What Causes Fibromyalgia Flares? When you live with Fibromyalgia or any chronic illness that “flares” up at various times, life is unpredictable. It’s often hard to know when you might wake up having a bad day or when it may be a good day. Fibromyalgia flares can show up at any … [Read more...]
Distraction as Pain Reliever: 10 ways to distract yourself from pain
Distraction as Pain Relief: 10 Ways to Distract Yourself From Pain Whenever my TMJ doctor does trigger point injections on me, one of his nurses will gently tap on my shoulder or head on the opposite side from where the injection is going. It took me a couple of visits before I realized this was a … [Read more...]
The Chronic Pain Scale: Communicating Your Chronic Pain
The Pain Scale and Chronic Pain This is the pain scale they have on the wall in the rooms at the hospital. This is a terrible pain scale on so many levels! But, for someone in chronic pain it's pretty much useless. The faces that go with it are just, well, humorous. 0 - No Hurt - A person … [Read more...]
PEMF for Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain
I've been using PEMF (Pulse Electromagnetic Frequency) to treat pain (both chronic and acute) for the last four years. PEMF has been used for over thirty years to treat many chronic illness symptoms and sources of chronic pain. Yet, I'd never even heard of this therapy until a few years ago - and … [Read more...]
My Story of Recovery from Fibromyalgia
It's been a decade since I became ill and was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. I spent the first two years barely existing. Getting out of bed was a struggle. Thankfully, I did find some answers that helped me recover and return to a mostly normal life. My story of recovery from fibromyalgia Don't get … [Read more...]
Could food sensitivities be making your Fibromyalgia symptoms worse?
Back in 2012, after spending two years feeling so awful I barely got off the couch/bed except for doctor appointments, I finally reached the point where I was willing to try anything - even completely changing my diet. During the previous two years I’d had many people suggest food sensitivities as a … [Read more...]
12 Tips for Staying Warm Outside with Chronic Pain
When I get cold it feels as if I’m cold all the way to my bones. I get cold easily – as in I can be inside a house that is 70 degrees when it’s 90 degrees outside and feel cold. When it’s hot outside the answer is easy, just go outside and warm up. As much as I avoid being outside as much as … [Read more...]
10 Ways to keep Chronic Illness from stealing your life
Chronic illness will steal your life if you let it. It will take over your entire identity and become everything you think about. But, it doesn't have to be that way. Chronic illness is only something you have to live with, it is NOT who you are. Don't let chronic illness steal your life. 10 … [Read more...]
Tips for Pacing When You Have Chronic Illness
When you live with chronic illness it seems that everywhere you turn you are told to pace yourself and your activities. But, rarely do they explain what it means or how to do it. Pacing is a concept that gets thrown around a lot in support groups and blogs related to chronic illness. You may … [Read more...]
Are these seven habits increasing your pain and fatigue?
Chronic illness is fatiguing enough. Yet, sometimes we do things (often unknowingly) that zap our energy, create stress, and leave us even more fatigued. Below are seven habits that are increasing your stress, pain, and fatigue, and generally making you feel worse. 1 . … [Read more...]