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Managing pain during isolation

Chloe_Alumni

A period of self isolation doesn’t mean all conditions and medical needs cease to exist. You might experience higher levels of pain due to stress, become stiff due to less movement or have a flare up. I know stress can be a major trigger for some people and it’s safe to say the current situation will be challenging.

A woman face down on a bed with her hair spread over a pillow

Here are a few things you can do:

Keep taking medication
Hydrate
Online resources for managing pain
Ensure you have methods of pain relief (heat, ice, TENS machine…)
A cosy blanket and a comfy place to sit or lie
Mindfulness
Scented candles that can help you relax
Gentle stretches
Things that can aid as distraction (books, films, crafts…)

If you do become unwell then please do not hesitate to contact your GP or call 111. Your health is still important and you deserve support, just like everyone else. Your GP should be able to do a telephone appointment if you need extra support.

Take things easy

It is okay if you are finding this overwhelming and scary — because it is. It may take a while for you to be able to adjust and that is okay. It’s your physical and mental wellbeing that is fundamental. Allow your body and mind the chance to adapt and try not to pressure yourself.

Try and make sure you take at least an hour a day for yourself. Maybe even write a list of relaxing things you can do if you need to step away.

Take each day as it comes, stay safe and look after yourself. You’ve got this!

What would you suggest for managing pain? Let is know in the comments below.

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Comments

Stayce

Thanks @Chloe_Scope and team for putting this together ?

As you say many of us are going to get very stiff etc. All my physio and orthotics appointments have been cancelled.

There’s a good mindfulness app that is offering a lot of free material during this time that is worth checking out.
https://blog.calm.com/take-a-deep-breath

I’ve also come across stretching routine from Parasport
https://parasport.org.uk/home-workout-kris

Take care everyone

Best

Chloe_Alumni

No problem at all @Stayce! Thank you for adding in your suggestions.

WestHam06

Hi @Chloe_Scope,
Thank you for sharing this, it is very useful! If you are able, I am continuing to do my physio programme from home to try to help prevent muscles from becoming too stiff. Thank you.

April2018mom

This is my list of activities for isolation

1- Learn a new skill
2- Do a baking session with your family
3- Watch a new TV programme or movie on Netflix
4- Start a blog
5- Exercise
6- Hold a meaningful discussion on politics etc
7- Treat yourself to a nice new bottle of wine, ice cream or a massage
8- Read a new book
9- Take photos of your family members with permission
10- Mess around with water

I hope this is useful!

squeak

Thank you for your information it's very useful. For stiffness I find warm shower hose just allowing to trickle down sore patches and when warm gently rub the area this helps to soften muscles and soft tissues hope this helps Squeak

Chloe_Alumni

Thank you everyone for these, all really helpful!

@WestHam06, at the weekend I found my old physio exercises. Normally I just try to walk as much as I can, obviously that's a bit tricky at the moment!

Some great suggestions @April2018mom.

Welcome to the community @squeak! Great to have you with us.. Thank you for your suggestion, warm water can definitely help!

mrbuttons

i noticed that my pain has increased by at least 50% i am not sleeping well so my body isn't repairing itself.my anxiety is rising too. i found a seated exercise video online and was able to do most of it. I will post the link in thw thread about useful videos. It has helped to loosen my joints and ease the pain in my legs.

JayneL

I've turned to online learning, my passion has always been Ancient Rome so I'm taking advantage of a Free course at futurelearn.com, but there are literally 100's of providers have a browse.

Otherwise it's me and my kindle. Stay Safe Everyone

mrbuttons

I've just done a guided meditation on the Calm youtube channel. it really helped to relax e and eased my pain and stress. they do them every day when people can join in a group discussion if they want. the guided meditations are always available on their YT channel at any time. this one is yesterdays

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWfZPw-Jlyg

there is another live one tonight at 5.15 pm

April2018mom

Amazon has a selection of games for people to buy. I finished my course in nutrition earlier.

Syliva

I have started to sort lot things out I can't get up stairs I have selp downstairs for 12 yrs and with my hubby killing himself due to no reson just get out for the horrible things he done left me in all kinds dept plus it was on top Xmas I now suffer bad deppreson plus heart failure diebetic copd highptteson rumeyed arthritis blackouts and more but I try carry on for my family who don't bist just phone I have no one but try prod along x

Chloe_Alumni

Hi @Syliva, really sorry to hear abut your husband, that must be really difficult.

