Read Online Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Pain by Sandra M. LeFort, Lisa Webster, Kate Lorig, Halsted Holman, David Sobel, Diana Laurent, Virginia González, Marian Minor - Free Book Online
is happening. In addition to pain itself, symptoms may include fatigue, poor sleep, depression, anger, stress, and memory problems. Usually symptoms cannot be seen by others, can be difficult to describe, and can occur at unexpected times. Although some symptoms are common, the ways in which they affect us are very personal. What’s more, these symptoms can interact with each other. This interaction may worsen existing symptoms and pain and even lead to new symptoms or problems.
Regardless of the causes of symptoms, you can deal with them in similar ways. Again, our self-management tools are the key to success. In this chapter we discuss several common symptoms, their causes, and some of the tools you can use to manage them. There is also a section on how to cope with unemployment. Additional cognitive tools—ways you can use your mind to calm your nervous system and help deal with many of these symptoms—are discussed in Chapters 5 .
Dealing with Common Symptoms
Learning to manage symptoms is very similar to problem solving, discussed in Chapters 2 . First, identify the symptom you are experiencing. Next, determine why you might be having the symptom at this time. This may sound like a simple process, but it is not always easy.
You may experience many different symptoms, and each symptom may have various causes. The ways in which these symptoms affect your life also differ. All these factors can become very tangled, like the frayed threads of a cloth. To successfully manage symptoms, you need to figure out how to untangle the threads.
One way to approach this is a daily diary or journal. Keeping a journal can be as simple as writing your symptoms on a calendar along with some notes about what you were doing before the symptom started or worsened, as shown in the example in Figure 4.1 . After a week or two, you may see a pattern. For example, you may notice that on nights when you go out to dinner, you have trouble sleeping. Once you realize that, you become aware that when you go out, you tend to overeat and drink a couple cups of coffee after the meal (something you don’t do at home). Now you know to adjust your behavior in the future to avoid experiencing sleep problems after a night out on the town. Or you may notice that after every time you babysit the grandchildren you experience more pain than usual. This may cause you to consider what kinds of activities you are doing with the grandkids. Can you modify those activities to include a nap for the kids and a rest break for you? Or is it one particular activity that is causing your pain flare-up? Recognizing patterns is the first step in symptom self-management for many people.
As you read this chapter, note that many of the symptoms we discuss have the same causes. Also, note how one symptom can lead to other symptoms. For example, pain may cause you to Dealing with Common Symptomsunconsciously tense your muscles in the area where you are hurting. As a result, you change your posture, and then you are not standing straight and tall. Instead you are stooping a little. This change in posture may change the way you walk. This new way of walking may change your balance, generate a new pain, or cause you to fall. As you gain a better understanding of this cycle of symptoms, you will be able to identify better ways to address them. You may also find ways to prevent or lessen certain symptoms.
Using Symptom-Management Tools
Choose a tool to try, and be sure to give it a fair trial. We recommend that you practice using any new tool for at least two weeks before deciding whether or not it is going to be helpful.
Try a variety of tools, giving each a similar trial period. It is important to try more than one tool because some may be more useful for certain symptoms, or you may find that you simply prefer some symptom-management techniques over others.
Think about how and when you will use each tool. For example, some of these tools may require more lifestyle
Regardless of the causes of symptoms, you can deal with them in similar ways. Again, our self-management tools are the key to success. In this chapter we discuss several common symptoms, their causes, and some of the tools you can use to manage them. There is also a section on how to cope with unemployment. Additional cognitive tools—ways you can use your mind to calm your nervous system and help deal with many of these symptoms—are discussed in Chapters 5 .
Dealing with Common Symptoms
Learning to manage symptoms is very similar to problem solving, discussed in Chapters 2 . First, identify the symptom you are experiencing. Next, determine why you might be having the symptom at this time. This may sound like a simple process, but it is not always easy.
You may experience many different symptoms, and each symptom may have various causes. The ways in which these symptoms affect your life also differ. All these factors can become very tangled, like the frayed threads of a cloth. To successfully manage symptoms, you need to figure out how to untangle the threads.
One way to approach this is a daily diary or journal. Keeping a journal can be as simple as writing your symptoms on a calendar along with some notes about what you were doing before the symptom started or worsened, as shown in the example in Figure 4.1 . After a week or two, you may see a pattern. For example, you may notice that on nights when you go out to dinner, you have trouble sleeping. Once you realize that, you become aware that when you go out, you tend to overeat and drink a couple cups of coffee after the meal (something you don’t do at home). Now you know to adjust your behavior in the future to avoid experiencing sleep problems after a night out on the town. Or you may notice that after every time you babysit the grandchildren you experience more pain than usual. This may cause you to consider what kinds of activities you are doing with the grandkids. Can you modify those activities to include a nap for the kids and a rest break for you? Or is it one particular activity that is causing your pain flare-up? Recognizing patterns is the first step in symptom self-management for many people.
As you read this chapter, note that many of the symptoms we discuss have the same causes. Also, note how one symptom can lead to other symptoms. For example, pain may cause you to Dealing with Common Symptomsunconsciously tense your muscles in the area where you are hurting. As a result, you change your posture, and then you are not standing straight and tall. Instead you are stooping a little. This change in posture may change the way you walk. This new way of walking may change your balance, generate a new pain, or cause you to fall. As you gain a better understanding of this cycle of symptoms, you will be able to identify better ways to address them. You may also find ways to prevent or lessen certain symptoms.
Using Symptom-Management Tools
Choose a tool to try, and be sure to give it a fair trial. We recommend that you practice using any new tool for at least two weeks before deciding whether or not it is going to be helpful.
Try a variety of tools, giving each a similar trial period. It is important to try more than one tool because some may be more useful for certain symptoms, or you may find that you simply prefer some symptom-management techniques over others.
Think about how and when you will use each tool. For example, some of these tools may require more lifestyle
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