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NEW! Pacing Workbook Download

Is your pain sometimes out of control? Do you overdo things and then 'pay for it' later on? If so, you would benefit from learning some 'pacing' skills. The PainSupport Pacing for Pain Relief Workbook by Jan Sadler will show you how to gain more control over your pain. You can now buy an instant download of the workbook to print out yourself, see below. All the proceeds go, of course, towards keeping the PainSupport website up and running. With the help of the booklet you will soon learn how to break up your activities into manageable 'chunks' and gain more control over your pain. Whether or not you are taking any drugs or having any treatments always remember that YOU are the most important person in dealing with your pain on a day to day basis. BUY NOW! DOWNLOAD PDF file of the Pacing for Pain Relief Workbook £3.00 1. Before you buy the download Workbook, please be ready to print out 17 pages of A4 (it will print out in black ink). 2. When you have paid, please click 'Return to Merchant' at the bottom lefthand corner of the PayPal screen and the PDF file will appear - almost instantly with broadband, but it will take a few minutes if you don't have broadband, so please be patient!   Details of Workbook The Pacing Workbook is as used in Pain Management Clinics, self-help groups, chiropractors, physiotherapists, etc. and by individuals at home. The workbook is highly recommended for controlling and reducing pain. The workbook is packed with easy-to-follow ideas for monitoring activities, increasing your activity level and setting goals. It uses a 'step-by-step' method and includes charts for you to complete and also an 'Anti-Panic Card' to keep in your pocket or purse. The card is a useful reminder of over 20 ways to help you feel better and to deal with flare-ups of pain or stress.   If you prefer not to download the booklet, you can buy the booklet online. For details see: Useful Products/Books by Jan Sadler.

Coming to terms with pain

When people say 'accept your pain', or 'learn to live with it', we may resist the idea, not know how to go about it, or even know what it means! Acceptance is not the same as inaction or giving in, acceptance of your situation, as it is, will allow you to move on from the past and live more peacefully with the world, and yourself. It will allow you the freedom to find ways to help yourself. Here are some tips on learning to accept and come to terms with your situation: Let go of the past, it cannot be changed. Concentrate instead on enjoying what you do have and can do, even though it may be different from before. Make the best of your life, welcome all the good things already in your life and look forward to those that will come your way. There is always something that you can do to help yourself. Nothing stays the same for ever, change is the essence of life. When things are bad, just float through the day, not pressurising yourself in any way. Talk to people, whether friends, family or a counsellor. Be open and honest about how you truly feel. Give yourself plenty of interesting occupations and arrange plenty to look forward to, no matter how small. Even small 'treats' like the occasional chocolate or special drink, candlelit bath or a massage will bring some enjoyment and anticipatory pleasure to your life. Make a list of all the good things in your life - and read it every day, particularly at night, before you go to sleep. Be at peace with yourself and the world around you.

Ice and heat therapy

It's well know that ice and heat therapy can reduce pain, inflammation and soreness. There are many products available to help achieve this. Take a look at the Hot and Cold Therapy section at PhysioRoom.com. If you use the link here to buy products from PhysioRoom, painSupport will receive a small commission - all of which helps to keep our website up and running! Hot and Cold Therapy Hot and Cold Therapy All products: PhysioRoom.com ArthritisCare.org.uk have many free booklets and factsheets to download in their Resources section, including an excellent one on the use of heat and ice to relieve pain and inflammation. www.arthritiscare.org.uk/PublicationsandResources/Booklets/Factsheets

Help with cutting down or coming off drugs

If your doctor has suggested you might stop taking a drug and you think you could do with some extra backup and support you could try Narcotics Anonymous - the organisation exists not just for illegal drugs, but prescription drugs too. Remember that it's best to tail off many drugs very gradually to avoid getting unpleasant side effects. www.ukna.org/ Never stop taking a drug without your doctor's knowledge.

Instant calm

For instant calm, connect with nature and feel part of the natural world. Watch a bird flying, stroke an animal, look really closely at a flower or tree, watch the clouds pass by, a river flow. Your breathing will slow and muscles unwind and relax and endorphins, your body's pain relievers and 'feel-good' chemicals, will be released, and pain reduced.

More instant calm - and pain relief through posture

Did you know that bad posture can add to your stress and pain levels? Instead of pulling yourself down or slumping forwards, hold your head up, lengthen your neck and spine and walk taller. Gently push your shoulders backwards and lift your ribcage. Muscle tension will be less, you will feel brighter and more confident and you will be able to breathe more easily. To really help with your posture and how you move try the Alexander Technique. Who uses the Alexander Technique? - Actors and dancers wanting to improve their performance and manage stage fright - Sports people wanting to increase their flexibility, timing, efficiency, co-ordination and general form - People with chronic illnesses who are looking for coping skills - People wanting to prevent or alleviate conditions associated with undue tension or poor posture - People who simply want to develop more self awareness and poise http://www.stat.org.uk/

Sweet Music

Did you know that listening to music made with woodwind instruments will help you to relax and feel calm? Apparently it takes longer for your ears to register low notes, so we're not as stimulated by them as we are to high pitched notes. For instance, human and animals' distress calls are shrill and high-pitched, so when we hear high notes we are alerted and react quickly to respond to any danger. Our brains are soothed by repetition, and so harmonius music with repeated tunes and phrases calms us. A great choice would be Mozart's Clarinet Concerto in A major, K622. 2nd movement (Adagio) or the soothing tones of a singer like Norah Jones. Listen to Mozart: http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/classicaltv/mozart/themusic/featuredmusic3.shtml Listen to Norah Jones: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005YW4H/103-6765038-2386255?v=glance&n=5174

Eye Aerobics!

Does working at the computer make your eyes tired? In a new survey 45% of people say their eyesight has suffered as a result of screen use. When working at a computer, take regular breaks to minimise any damage. You can also learn the simple ‘eye aerobics’ exercises on the Systane website and practice them while you work at your computer. www.systane.co.uk/eyerobics/

NP for stress and pain relief

Your body language, facial expressions and turns of phrase can affect how successful, healthy and happy you are, according to NLP practitioners. If you use negative words and body language, they create negative associations in your brain, which stop you from achieving your ambitions and from feeling good. Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) teaches you to remodel your thoughts and ideas to more positive patterns. Some painSupport members have already had help in coping with their pain with online email sessions with a trained NLP practitioner and psychologist on this website: www.collinsdonnelly.co.uk Or look in your local newspaper or Yellow Pages phone book for qualified NLP therapists if you'd rather have face-to-face sessionsand don't live near this particular practitioner in Sheffield, UK.

A different diary...

Start keeping a 'sensation diary'. Throughout the day, jot down different touch experiences - the warmth of the sun on your face, the breeze on your arms, the feel of your mug as you drink your tea or coffee, the softness of your cat's fur. By focusing on your sense of touch, you will train your mind away from pain and start thinking in a new, more constructive and enjoyable way.