Citizen Pain

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!