbness, pain, and swelling in certain areas. There are a variety of treatments for tendinitis ranging from OTC pain medication to surgical intervention. Talk to your PPOA physician to determine which treatment option is best for you. 

PPOA takes hip pain very seriously, significantly if symptoms worsen. Talk to your local clinic today to learn more about your options and how PPOA can help you. 

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Best Advice for Managing Fibromyalgia Pain

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Fibromyalgia, a widespread chronic pain disease that affects 6% of the world’s population, is one of the most challenging conditions we treat at PPOA. It is tough to diagnose because of the lack of external symptoms or testing available and is even more difficult on the patients who often wait months or years to receive validation for their pain. 

90% of fibromyalgia patients are women, and these patients are often told by physicians or loved ones that they should stop being so “sensitive” instead of receiving real help. Because it shows no outward symptoms, many patients are accused of exaggerating or faking their symptoms altogether, which only adds to the pain they experience. When you’re in pain all of the time and have no one there to support you, the days can feel as if they never end. 

Below is advice from patients, physicians, and loved ones who actively fight against fibromyalgia in their daily lives: 

Take a hot bath to soothe aches and pains. 

Heat therapy is a common self-care remedy for all types of aches and pains, and it can soothe the whole-body pain experience common for fibro patients. A hot bath can not only release tension in the muscles but provides your mind with much-needed relaxation after a long day. 

Keep your body moving. 

Exercise may be the last thing you want to do when you’re exhausted and in pain, but science shows it is one of the best ways to reduce long-term pain and improve your mood. When you take daily walks or engage in a gentle yoga session, you allow your muscles to stretch rather than ache from a prolonged sedentary lifestyle. Mild exercise can also improve mental clarity and mood, which is crucial when fighting constant pain. 

Pace yourself. 

Fibro patients often feel like they have to ride the wave of their pain and push themselves on days when they’re feeling good. However, this can make flare-ups worse afterward. DOn’t feel like you have to clean the whole house in one day or walk several miles to make up for the days you skipped. Be consistent in your efforts and allow yourself to enjoy your good days rather than feeling the pressure to “make the most” of them. 

Stop comparing yourself to others. 

Fibromyalgia is an invisible disease, making it more challenging to communicate your experience. You may feel as if you have to keep up with the workload of your coworkers or “put on a happy face” when spending time with friends or family, but this only puts you at a more significant disadvantage. Your fibromyalgia is natural, and it does not need to be justified to anyone else. This goes for other people in your life, and other patients you see who you believe are coping better. 

Prioritize self-care. 

Tending to your body’s needs is the best thing you can do to reduce fibromyalgia pain. THings like overworking yourself, eating a sugary diet or skipping meals, and letting your sleep cycle get out of rhythm can all contribute to more pain the next day. Remember to make these things your top priority when planning each day: 

  • Diet
  • Exercise
  • Sleep
  • Stress management
  • Relaxation

While these self-care remedies can help lessen fibromyalgia pain, they can only do so much. If you’re ready to talk to a doctor about medical options for fibro pain, contact your local PPOA office today. 

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