Pain support newsletter

[Alastair]

PainSupport eNewsletter

Your hands are very handy - here are three handy exercises for you!

Your own hands can be a wonderful route into relaxation and pain relief. These exercises are especially useful if you are sitting at your computer for a long time. We hold a lot of tension in our hands, face and head.

Try these three techniques and choose one or more that you particularly like to use regularly.
Please don't make any movements that hurt you!
Only do what is comfortable for you.

1. General relaxation.
Make sure you are sitting comfortably and put your hands in front of you.
Take a couple of gentle deep breaths.

Keep breathing slowly and steadily throughout, don't hold your breathe!
Fold your hands softly into fists on your lap, tighten your grip, hold on for about 10 seconds, and relax.
Now, with your hands still softly in fists, slowly and gently move out each finger separately.
Repeat once again: make a fist, tighten your grip, hold on for about 10 seconds, and release and relax.
Drop your hands into your lap, not touching each other, and enjoy the feeling of relaxation before moving on with your daily activities



2. Massage your hands, use a light oil or handcream if you like.
Using your opposite hand, stroke the back of your hand, pushing firmly up towards the wrist and gently glide back down.
Then gently squeeze the hand all over.
Gently squeeze each finger all over, making circular pressures over the joints - don't do this if you have swollen joints.
Holding the finger at the base, pull gently to stretch it, sliding your grip up the finger and off the tip.
Stroke very gently between the tendons on the back of your hand with your thumb.
Massage the inside of your hand with your other thumb, using circular pressure. Massage all over the palm and around your wrist.
Rub the palm of your hand from the fingers to the wrist by pushing into it with the heel of your other hand, glide gently back and repeat.


3. Try a head and scalp massage.
Use the four fingertips of each hand and press your forehead at the hairline for two seconds, and then release. Continue like this, pressing and releasing, from front to back around every inch of your hairline.
Repeat two or three times.
Press your fingertips gently down on to the crown area of your head.
Place the pads of four fingertips together at the centre of your forehead. Very gently, smooth along the “worry” lines of your forehead from the centre out to the temples.Repeat six times.
Next, using light pressure, make tiny circles on your temples, between the corner of your eye and your scalp.Repeat six times.
Finally, with your hand in a loose fist close to the scalp,grab a handful of hair and give it a gently little tug. Work until you’ve covered each section of the scalp.


TOOL KIT - If you liked any of these ideas why not keep them in your Tool Kit notebook or folder of self-help pain relief methods. If you haven't started one yet, it's an excellent idea to keep a special notebook or folder as your Tool Kit to remind you of techniques and skills for coping with pain. Your Tool Kit is especially useful when pain flares up. It will help prevent panic and fear and give you constructive ideas to focus upon.


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WORDS OF WISDOM
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'The grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, something to love, and something to hope for'

- - Allan K Chalmers


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AND FINALLY - an old groaner...

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Doctor, Doctor

"Doctor, doctor, I keep thinking I'm a dog."
"Sit down and tell me all about it."
"I can't. I'm not allowed on the furniture."



Keep smiling!

I hope you find the above ideas useful. If you would like more information on any of the items above plus more ideas for pain relief, please go to the website below or contact me for details of my CDs, tapes and books which contains many more methods for relaxation, pain and stress relief.

Jan at PainSupport
www.painsupport.co.uk