pain

5 Comments Posted on Pain Management

Pain management – Is your pain worse today than it was one year ago?

Pain - is it getting worse?

Pain – is it getting worse?

As you may know by now one of the main objects of this blog is to help provide our readers with a forum which gives support for people who live on a day to day basis.

Of course there are many conditions which cause severe pain such , as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, migraines, POTS, fibromyalgia, cancer and ankylosing spondylitis. But today we are interested in focusing on pain management in general.

We would like to use today’s blog to ask our readers if you feel your pain is worse today than it was a year ago.

Sadly in my case it is much worse.

Also it would be great if you could share how you feel your pain management is working in the comments section below. In particular it would be great if you could tell us why your pain is getting better or worse over the last 12 months.

But before that we would invite you to take part in the poll below.

5 Comments Posted on Arthritis

Ankylosing spondylitis – signs, symptoms and what it is really like to have AS!

ankylosing spondylitis

ankylosing spondylitis

As many of you know by now May is Arthritis Awareness Month. As part of our support for the month we have decided to highlight a few different arthritic conditions. For those who are interested we have looked at Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus and Fibromyalgia in some detail in previous blog posts on PatientTalk.Org.

Today we wish to focus on Ankylosing spondylitis. Primarily it is a spinal condition though it can also affect other parts of the body. There are two objectives to this blog post. Firstly to raise awareness of Ankylosing spondylitis among our readership and the wider community. Secondly to give an opportunity for people with AS to share their experiences and story. Hopefully it will provide useful information and support for those who have just been diagnosed with the condition .

Normally the symptoms develop over a period of time (in fact, several months is common). Typically they include:-

a) Back pain. Interestingly rest seems not to help here but exercise does.
b) Fatigue
c) Pain and swelling often in the arms and legs.

The inflammation can cause the spine to fuse which is referred to as ankylosis. Causes are as yet unconfirmed but it is believed to have a genetic link. Typically in the Uk around 1 in 300 people have been diagnosed with the condition. Interestly around three quarters of those affected are female. And most cases seem to start when the person with AS is in their twenties.

Treatments include

a) Pain Management
b) Exercise – check out our previous blog post on exercise for people in pain!
c) Physiotherapy.

In severe cases of AS surgery is used to help with the fusion of the spine.

So over to you. We would love to hear the voices of people in the Ankylosing spondylitis community. It would be great if you could use the comments box below to share your story. Please feel free to include anything you think may be of interest but you may wish to consider the following questions?

1) At what age did your first symptoms appear?
2) What were those symptoms?
3) How have the symptoms progressed over time?
4) How supportive have you family and friends been?
5) What treatments have you used for AS and how effective have they been?
6) Is there one piece of advice you would give to somebody who has just been diagnosed with Ankylosing spondylitis?

If you can suggest any good blogs, groups and sources of info that would be great as well.

Many thanks in advance for your help!

30 Comments Posted on Multiple Sclerosis

Myths about multiple sclerosis – which MS myth gets you the most angry?

Tie One on for Multiple Sclerosis

Tie One on for Multiple Sclerosis

As many of you know we run a Facebook page called MultipleSclerosisTalk. If you are not a member you can join by clicking here.

Members of the group use it for all kinds of things. To ask questions, share information and experiences but also to vent.

This could be because of the therapy they are using or just because of the effect of the symptoms of multiple sclerosis on their lives. But sometimes it is because of the things they are told.  Firstly by the things they are told by the people around them. Donnee Spencer’s infographic “I don’t look sick“ has rightly become an internet legend.

But, sadly, it can also be things that healthcare professionals have said to them.

A few days ago one of our readers mentioned that she had been told that “Multiple Sclerosis does not cause pain”.  Which would come as news to everyone in the MS community I’d have thought.

Now it occurred to me that there are loads of these kinds of myths (ie total rubbish) doing the rounds.  The purpose of this blog is to give our readers the opportunity to share the myths about MS (and pain) they hate the most.

It should also give us a list of things to share with people who have just been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

So it would be great if you could use the comments box below to share the things that have been said to you about multiple sclerosis which irritate you the most.

 

paxtonfan Jamie OConnor staceysnowdrop Wasn’t Stacey just giving an example of things people say that are annoying?
paxtonfan devsmum MarciaMarie I think she was posting that as one of those examples of what people say that is annoying.
JenniferVillegas But have you tried (something ridiculous)? That could help get rid of it.
KimPriebe You will be in a wheelchair soon!!!
Hbonn1 Yeah, I have a friend with ME…
Or
I’m surprised they let you have children!
KristinaElizabethShepard “you can’t tell me you were in 10/10 pain yesterday and none today”
Tcarr4151976 “I had a 2nd cousin’s sister’s boyfriend’s hairdresser who cured MS by thinking hard about it not affecting him”
Tcarr4151976 “I know just how you feel, I am tired all the time too”
ShellyTomac You are just a lazy ass and need to get a job!!!
AmberKellamBrodie “You don’t appreciate life, and you just need to try harder”. My mother in law said that to me 3 days ago. I have PPMS and have had it for quite a while. Somedays I need a cane, some days my walker. Nevertheless, I can’t do anything that requires a great deal of walking. The power in my legs just goes away.
LoriBatchelor Gee, that looks like fun!–referring to my mobility scooter!
SUZCAM But you look so well
tstokes I am not sure who is worse Ann Romney or Dr. Wahl.  Remission? or curing your MS with diet?
Kellyhennigan If you stay in the heat more you’ll just get used to it and won’t have any more side affects.
DD_UK are you drunk? – I fall a lot, and my sense of balance is shot
karenmckinna people keep telling me that im probably tired because I sleep too much – 8 hrs a night Mon-Thurs & 10 ish a night Fri – Sun.
SherrieGoldberg I always get “you look fine” or “everyone has problems. I get migraines”
challengeme People don’t understand that the disease is different in everyone, and everyone is different.  So not everyone will have the same issues.
BeckySenette “I have restless leg syndrome so I totally understand what you’re going through”
DanaSeatonLopez You look just fine or isn’t that what Jerry Lewis raises money for?
AricaDavis If you’d just sleep more you’d be fine
Jamie OConnor staceysnowdrop no! It’s an autoimmune disease
devsmum MarciaMarie this may not be the case for ever tho Marcia – depends on what type of MS they have, how long they have had it, and where the damage is. We are all affected quite differently…. this is something really important to understand. I got MS at 16 – but did not have walking difficulties until 36…..
MarciaMarie I know someone with ms and they can walk just fine.
staceysnowdrop Isn’t MS a form of arthritis?
DarlaWalker that we all end up in a wheelchair
DarlaWalker that we all end up in a wheelchair
Kelloggs1226 I hate when people tell me that
Kelloggs1226 If you just changed your diet you’d be fine
boumalicious Oh, that’s like ME isn’t it? (get told that a lot!)

