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Health Beat: Finding Ways to Deal with Chronic Pain
Health Beat is a feature at LGBTSr promoting health and well-being.
By Mark McNease
There’s something psychologically debilitating about walking with a cane, or wearing sandals that can accommodate an ankle brace. Two sizes too large? I had no other choice if I wanted more than one pair of shoes I could wear, which has been the case for a week.
When the mighty fall
Chronic pain affects millions of people, and we can find ourselves dealing with it at a moment’s notice. For me, it was a very sudden fall in the yard just over a week ago. I was dragging a hose across the lawn, walking sideways, and suddenly …. SNAP, my ankle bent sideways and every overweight pound of me went falling to the ground. I’ve had this happen before, but never so seriously. I also landed on my chest, and a week later I’m dealing with both the ankle, and, to a lesser degree, rib pain.
We’re going on a cruise next week. Between that and simply wanting to function—I don’t know how anyone stands being bed or couch ridden for more than a day—I went to an orthopedist. Now that I have Medicare there’s no reason not to, but old habits of avoiding doctors die hard.
Chronic pain is caused by any number of reasons, such as injury, illness, aging, or stress. It can, and does, have a negative impact on your physical, mental, and emotional well-being, as well as your quality of life. There’s something psychologically debilitating about walking with a cane, or wearing sandals that can accommodate an ankle brace. Two sizes too large? I had no other choice if I wanted more than one pair of shoes I could wear, which has been the case for a week.
Take heart: there are ways to cope with chronic pain and manage its symptoms. Following are some tips and strategies that can help, or at least inspire you to find your own ways of coping.
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Health Beat: What is Restless Leg Syndrome?
Narration provided by Wondervox.
By Mark McNease
After experiencing increasing and chronic pain in my thighs, I finally went to see my primary care doctor. His diagnosis? Most likely restless leg syndrome (RLS). I’ll admit to being surprised, because I’d always imagined that as causing a visible shaking or twitching in the legs. What I didn’t know is that it can be low-grade, and it can happen while you sleep! As he explained it, my legs could be twitching almost imperceptibly while I slept, keeping them from resting and rejuvenating. The result is a pain and tiredness that was becoming slightly debilitating.
Restless leg syndrome didn’t seem to be in the public consciousness until fairly recently, and I was one of those who questioned how prevalent it was. When I first saw drug commercials for it, I thought it might be another of the discoveries being made weekly that require another medication, helpfully manufactured and marketed by the pharmaceutical companies. And then it happened to me. I know what it’s like to have an ailment that almost seems as if it’s in my imagination. If you’re experiencing this, rest assured it’s real.
For me, the doctor prescribed Ropinirole. It’s commonly used for Parkinson’s (don’t let that alarm you) and for restless leg syndrome. The results were immediate. The pain is mostly gone, and began subsiding within a couple days. And a side effect is that I sleep soundly, something that has been an issue for me for years.
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Health Beat: Is Cannabis Right for You?
Narration provided by Wondervox.
By Mark McNease
Once Upon a Gummy
I’ll be honest: I’m a cannabis guy. I haven’t had a drink for 9-plus years, but several years ago I wanted something to help with stress management. A friend gave me a cannabis gummy, and I took half of it. After years of apprehension, I discovered the sky did not fall, I didn’t want to run off to the nearest drug dealer or bar stool, and I quite enjoyed it.
After years with a clear head, I do not like feeling intoxicated by anything. I did that for decades as a young person, even having a reputation as a pothead in high school. That kind of misuse, of the psychotropic components of marijuana and of my own mind and body, holds no allure for me at this age and hasn’t for a long time.
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Health Beat: Is Cannabis Right for You?
Narration provided by Wondervox.
By Mark McNease
Once Upon a Gummy
I’ll be honest: I’m a cannabis guy. I haven’t had a drink for 9-plus years, but several years ago I wanted something to help with stress management. A friend gave me a cannabis gummy, and I took half of it. After years of apprehension, I discovered the sky did not fall, I didn’t want to run off to the nearest drug dealer or bar stool, and I quite enjoyed it.
After years with a clear head, I do not like feeling intoxicated by anything. I did that for decades as a young person, even having a reputation as a pothead in high school. That kind of misuse, of the psychotropic components of marijuana and of my own mind and body, holds no allure for me at this age and hasn’t for a long time.