A lot of people live with chronic pain. But our pain is tailored to us, we all feel it differently, but our brains work in the same way.

Neuropathic pain

Due to damage or injury to the nerves, spinal cord or the brain.

Pain can be referred, meaning you may experience pain in a different place from where the problem is.

You can experience unusual pain sensations I.e tingling, burning, electric shocks.

I didn’t know that these symptoms were a part of my chronic pain, when you tell the Dr about them they just nod and say yes hmmm and prescribe pain meds….how helpful…

central sensitisation

Chronic / persisting pain can lead to nerves becoming very sensitive and over exited. This means even a small pain message can cause a large pain reaction in the brain and body. This can lead to the feeling that things are getting worse and the condition is getting worse; this is not usually the case but simply the pain sensing system has become too sensitive.

Again I didn’t know about sensitisation 10 years plus having pain and no one educated me about this…..I won’t tell you what I think about that…..but it does make sense…..

hurt v harm

The brain is responsible for dealing with pain signals. In the case of long term pain the brain may think harm is happening to the body because of pain signals due to nerve sensitivity even if there is no damage occurring.

This will often lead to reduced physical function in order to avoid pain signals and will create further problems associated with reduced activity levels.

I believe we need help to live with chronic pain, self management strategies, and aim to improve activity and function despite persisting pain.

How successful you are depends on how well you apply the strategies that you learn during your daily life.

Understand you will still be in pain and this will be very challenging, but it’s important not to become disheartened.

How you manage your chronic pain could improve your quality of life.

I will talk more about the strategies starting with relaxation next time.

Yesterday I found myself in a dilemma, I usually go in the car to my friends house on a Saturday evening, the car was not available, so I had a choice to make walk ride my push bike or stay home and procrastinate.

Myself talk / pain talk would see me Sat at home.

I decided to ride my bike but it had to be a quick decision where I just got the bike out and went before I could talk myself out of it…..that’s what we do we talk ourself out of doing things…..even though I get jelly legs and are wobbly I did it and I’m so glad I did….no regrets here…..

Blessed Be.