pain

Leave a comment Posted on June 23, 2017June 23, 2017 Pain Management

Complex regional pain syndrome – what are the signs and symptoms of CRPS?

Pain

[Original article on NHS Choices website]

The main symptom of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is pain, which can sometimes be severe, continuous and debilitating. It’s usually confined to one limb, but can spread to other parts of the body in some cases.

Chronic pain

The pain associated with CRPS is usually triggered by an injury, but is a lot more severe and long-lasting than would normally be expected.

The pain may be a mix of burning, stabbing or stinging sensations, but there may also be a tingling sensation and numbness.

You may have periods of pain lasting a few days or weeks, called flare-ups, where the pain gets worse. Stress in particular can lead to flare-ups, which is why relaxation techniques and mindfulness training can be an important part of treating CRPS.

If you have CRPS, your skin in the affected area can become very sensitive. Even the slightest touch, bump or change in temperature can provoke intense pain.

You may hear this described in the following medical terms:

hyperalgesia – feeling pain from pressure or temperature that wouldn’t normally be painful

allodynia – experiencing pain from a very light stroke of the affected skin

Other symptoms

In addition to chronic pain, CRPS can also cause a range of other symptoms, including:

strange sensations in the affected limb – it may feel as if the affected limb doesn’t belong to the rest of your body, or it may feel bigger or smaller than the opposite, unaffected limb

alternating changes to your skin – sometimes your skin in the affected limb may be hot, red and dry, whereas other times it may be cold, blue and sweaty

hair and nail changes – your hair and nails in the affected limb may grow unusually slowly or quickly and your nails may become brittle or grooved

joint stiffness and swelling in the affected limb (oedema)

tremors and muscle spasms (dystonia)

difficulty moving the affected body part

difficulty sleeping (insomnia)

small patches of fragile bones (osteoporosis) in the affected limb – although there’s no evidence this could lead to fractures

In very rare cases, CRPS can also lead to further physical complications, such as skin infections and ulcers (open sores), muscle atrophy (where the muscles begin to waste away) and muscle contractures (where the muscles shorten and lose their normal range of movement).

Some of these problems can make it very difficult for people with CRPS to move around.

Psychology in CRPS

The emotional strain of living with chronic pain can sometimes lead to psychological problems, such as depression and anxiety. During periods of extreme pain, some people may even consider suicide.

See your GP as soon as possible if you’ve been experiencing feelings of depression or suicide. They’ll be able to provide help and support.

Alternatively, you can call the Samaritans on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org. They’re available 24 hours a day to talk through any issues you may be experiencing, and will do so in total confidence.

When to see your GP

You should see your GP if you have persistent pain that’s preventing you from carrying out everyday activities.

CRPS can be difficult to diagnose, and it’s best to seek help as soon as possible, because early help can reduce unnecessary suffering.

Sinead O’Connor And 6 Celebrities Who Manage Life With Chronic Pain

Sinead O’Connor

Sinead O’Connor And 6 Celebrities Who Manage Life With Chronic Pain

For tips on dealing with chronic pain please have alook at our previous blogs posts here, here and here.

Leave a comment Posted on June 21, 2017June 21, 2017 Pain Management

10 headache triggers – and how to avoid them

Cluster headaches

[Original article on NHS Choices website]

It’s not just stress and nasty colds that cause headaches. Cleaning your home or sleeping in late can cause them too. We reveal 10 headache triggers and how to fix them.

1. Relaxing after stress

You put in 10-hour days from Monday to Friday and you feel fine, only to wake up after a lie-in on Saturday with a pounding headache. Why is that?

It’s because as the tension of the week subsides, your levels of stress hormones drop, which causes a rapid release of neurotransmitters (the brain’s chemical messengers). These send out impulses to blood vessels to constrict and then dilate, which causes a headache.

How to fix it: Avoid the temptation to sleep in at weekends. More than eight hours’ sleep at a time can bring on a headache. Introduce some relaxation time, such as a yoga class, into your working week, rather than squeezing it all into the weekend.

