Hi @Miss-wish
Chronic pain is a huge issue when it comes to our day-to-day function and can take a toll on our mental health. I understand you are struggling, but I would encourage you to do the necessary testing required to diagnose rheumatoid arthritis or even rule it out.
There are many treatments available for chronic pain, depending on the cause or type of pain, and a specialist would recommend such a treatment for your diagnosis.
There are also pain clinics that can assist you in learning pain management skills and techniques.
Self-care is a priority in pain management, as you need to be mindful of your capacity and not overdo things that cause flare-ups. Keeping positive is a struggle, as constant pain wears you down and depression can result.
However, I find focusing on the simple things in life, the joy of the gentle rain, the pure excitement and wag of a dog's tail when they greet you, flowers in the garden, or the salt in the seawater. Our environment provides much to bring us joy and distraction from our physical pain. Exercise is also of great benefit to me and is a regular part of my pain management plan, as is massage, yoga, and meditation.
I suffer from osteoarthritis, in my hands, and hips predominantly, which causes pain and difficulty doing daily tasks. My son suffers from Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, predominantly affecting his legs, and Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension, excess fluid pressure on the brain. These cause significant pain, mobility issues, cognitive and vision disturbances. My son's treatment has included pain medications, lumber punctures to drain CSF from the brain, being wheelchair-confined, and other therapies including hydro physiotherapy, exercise physiology, pain management clinic, CBD oil, and physical rehabilitation. A range of alternative treatments including cupping, cranial sacral work, naturopathic, homeopathic, trauma TRE sessions, psychology, and counseling. Not everything offers relief but you can take elements from each that resonate with you and create your toolkit of go-to resources.
Be kind to yourself, there will be days when you can do a lot and days you need to rest, pace yourself, and prioritize your energy for tasks needed.
Seek assistance and help when needed, you are not useless, you are a person living with chronic pain, and if all you did today was get out of bed, pat yourself on the back for that.
Take care of your body, eat, sleep, and exercise to reduce your symptoms, pain, and inflammation, but also take care of your mental health, do things you enjoy, connect with others, and spend time in nature or with animals.
I find a holistic approach to pain management works best for me, medication, health, lifestyle, and living in the moment.
I hope you find some useful tips from my and my son's experience of chronic pain and get some helpful advice from medical experts in clarifying your source of pain and a treatment plan.
Kindly Alisse
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