Do you ever find yourself in conversations about pain? Maybe someone you know is sharing a story about his or her health, or perhaps you’re the one detailing the pain in your own life. If pain is all you think about, you may not realize how often it becomes the focal point of your interaction with others.
Perhaps it’s time to pay closer attention. What if you began to write down all the times you were experiencing and talking about pain? Maybe on Monday you were complaining that you couldn’t get out of bed, but on Friday, you talked about going to the grocery store and feeling good all day.
Perhaps when you swim twice a week, you notice less pain in your lower back. Or when you take your son to little league, being in a car exacerbates the pain enough to put you out of commission the next day. These are all important indicators of your progress. Not just for your doctor, but also for yourself.
Step One: Document Your Pain
The most effective way to assess pain is through a pain diary. It’s an easy approach to determining what works and what doesn’t. Record your level of pain at breakfast, lunch, dinner and before bedtime. It’s important to do more than just jot down your level of pain on a scale of zero to 10.
While this is helpful, it’s more important to note the activity level that accompanies the pain. Were you watching a movie or washing dishes? One activity is sedentary, while the other involves some form of exercise. Additional information about what you are doing to alleviate the pain is also important to include. What medicine did you take, and did it help? Did you meditate or use guided imagery?
After successfully tracking the pain state throughout the day for several weeks, you’ll know what triggers your pain and what intensifies it. You may even have an idea about what can be done to minimize the discomfort.
Step Two: Identify Your Personal Pain Objectives
If you’ve let pain keep you from doing the things you love, starting a list of things you’d like to accomplish may motivate you to keep moving forward with a positive attitude. Keep your resolutions realistic and achievable. Don’t plan a seven-mile run a month after your back surgery. And above all, don’t talk yourself out of anything!
Managing negative thoughts can be difficult, particularly when you’ve already had to alter your life and stop doing some of the things you’ve love. Guided imagery may be a good tool in working toward your goals. Start by thinking about the outcome you’d like to achieve, and imagine yourself engaging in that activity. See yourself accomplishing it. Don’t give up. Trust in yourself.
Step Three: Do the Obvious — All the Time!
Everyone knows about the importance of eating well and exercising. Still, I can’t emphasize enough just how important these things are when your body and mind are trying to cope with chronic pain. For example, certain ingredients have been shown to increase pain state and should be used in moderation: caffeine, alcohol, monosodium glutamate (MSG) and aspartame.
And in terms of exercise, many people actually think that bed rest will help them heal more quickly. This couldn’t be further from the truth! To improve mobility and flexibility, light stretching, conditioning and strengthening exercises are essential. Target the muscles that strengthen the spine and support the bones and joints as a first step to reducing the pain.
Step Four: Don’t Be Afraid!
Anger and hostility can profoundly affect your quality of life. If you allow yourself to dwell on the negative, your immune system will follow your lead and can make you vulnerable to multiple disorders, including chronic pain. Similarly, if you are afraid of doing new things because you have experienced pain doing similar things in the past (this is known as learned helplessness), this too will eventually weigh on your health and well being.
Optimism and a good sense of humor are two of the most powerful weapons against anger and fear. Watch a funny movie or share a joke with a friend. Talk yourself out of feeling bad. After all, it’s only a thought and a thought can always change.
Lastly, remember that there will be times when, in spite of how hard you try or what level of success you have achieved, something will knock you off course, causing you to question your ability to make progress. If this happens, it’s up to you to turn things around.
Living with chronic pain isn’t easy. But it will be much more manageable — and enjoyable — if you are willing to change your perspective. Remember: yard by yard, life is hard. Inch by inch, life’s a cinch!
Dr. Guarino is the Director of Pain Management at Washington University in St. Louis. You can find out more about him and his book at www.painstrategy.com.
Sample Pain Diary
Date: ________
Breakfast
Pain Level (1 to 10): ___________
Hours and quality of sleep last night: ___________
Weather: ___________
Level of stress/tension: ___________
Activities before breakfast: ___________
Medications to reduce pain: ___________
What did you eat and drink: ___________
Lunch
Breakfast
Pain Level (1 to 10): ___________
Weather: ___________
Level of stress/tension: ___________
Activities before lunch: ___________
Medications to reduce pain: ___________
What did you eat and drink: ___________
Dinner
Pain Level (1 to 10): ___________
Weather: ___________
Level of stress/tension: ___________
Activities before dinner: ___________
Medications to reduce pain: ___________
What did you eat and drink: ___________
Bedtime
Pain Level (1 to 10): ___________
Weather: ___________
Level of stress/tension: ___________
Activities before bedtime: ___________
Medications to reduce pain: ___________
Did you rest during the day: ___________
What did you eat and drink: ___________
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