2. Pent-up anger

When you’re angry, muscles in the back of your neck and scalp tense up, causing a tight band-like sensation around your head. This is a sign of a tension headache.

How to fix it: When you start feeling angry, breathe deeply and slowly. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth, This should relax your head and neck muscles.

Read more about how to control your anger.

3. Poor posture

Poor posture causes tension in your upper back, neck and shoulders, which can lead to a headache. Typically, the pain throbs in the base of the skull and sometimes flashes into the face, especially the forehead.

How to fix it: Avoid sitting or standing in one position for a long period of time. Sit up straight and support your lower back. Consider using a special headset if you spend a lot of time on the phone, as holding a handset between your head and shoulder can strain muscles and cause headaches.

You could also see a physical therapist, such as an osteopath or Alexander technique practitioner. They may be able to help you identify and correct any posture problems.

Read more about osteopathy and the Alexander technique.

4. Perfume

If you think housework is giving you a headache, you could be right. Household cleaners, along with perfumes and fragranced air fresheners, contain chemicals that can bring on headaches.

How to fix it: If you’re susceptible to headaches brought on by certain smells, avoid heavy perfumes and strong-smelling soaps, shampoos and conditioners. Use fragrance-free air fresheners and household cleaners, and keep your doors and windows open as much as possible at home. If a colleague’s perfume is bothering you, put a fan on your desk at work.

5. Bad weather

If you’re prone to getting headaches, you could find that grey skies, high humidity, rising temperatures and storms can all bring on head pain.

Pressure changes that cause weather changes are thought to trigger chemical and electrical changes in the brain. This irritates nerves, leading to a headache.

How to fix it: There’s not much you can do to change the weather. However, by looking at the forecast, you can predict when you’re likely to have a headache and take a preventative painkiller a day or two in advance.

Check the weather forecast here.

6. Grinding teeth

Grinding your teeth at night (the medical name is bruxism) makes your jaw muscle contract, causing a dull headache.

How to fix it: Your dentist can fit you with a mouth guard to protect your teeth while you sleep. They cost around £50.

7. Bright lights

Bright lights and glare, especially if flickering, can induce migraines. This is because bright and flickering lights boost the levels of certain chemicals in the brain, which then activate the migraine centre.

How to fix it: Sunglasses are great at reducing light intensity, and you can wear them inside and outside. Polarised lenses can also help to reduce glare.

At work, adjust your computer monitor or attach a glare screen. You may be able to turn off certain lights or move them. If you can’t, change where you sit in the office. Fluorescent lighting tends to flicker, so if you’re able to, substitute it with some other form of lighting.

8. Food triggers

Your turkey and cheese sandwich and small bar of dark chocolate might be a tasty lunch, but beware of the headache that could follow it. All these foods contain chemicals that can bring on a migraine. Other culprits include aged cheeses like stilton and brie, diet fizzy drinks, and processed meats and fish.

How to fix it: Keep a migraine trigger diary and once you suspect a certain food may be the cause of your headaches, eliminate it from your diet for a couple of months to see if you get fewer headaches.

If you’re concerned about avoiding any food-related trigger factor, see your GP or practice nurse or ask to be referred to a dietician for specialist advice.

Remember to eat regularly, because skipping meals can bring on a headache.

The Migraine Trust offers an online migraine trigger diary here.

9. Sex headaches

It’s a standing joke that headaches are used as an excuse to avoid sex, but for many men and women coital headaches that come on at the height of passion are a real and distressing problem.

Doctors think sex headaches are due to pressure building up in the head and neck muscles. The headaches can happen during foreplay or just before orgasm, and can last for a few minutes or up to an hour.

How to fix it: They’re inconvenient, but these headaches are usually harmless and don’t mean you have to avoid sex. Take a painkiller a few hours beforehand to block the headache.