We have an article about mental wellbeing during COVID-19 which you might find useful.

I hope you are safe and are able to get the essentials that you need.

Alpine88

Guided meditations are really helping me. I use an app called Breethe (that spelling really irritates me!) Really good app though and a huge range of meditations including dealing with pain.
I'm also enjoying adult painting by numbers, adult geometric sticker books, colouring in and jigsaws.... 31 going on 6 lol! All very relaxing though.
I've reconnected with some old friends and been chatting with them daily and doing silly video calls which is fun.
Tonight my partner and I sat in the garden and had a fire pit and did a YouTube live quiz which was great fun.

On the downside I've been struggling with my sleep and meds. I had a 0 sleep night and then followed with sleeping yesterday 11pm - 7pm today. Now its 1.30am and I'm wide awake! Trying to be kind to myself and just think well if I'm up I might as well watch TV and chill and then tomorrow if I sleep in i will try and get up by midday x

Chloe_Alumni

Thank you for sharing this @Alpine88! Sorry to hear you have been unable to sleep.

How are things at the moment?

Empathy56

Hi,I have found myself in more pain due to anxiety about the virus.I am what they class as vulnerable due to many health complaints.But have found that along with my pain medications,meditation and healing videos on youtube have helped me a lot.The drs messed up my prescription and I had to phone 111 to get my painkillers,so that caused a bit of anxiety too.But sorted now hopefully.I think we are all anxious at the moment.The isolation doesn't bother me as the only times I go out are for hospital appointments or blood tests,so I am coping fine with that.

Wishing everyone well and better days to come.

Chloe_Alumni

I'm glad you managed to get your medication sorted @Empathy56! That's true, it's an anxious time and it okay to feel this way. It's great that you have been able to find things that work for you and I hope they continue to help.

littlechef

Hello. I'm trying to do my 10,000 steps aday but as I'm now been put into shilding I can only do this in my own garden so walking up and down my path as much as I can but my breathing not very good at the moment.

Topkitten

I'm afraid that it is all very well to post something for the majority that can use it but (just like being disabled) for those of us in a minority it can be annoying.

Keep taking medication
Hard to keep taking medication when it is difficult to get it delivered on time and isn't right anyway
.Hydrate
Requires movement and that increases pain
Online resources for managing pain
Not much I don't know about pain after 15 years but my ISP is so bad it's hard to get and keep the internet up
Ensure you have methods of pain relief (heat, ice, TENS machine…)
Heat, Ice, TENS etc. are for muscular pain mostly and not the neural pain I get
A cosy blanket and a comfy place to sit or lie
I spend most of my day (for nearly 2 years now) in a recliner chair which is only just so much help unless I sleep
Mindfulness
Been doing this for years, only so much help for me
Scented candles that can help you relax
Tried but overcome by the anger over mistreatment and internet service problems which make me angry
Gentle stretches
ANY exercise increases pain, even gentle stretches
Things that can aid as distraction (books, films, crafts…)
Crappy internet service affects online and TV situation, anything else requires moving about and it's hard enough just getting food and drink without passing out from pain

Sorry, I know I should be more positive but when even the GP's wont treat me properly and the surgeries will not transfer housebound patients it's hard to see any way forward that isn't just more and more miserable.

TK

littlechef

@Hi top kitten
So sorry if you are upset about some comments maybe what I made but I'm struggling with my breathing with my condition and if I go into a crisis situation i need oxygen or I could die , sorry If it was my comment .?

Topkitten

@littlechef, don't worry I am just effed off with the whole situation, especially when all this effing about will only delay most of us getting ill once the ban is lifted. It's just a stupid government reaction ONLY made necessary due to their incompetence in handling funding for the NHS making it impossible for it to cope. I average one trip to hospital a month over the last 3 years and can only go by ambulance so I have seen the deterioration for myself. Now loosing my only lifeline (internet) so often and loosing what I type so frequently is making me very angry and is doing my already high blood pressure no good at all. I am just sick of the deception and the predictions of "safety" when they have no idea at all just how safe it might be.

TK