Pain Updates and Next Steps for Pain Management
Hello Spoonies!
It's time once again to run the updates on the most recent pain management experiments and decide what's happening next.
Since last time, I have continued to use regular feverfew and magnesium to prevent migraines. The good news is that my migraines have actually decreased down to no more than one per month! This is my long-term therapy now and I intend to continue it indefinitely.
Since the last post I have also invested in high-quality running shoes that adjust for my wide gait. These have definitely helped my knees, however the chronic knee pain has continued. To add to the fun, my family moved this year into a two-story house. The multiple trips up and down the stairs each day have not been kind to my knees. Since the bromelain experiment did not pan out, I have tried a few other things.
The first thing I tried was topical analgesic creams. First was the Voltaren gel (prescription) that my doctor prescribed. While this is okay, it does not help very much. I polled a few other users of this particular therapy as well and the general consensus seems to be that this stuff just isn't worth the dough. If you have had other results, I would love to hear about it in the comments.
I have previously used Deep Blue from doTerra. While it is expensive and has a very distinct odor of peppermint, it does seem to work most of the time. The relief tends to last about a half day, so I use this when I know I'm going to be doing a lot of walking for a few hours. I do find it a more effective than such OTC options as Icy Hot. For longer-lasting relief, I use Tiger Balm. Be careful with this one! Less is definitely more with Tiger Balm. It sometimes takes a few minutes to feel this one when you apply it. Sometimes I forget this and apply too much and then the heat effect of the cream can be extremely distracting. I did this about two weeks ago. I applied it just before bed because my pain was BAD. We're talking 8.5 on the "10=I'm going to kill someone" scale. I didn't feel the heat right away, so I kept applying. As I lay in bed that night it felt like the balm was boring a cold and hot tunnel through my knees! One thing I love about TB, though, is the compact size. Since you don't need much, the container is tiny. This makes it real easy to carry around in a purse in case you need quick relief or think you might.
The most recent cream I have tried is a hemp-based body lotion called Hempz. This one does not actually make any claims about pain relief, but is aimed at moisturizing--it was really a gift from my mother that I decided to start using. This, however, did get me thinking about how hemp and cannabis might help. I started by polling others who suffer from fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue. Those who have used medical hemp products have claimed considerable relief and improved functionality about 90% of the time. I find this very encouraging!
Before I go further let me say--I do not live in a state that has legalized medical marijuana, so that is not what I'm talking about here. My research has aimed at products that are legal to use in any state and are not considered marijuana or psychotropic in any way. After much research, I have ordered a broad-spectrum oil for regular treatment that I am hoping will offer some relief. To judge this better, I am beginning a pain journal now before I begin the treatment. I will endeavor to update on a weekly basis as things begin.
One question to all my readers: Do you have a favorite "pain journal" app that you use? I am looking for one that's easy to use that records pain location, pain severity, related symptoms (like dizziness), and medications. That last is the toughest part to find for me so far. If you have a favorite, please share below!
One of these days I am going to have to investigate why I seem to mostly try new things for my pain in the beginning of the year. I'm guessing it is because the main time I feel energized is right after my winter nap. See you 'round the journal, Spoonies!
It's time once again to run the updates on the most recent pain management experiments and decide what's happening next.
Since last time, I have continued to use regular feverfew and magnesium to prevent migraines. The good news is that my migraines have actually decreased down to no more than one per month! This is my long-term therapy now and I intend to continue it indefinitely.
Since the last post I have also invested in high-quality running shoes that adjust for my wide gait. These have definitely helped my knees, however the chronic knee pain has continued. To add to the fun, my family moved this year into a two-story house. The multiple trips up and down the stairs each day have not been kind to my knees. Since the bromelain experiment did not pan out, I have tried a few other things.
The first thing I tried was topical analgesic creams. First was the Voltaren gel (prescription) that my doctor prescribed. While this is okay, it does not help very much. I polled a few other users of this particular therapy as well and the general consensus seems to be that this stuff just isn't worth the dough. If you have had other results, I would love to hear about it in the comments.
I have previously used Deep Blue from doTerra. While it is expensive and has a very distinct odor of peppermint, it does seem to work most of the time. The relief tends to last about a half day, so I use this when I know I'm going to be doing a lot of walking for a few hours. I do find it a more effective than such OTC options as Icy Hot. For longer-lasting relief, I use Tiger Balm. Be careful with this one! Less is definitely more with Tiger Balm. It sometimes takes a few minutes to feel this one when you apply it. Sometimes I forget this and apply too much and then the heat effect of the cream can be extremely distracting. I did this about two weeks ago. I applied it just before bed because my pain was BAD. We're talking 8.5 on the "10=I'm going to kill someone" scale. I didn't feel the heat right away, so I kept applying. As I lay in bed that night it felt like the balm was boring a cold and hot tunnel through my knees! One thing I love about TB, though, is the compact size. Since you don't need much, the container is tiny. This makes it real easy to carry around in a purse in case you need quick relief or think you might.
The most recent cream I have tried is a hemp-based body lotion called Hempz. This one does not actually make any claims about pain relief, but is aimed at moisturizing--it was really a gift from my mother that I decided to start using. This, however, did get me thinking about how hemp and cannabis might help. I started by polling others who suffer from fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue. Those who have used medical hemp products have claimed considerable relief and improved functionality about 90% of the time. I find this very encouraging!
Before I go further let me say--I do not live in a state that has legalized medical marijuana, so that is not what I'm talking about here. My research has aimed at products that are legal to use in any state and are not considered marijuana or psychotropic in any way. After much research, I have ordered a broad-spectrum oil for regular treatment that I am hoping will offer some relief. To judge this better, I am beginning a pain journal now before I begin the treatment. I will endeavor to update on a weekly basis as things begin.
One question to all my readers: Do you have a favorite "pain journal" app that you use? I am looking for one that's easy to use that records pain location, pain severity, related symptoms (like dizziness), and medications. That last is the toughest part to find for me so far. If you have a favorite, please share below!
One of these days I am going to have to investigate why I seem to mostly try new things for my pain in the beginning of the year. I'm guessing it is because the main time I feel energized is right after my winter nap. See you 'round the journal, Spoonies!
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