Lyme Life Monday ~Pain

Pain is part of life. No one is immune. No one can fully escape the reality of dealing with pain at one time or another. This Lyme Life Monday -Pain post might help dealing with the pain of Lyme.

For Lymies, pain is a very substantial part of life. I remember one nurse telling me that people with chronic pain find ways to deal with it. That stuck with me. It meant that I would probably have to deal with pain for the rest of my life. So I’d better get some coping strategies in place.

The pain isn’t always crippling. Sometimes it is just annoying. Other times it is intermittent. It is usually unpredictable. The constant daily pain is there, even when for moments it is relieved.

Here are some ways I have dealt with chronic pain for the last thirty years or so.

• Rest is probably the easiest thing to do. Even when I worked full time. I could find time to rest my shoulders against the back of a chair or lay down for a bit.
• Sleep is very healing, but people with Lyme suffer from insomnia frequently. There are a few strategies that help. Shutting lights a few hours before bedtime. Taking sleep aids should be rare, as should alcohol, if at all. I often have a glass of wine to relax before bed with good results.
• Distraction is key at times, especially during long periods of unrelenting pain. Experiencing pain for weeks at a time without any relief is common for Lymies. We need distractions. Hobbies and visitors can be exhausting though. We need to vary our distractions and have a whole tool chest full of things we can use; TV, PC, Tablets, books, projects, friends and prayer partners, out-of-the-house activities, cautious exercise, journaling or other writing, and light housework.
• Revel in accomplishments. It can be very discouraging to be in pain and feel like we are not able to do things. Keeping a log of accomplishments is important to keep us sane and give us hope for the future.
• Doing what I can, when I can is very important to me. If I have energy and time, I use it to get the most done, the best way possible. That way, if I spend the next day on the couch, I can assure myself that I got through another day and I can be sure it will happen again. Like writing this blog: Lyme Life Monday Pain and others.
• Keep the home clean and organized as much as possible. Obviously, there are times when this is impossible. Every little bit counts. I know people who used to clean once per week. The rest of the time, they were kind of slobs. That made for a big, overwhelming mess. I prefer to look around and do one or two small tasks every few hours.
• Keep moving. Part of the last step is intentional movement. I may plan to clear the table, empty or load the dishwasher, sweep the floor, clean the bathroom or the stove or whatever. My plan or goal list doesn’t have to be done all at once. When I am in a lot of pain, I am exhausted. The pain itself drains energy from us. So, moving every ½ to one hour is a good way to balance the need for movement and the discomfort of movement.
• Cool packs and hot baths. Everyone has their own feelings on this. For me, if my shoulder or a knee is hot to touch, that is a sign of tendonitis. A cool pack is recommended. If it is general sore muscles from activity, I might soak in an Epsom salt bath with some baking soda and maybe some bubbles while I listen to TED or similar.
• There are anti- inflammatory foods and supplements that help.
• The last resort for me is pain-relieving medicines, only because I wrecked my stomach by alternating various anti-inflammitories for so many years. I have discovered that topical lidocain, like that found in Aspracream helps too.

I hope this list helped you to think about how to manage Lyme Pain. Or, if you have a friend or family member with Lyme, maybe you have a bit more understanding of what they are going through.