10. Ice cream

Do you get a sharp, stabbing pain in your forehead when you bite into an ice cream cone? Then you’re susceptible to ice cream headaches, caused by cold material moving across the roof of your mouth and the back of your throat. Ice lollies and slushy frozen drinks have the same effect.

How to fix it: The good news is that ice cream headaches don’t need treatment. In fact, they’re over in a flash, rarely lasting more than a minute or two.

Leave a comment Posted on June 19, 2017June 19, 2017 Pain Management, Patient Talk

Daith Piercing – do they help with pain?

My Experience – Daith Piercing

One of the most enduringly popular blogs we have ever posted was a poll on daith piercings for pain (migraines in particular). You can check out the results here. For more detail on how daith piercings help with anxiety please do have a look at this post.

So we thought it would be interesting to find out the views of people who have actually had the procedure. So we are sharing this fascinating video from Tina who recently got a daith piercing!

Leave a comment Posted on June 13, 2017June 13, 2017 A to Z of Medical Conditions, Pain Management

Paraesthesia – what are the signs and symptoms of Paraesthesia?

Paraesthesia

[Original article on NHS Choices website]

Pins and needles (paraesthesia) is a pricking, burning, tingling or numbing sensation that’s usually felt in the arms, legs, hands or feet.

It doesn’t usually cause any pain, but it can cause numbness or itching.

Pins and needles is usually temporary, but can sometimes be long-lasting (chronic).

Temporary pins and needles

Most people have temporary pins and needles from time to time.

It happens when pressure is applied to a part of the body, which cuts off the blood supply to the nerves in that area. This prevents the nerves from sending important signals to the brain.

Putting weight on a body part (for example, by kneeling) or wearing tight shoes or socks can potentially cause pins and needles.

Temporary pins and needles can be eased by simply taking the pressure off the affected area. This allows your blood supply to return, relieving the numbness or tingling sensation.

Other common reasons for temporary pins and needles include:

a condition known as Raynaud’s disease – which affects the blood supply to certain areas of the body, such as the fingers and toes, and is usually triggered by cold temperatures or sometimes anxiety or stress

hyperventilating (breathing too quickly)

Long-lasting pins and needles

Sometimes, pins and needles can occur over a long period of time. It can be a sign of a wide range of health conditions, including:

diabetes – a condition in which there is too much glucose in the blood.

a compressed ulnar nerve – the ulnar nerve starts in your neck and runs down the inside of your upper arm to your elbow, then down to the little finger side of your hand; it can be compressed at any point, but the elbow is most commonly affected

carpal tunnel syndrome – pain, numbness and a burning or tingling sensation in the hand caused by a build-up of pressure in the small tunnel that runs from the wrist to the lower palm (the carpal tunnel)

sciatica – pain caused by irritation or compression of the sciatic nerve, which runs from the back of your pelvis, through your buttocks and down both legs to your feet

Persistent pins and needles can also occur after an injury, or be caused by certain treatments, such as chemotherapy.

When to see your GP

Most cases of pins and needles are temporary and the sensation disappears after the pressure is taken off the affected area.

See your GP if you constantly have pins and needles or if it keeps coming back. It may be a sign of a more serious underlying health condition.

Treatment for chronic pins and needles depends on the cause. For example, if it’s caused by diabetes, treatment will focus on controlling your blood glucose levels.

Other causes

Long-lasting pins and needles may also be caused by:

a condition that damages the nervous system – such as a stroke, multiple sclerosis or in extremely rare cases, a brain tumour

exposure to toxic substances – such as lead or radiation

certain types of medication – such as HIV medication, medication to prevent seizures (anticonvulsants), or some antibiotics

malnutrition – where the body lacks important nutrients because of a poor diet

a vitamin B12 deficiency

nerve damage caused by infection, injury or overuse – for example, a condition known as hand-arm vibration syndrome may be the result of regularly using vibrating tools

alcohol misuse

cervical spondylosis – the bones and tissues of the spine can wear down over time, leading to trapped nerves and occasionally pins and needles