HEALTH TALK: Myths and facts about chronic pain

Dr. Victor Emanuel MD

FACT: WEATHER CAN AFFECT PAIN

If your joint pain gets worse when it’s cold or raining, it’s not your imagination. Although studies have shown mixed results, changes in barometric pressure can cause some people – especially people with arthritis – to have increased pain in their joints.  Experts think this is because the change in barometric pressure affects joint pressure.

FACT: WOMEN HANDLE PAIN BETTER

Women point to childbirth as proof of their greater pain capacity, and some science backs this up. Women and men tolerate pain differently. Women use more coping mechanisms to deal with pain. They seek treatment more quickly and tend to recover from pain faster than men. But experts say pain is such an individual experience that it’s hard to compare one person’s pain to another.

MYTH: REST IS GOOD FOR BACK PAIN

Although short rest may be prescribed, it’s best to remain active. Experts say that complete bed rest is one of the worst things you can do for back pain. If you’re not active, your body quickly becomes deconditioned – causing even more pain when you eventually move. Limit exercise during acute episodes of pain but continue daily activities and exercise as your doctor orders, as much as you can.

FACT: LOSING WEIGHT CAN EASE PAIN

If you are overweight, know that having less weight on your body means less pressure – and less pain – on your joints and back. Dropping a few extra pounds can really help improve joint pain in the knees and hips. In fact, it is said that for every pound that one is overweight, an extra four pounds is borne by these joints. Dropping 10 pounds can make a huge difference. Losing weight also can help back pain caused by muscle fatigue.

FACT: EXERCISE CURBS PAINFUL FLARES

Although pain may make it harder to exercise, staying active is one of the best things you can do to feel better. Exercise can help you lose weight, sleep better, and boost your mood – all of which can also help reduce pain. Exercise helps strengthen muscles, ease stiff joints, and restore co-ordination and balance. Low-impact exercises, like swimming, and stretching, are good ways to start.

MYTH: IF PAIN CAN’T BE FOUND, IT’S NOT REAL

Just because you can’t find the exact source of someone’s pain doesn’t mean they don’t feel it. No test can measure the intensity of pain, no imaging device can show pain, and no instrument can locate pain precisely. This doesn’t mean pain can’t be treated. We don’t need to know the exact cause of the pain to try to make it feel better.

MYTH: DON’T WORRY ABOUT MINOR PAIN

Many people believe that pain is just something you have to live with, yet pain should never be ignored. Even if your pain gets better with over-the-counter pain medications, see the doc if the pain lasts more than a week or two, becomes worse over time, or if it interferes with your daily activities.

FACT: YOUR ATTITUDE CAN AFFECT PAIN

Dwelling on your pain can make it feel worse. Those who focus on their pain tend to do poorly compared with those who have a proactive attitude and try to find ways to cope with their pain. Pain can lead to depression and anxiety, which can make pain worse. Consider counseling to help cope with your pain.

MYTH: NO PAIN, NO GAIN

Although it’s o.k. to push yourself until you feel the burn of exercise, it’s important to know when to stop. Pain is your body’s way of telling you that something is wrong. You should never feel pain when exercising. If you do, stop and take a break. To stay safe, learn what your limits are, and stay within them.

MYTH: PAIN IS JUST PART OF AGING

Like gray hair or wrinkles, a few aches and pains are a part of nearly everyone’s life.  But chronic pain – which can increase suffering and decrease quality of life – doesn’t have to be. Most people should be able to lead relatively pain-free lives as they age. If you are bothered by chronic pain, a pain specialist or your primary care physician can help you find relief – no matter how old you are.

MYTH: PAIN KILLERS LEAD TO ADDICTION

When taken as directed, prescription pain medications rarely cause addiction. However, as with many drugs, your body can become physically dependent on some pain medication. Although this doesn’t mean you’re addicted, you may have withdrawal symptoms if you stop the drug abruptly. It’s an expected response when certain prescription pain drugs are used for more than a few days. Your doctor can help you stop safely.

See you next week.

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4 Comments

  1. January 24, 2013

    DOCTOR YOUR SUBJECT IS QUITE INTERESTING NONE THE LESS I WAS LITERALLY NAILED TO MY BED OVERNIGHT AND COULD NOT SIT UP ….LUCKILY I HAD MY SON WHO COULD HELP ME TO SIT UP …I HAVE BEEN LIVING IN SEVERE PAIN FOR MANY YEARS ,,,EVERY THING BECAME TOO DIFFICULT FOR ME EVEN PUTTING MY KNICKERS ON,SITTING,WALKING ETC.I SAW MANY DOCTORS ,HAD MANY SCANS ,XRAY, PHYSIO AND ALL MEDICAL TEST THAT YOU COULD THINK OF,,FINALLY I ASKED FOR A LAPROSCOPY AND THE RESULT CAME UP SHOWING THAT I HAD CYTES ON THE OVARIES ,,,I LATER HAD SURGERY AND AN IMMEDIATELY AFTER SURGERY I WAS NO MORE LIVING A HANDICAP LIFE …I AM NOW A NEW PERSON AFTER SO MANY YEARS OF PAIN..

  2. Agatha
    January 24, 2013

    THANKS, DOC.

    I HAVE ARRIVED AT THE CONCLSION THAT A LITTLE HEART EPISODE IN THE EARLY MORNING, THE OCCASIONAL LITTLE INCONTINENCE, WEAKENING OF SIGHT, STRENGTH, AND HEARING, SENSATION OF PRESSURE, BURNING, TINGLING, DISCOMFORT, RINGING IN THE EARS, SLIGHT BUT CONSTANT DIZZINESS, THE WRINKLES AND HAIR LOSS ARE ALL JUST PART OF THE MYRIAD OF WAYS THAT YOUR LIFELONG FRIEND, NATURE, TELLS YOU SHE IS DONE WITH SUPPORTING YOU AND YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN WITH THE AGINING PROCESS.

    MAN, AGING CAN BE SUCH A B TEST.

  3. lion
    January 24, 2013

    A body in motion stays in motion

  4. Kryptonite
    January 23, 2013

    nice read thanks Doc

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