Any tips for managing pain?

CatladyLiverpool31

New member,Fibromyalgia and OA.Drugs not helping pain,more joints worse this year especially my right hand.Every joint hurts,cramps,spasms and swelling.Any tips to help.Im thinking of compression gloves.Already had one knee and hip replacement done and waiting for a wrist op.Cortisone only lasted two months each time.

steve51

Hi @CatladyLiverpool31

Good Evening & Welcome it’s great to meet you today.

I am one of the Community Champion’s here at Scope.

Please please let me know if there’s anything that I can help you with????

@steve51

chiarieds

Hi @CatladyLiverpool31 - & welcome to this friendly & supportive community. There are many of us here that suffer with chronic daily pain. I have generalised OA; the result of having the hypermobile type of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS). It has been found that the pain many with hEDS suffer is like that of fibromyalgia, so I may have a little understanding of what you're going through.

Any immediate concerns you should discuss with your GP, or specialist.

That being said, many of us with chronic pain look at different 'coping mechanisms' to also help. Scope has some advice about this, & whilst it's about coping with pain during this pandemic, it's relevant to those with chronic pain at any time. Please see: https://community.scope.org.uk/discussion/69983/managing-pain-during-isolation#latest

Please look at the very top of this post, & the links given there.

The NHS website also gives some guidance on chronic pain: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/ways-to-manage-chronic-pain/

In my own case, I use exercise, relaxation techniques such as this: https://www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/resources/patient-information/therapies/abdominal-breathing.pdf , distraction (reading, gardening a little, watching a film, listening to music, etc, whatever you find enjoyable), mindfulness & visualisation....probably in that order. As we're all different, you just have to find what 'may' help you, & it's often a combination of things that can help make chronic pain that bit more manageable. Hope some of this helps.

Chloe_Alumni

Hi @CatladyLiverpool31, how are you feeling today?

Being in pain can be beyond rubbish! I find compression wear helpful for pain management and blood pressure, I also use heat and a TENS machine to manage flare-ups.

I hope you can find something that eases it.

janer1967

Hi @CatladyLiverpool31 Welcome to the community glad you have joined us and hope you find the links given to be of some use to you

I look forward to seeing you around

emarie

I like compressionwear or infrared clothes has been my latest good find to help pain and swelling 

Chloe_Alumni

Thank you for sharing this @emarie and a warm welcome to the community.