Citizen Pain

A funny thing happened to me over the holidays: I had an increase in symptoms from one of my chronic conditions. Time and experience has taught me two things: 1. Not every symptom increase is a sign of something worse, and it's always wise to stay calm and monitor yourself, objectively, for a while before reading anything into it. 2. Ignoring new or worsening symptoms in the hopes they are just 'temporary' is a slippery slope, and being proactive about nipping issues in the bud (when possible) is an important part of self-care. Clearly, balancing these two, often opposing, rules is tricky, and not something that gets much easier with practice. Having loved ones around you who can act as your 'sanity-check' and help you decide where the line between these two is can be of great help. Also helpful is a confident, trusting relationship with your doctor. Or, perhaps even more importantly, your doctor's office staff. I've spoken before about the impor

A very happy holiday season to all the chronic pain warriors out there; whether you're celebrating or not, remember to take care of yourself, build slack into your schedule, and try to stay on routine even amongst the madness of the holidays.

It's December, which means.... stress. There's nothing like trying to get through the holidays with chronic pain. I spent some time gathering together the best tips my experience (and the internet) has to offer for coping through the holiday season, and compiled them for USPF's blog.  Discover some new tools you might not have thought of, right here !

Here's a startling statistic: over 80% of people will experience back pain at some point in their lives. 80%!! It's such a prevalent issue, many people have devoted their lives to the understanding, treatment and management of back pain. Among these is Iain Barker of Back Pain Liberation , who I sat down and chatted with about all things chronic pain. Take a listen! Link to Amy speaking with Iain on his podcast, here .

Women experiencing chronic pain know the issue all too well: inherent and structural bias in the medical system. This isn't new, but it is starting to receive new attention. For a fantastic, succinct summary of the problems, their origins and possible solutions, watch this! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TATSAHJKRd8

Medications can be a complex and baffling area, with many chronic pain sufferers using a combination of prescription and over- the-counter drugs to combat their symptoms and achieve day-to-day normality. There is also usually an element of trial and error in finding meds that work, and what works today may not work next month. Lastly, many pain meds are highly addictive, so dosing and proper use become very important. All of these factors—plus the fact that most of us are not chemists—can lead to a lot of misapprehension and confusion regarding what we can and should take. Do You Know Your Pharmacist? One of the most under-utilized resources in health care is the pharmacist. For those many millions who visit only big-box pharmacies, seeing one of a number of interchangeable random people in white coats, giving your name and receiving a pill bottle with no explanation, then this is very understandable. Why would you engage with this stranger who acts as little more than a

Suffering through an acute pain attack is hard work for anyone, regardless of their level of experience with pain and expectation of pain. Many chronic pain sufferers feel acute pain every now and then - just like everyone else - and these acute attacks can be caused by something totally unrelated to their chronic pain (like a stomach bug or a broken bone) or they can be an additional symptom of an already-known underlying problem. Regardless of the cause, acute pain happens, and it has to be gotten through. You may have meds that help - you may be given new meds that help. Or you may be waiting for the meds to kick in. Or, they may have kicked in, but you still feel pain and have to wait it out. The crucial element of acute pain is waiting . Waiting it out - you just have to find a way to pass the time until the pain subsides, either of its own accord or because of medical intervention. You have to find a way to distract yourself, and this can be very difficult if it's severe

Sustained pain or illness will have an effect on mental health. There is no maybe about this. Mind and body are inextricably intertwined and medicine is increasingly aware of this. Patients are treated as a whole and not as a collection of parts, and you too must consider yourself as a whole, with your emotional, psychological and physical well-being all equally important. Pain psychologists, cognitive behavioural therapists, psychologists, counsellors and psychiatrists are extremely important resources that you cannot overlook. No matter what you need help with–whether it's using cognitive behavioural training to reframe your emotional reactions to pain, or seeing a counsellor to talk through your loss of self-esteem, or visiting a psychologist to work through your feelings of anger and grief–there are resources available to you. Many health insurance programs cover (at least partially) the cost of mental health care. When this isn't an option, there wi

September is Pain Awareness Month in the U.S. This means September is all about pain - educating, raising awareness, advocating, and having some probably slightly awkward conversations.  The Pain Awareness movement started off pretty small, way back in 2001, but it's now a fairly large national movement, encompassing organizations, health care professionals and chronic pain patients.  There are lots of ways you can participate and engage others during September: Speak with friends and family. Let them know it's Pain Awareness Month. Ask them about their chronic pain, or tell them about yours. Start a dialogue! Like the movement on Facebook , Twitter or other social media platforms. Use the hashtag #painawareness Take part in social media challenges . Become an advocate for the US Pain Foundation. Buy an awareness bracelet  or wear blue (the movement's color). Download the US Pain Foundation's specialized toolkit , and get out there in your community!