September is Pain Awareness Month

Pain is so complex.  It can be difficult to diagnose, treat, and manage.  Pain is hard for people to understand, and unless you have chronic pain then you probably don't understand.  Pain is something you can't run from, no matter how hard you try.  Pain doesn't care about your plans or dates on the calender, it makes it's unwelcomed appearance whenever it wants. 

I live with pain everyday and have for some time now.  I am still working on the treating and managing part.  As part of Pain Awareness Month I thought I would share how pain effects my life.  Everyday I have pain.  My pain is widespread, it goes from the top of my head to the tips of my toes.  I also have chronic back pain.  The pain can range anywhere from a dull ache to driving myself to the ER.  Pain disrupts my sleep on a nightly basis, so much so that I have insomnia most nights.  Pain makes me cranky and irritable.  Pain hijacks my life in so many other ways as well, but I will spare you every detail.  I have been told that I have to get a handle on my pain and learn how to manage it now.  Because in the blink of an eye it can rob you of your life.  At the ripe old age of 31 hearing that I will probably have chronic pain my whole life, is a hard pill to swallow.

This blog post is not about sympathy, but about understanding.  Like I said before most people don't get it and that is frustrating and hurtful to me.  But this is my life and something I have to figure out for myself.  So I am developing a plan, which will probably include a few trials and errors.  I am still working on some research of my own and exploring alternative therapies.  Right now I am working with my Doctor on medications and slowly getting back into exercising.  Last week I took a brisk one mile walk and am still paying the price with a very sore back.  "Slow and steady," I must remind myself. 

"Imagine a world where people with pain are believed. Imagine a world where people with pain are heard and shown respect and dignity. Imagine a world where pain is as important to manage or treat as any other disease. Imagine a World with Less Pain".
                                                                                             -American Pain Foundation