It’s infectious

It’s hereditary
Leave a comment Posted on Patient Talk

Bowen Awareness Week – What is Bowen Therapy and have you used it?


Bowen therapy

Bowen therapy

Over the years I have look at a whole range of therapies for various different medical conditions which don’t quite fit into the conventional medical model.

This have ranged from the Paleo diet for multiple sclerosis to the McKenzie Method® for back pain.

According to a press release from Bowen Therapy Professional Association “the Bowen Technique is a drug-free, non-invasive, hands-on therapy which can be administered through light clothing. It has a remarkable record of success in helping clients with a wide range of conditions, including back, neck, shoulder and other acute and chronic muscular pain; stress-related conditions including depression; asthma, hay fever and other respiratory problems; sports injuries, IBS, migraine, fertility, hormonal imbalance and a host of other health issues. It is suitable for people of all ages, from tiny babies with colic to mature clients who suffer from arthritis. There are many personal testimonies of Bowen working when nothing else has helped.



In a typical Bowen treatment, the therapist, using only thumbs and fingers, makes small rolling movements over muscles, tendons and soft tissue at precise points on the body. This subtle but dynamic process releases stress at a very deep level, allowing the body to re-align, address imbalances in functions and chemical composition and , as far as possible, restore homeostasis (physiological equilibrium) within the body. ”

You can check out their web site here http://www.bowen-therapy.co/default.asp

Now as you can see this is quite a list of different conditions which could be treated with Bowen therapy. It is also pretty diverse as well.

So why am I writing this blog. I’m very interesting in hearing if any of my readers have used it and how you have found it. Also if you are a Bowen therapist it would be great to hear what you do and how you do it.

Please feel free to use the comments box below to add anything you think might be of interest to our readers.

Many thanks in advance.

Leave a comment Posted on Exercise, Pain, Patient Talk

Avoiding common injuries when exercising


Avoiding injury

Avoiding injury

When you are exercising, it is important to make sure that everything is done properly. Exercise can put the body under a lot of pressure and this can lead to injuries. Your muscles and joints will bear the brunt of this pressure and many people do not realize just how easy an exercise injury is to sustain. One of the problems is over-exertion – some people push themselves just that little bit harder because they think they will get good results, but the damage that this can do can far outweigh the benefits.

What are strains and sprains?

 A strain happens to the muscles when the fibers are torn or stretched. This can happen when the muscle is stretched too much or if it has had to contract far too quickly. The legs and back are the most common places for strains to happen and symptoms will include bruising, swelling, pain and spasms in the muscle.

A sprain is something that happens to the ligaments in the body. It will happen to the ligament when stretched, torn or twisted and usually occurs because there is too much pressure on a joint. Sprains often affect the ankles, knees and wrists. The sufferer will have pain, swelling, tenderness and bruising.


It is important to rest when something like this happens – most strains and sprains will heal well at home if you are careful, but if you have very intense pain or have trouble with movement then you should visit a doctor. If the rest and self-treatment does not work, it could indicate that the injury is more severe than first thought and you could have other problems, such as a fracture.

Ways to avoid injury

 The warm-up is an important part of any workout, no matter what type of exercise you want to do. Before every workout session, you should have a warm-up and build up the workout over time, rather than trying to do too much at once. The aim of the warm-up is to help the muscles to get used to stress; this gives them more chance of avoiding injury. You can also make sure that you are wearing the correct sportswear. Items such as the right running shoes, compression shorts and compression socks can all give the right support and it is worth a look at items such as tommiecopper.com shorts.

Repetition can also be a problem when exercising and while it is essential in some workouts in order to help you to get it just right and build strength, it can put the muscles under strain. Variety in workouts is a good idea and this is why runners, for example, include other types of exercise in their training, such as cycling.

Resting the muscles between workouts is another essential part of avoiding injury. It is not absolutely essential to exercise every day. Muscles do become tired and they do need to recover from the exercise. When planning your exercise regime you need to ensure that you allow enough time between workouts for the muscles to rest.

When planning your exercise regime, give plenty of attention to the way that you exercise and make sure that you are properly prepared. This will help you to avoid injury and allow you to get fitter in a much safer way.