Self-Help Therapies

[Alastair]

"This extract is taken from a newsletter written by Jan Sadler of PainSupport, www.painsupport.co.uk.
PainSupport Newsletter
Issue No.139, 28th February 2007


Editor: Jan Sadler



Self-Help Therapies


15 wonderful self-help therapies to reduce pain and stress

Use as many of these as you can every day and add them to your ‘TookKit’ for pain and stress relief. Your ToolKit will remind you of constructive ideas to focus upon so you can move forwards.





Massage therapy. Relieves muscle tension and improves joint function. Relaxing and enjoyable. Therapists will often come to your own home if you can’t travel easily.


Heat therapy. Relieve pain and stiffness: heated pools, whirlpools, warm showers, warm compresses or microwaveable heat packs.

Cold therapy. Reduce pain and swelling. Use a cold pack or a bag of ice wrapped in a towel for a quick and easy cold treatment.

Bath therapy. Relieve muscle tension, aching joints and help you get a good night's sleep. Light a candle, add some relaxing essential oils and soft music for the complete experience.

Local therapy. Rub on a topical analgesic, available from pharmacists and health shops everywhere or from your doctor.

'Treats' therapy. Don't forget to include a few treats each day, something to look forward to and to enjoy. Not necessarily chocolate!

Journal therapy. Write about your deepest fears, feelings and frustrations. It will help you to put everything in perspective. Record your uplifting, enjoyable and successful moments too - and read them often. It has been found that people who keep journals have better understanding and control of their pain.


TENs therapy. Reduce pain with TENs or Acticare type of devices. Available from pharmacists/physiotherapists/on-line.


Food therapy. Eat good, healthy, fresh food for optimum health. Plenty of fruit and vegetables. There's a page on the PainSupport website, address at the top and end of newsletter, with a list of foods that may reduce pain and foods that may aggravate pain.


Pet therapy. Stroke a pet, it's relaxing, enjoyable and reduces your heart rate. Your pet enjoys it too!

Plant therapy. Keep a few plants where you live and work. It has been found that caring for plants is very therapeutic, the green colour is also very relaxing. Plants also help to keep the atmosphere clean, especially near computers, TVs, etc.


Laughter therapy. Use as often as possible! This is one of the best ways to enjoy yourself and reduce pain.

Exercise therapy. Keep moving! Gentle exercise is important for relaxation, strong muscles and joints. If you can, walking is one of the best forms of exercise you can take, but there are plenty of exercises you can do indoors and both sitting and lying down. Take the advice of a professional to find which exercises are best for you.

Pacing therapy. Don't carry on with an activity when you are hurting. You probably know inside yourself when you should stop, rest and pace yourself. You can continue with the job later, refreshed. Pacing is one of the best methods of pain control. See below for a workbooklet to help you with this.


Relaxation therapy. Our favourite! When you truly relax you let go of pain and stress and become more comfortable and deeply peaceful. Listen to a relaxation CD and find out how to get the most from relaxation.


There are plenty of CDs and Downloads to choose from on the PainSupport website:


www.painsupport.co.uk


TIP:

If you’d like some extra help, try Jan Sadler’s popular and successful workbook ‘Pacing for Pain Relief’. It describes how to gain control over your pain and move on in your life.

The workbook has 32 pages, illustrated with amusing cartoons drawn by a PainSupport member. It’s available via download or by post from the PainSupport website.


Follow the ‘Shopping on-line’ link to the Useful Products/Books page.

www.painsupport.co.uk


Pacing for Pain Relief Workbook


by Jan Sadler

The perfect little booklet to help you reduce and control your pain. Easy to follow, fun to use!



Available from:

www.painsupport.co.uk

Relaxation Tip

A gentle eye massage to revive yourself.

If you’re feeling tired a simple way to revive yourself is to use your fingertips to trace circles very lightly around your eyes. Be very gentle and ‘float’ around the area with even speed. This light massage will stimulate blood flow and after about 15 revolutions you should feel the difference.


Bored? Need a some new goals? Or a hobby/interest?


Log on to Leisure Vision. This is an excellent not for profit leisure activity site. It's easy to explore and very comprehensive. Even breaks activities down into sections that would suitable for people with pain and disability - look for the 'Home, non-active' section. If you want ideas for a new hobby or interest it's well worth a look.

www.leisurevision.org.uk


Natural Health Tip


‘Therapain’ Pain Relief


A new spray just on the market: contains menthol, glucosamine and MSM among other ingredients. Try it for 30 days and if no benefit, your money will be refunded.


www.247painrelief.com


PainSupport Member’s Website

Ann Marie Simmons has written a website about her back problems. She has many useful suggestions, including details of how to buy an exercise programme she used.

http://www.mypetback.com/


Tool Kit

If you liked any of the above ideas why not keep them in your Tool Kit notebook or folder of self-help pain relief methods. Your Tool Kit is especially useful when pain flares up. It will give you constructive ideas to focus upon so you can move forwards.

The PainSupport Contact Club

An Invitation…



If you’re not already a member, why not join our highly successful and popular Confidential Contact Club? It is, of course, free! There are lots of lovely people out there who just happen to have pain in their lives but who are determined to make the most of things despite it all. YOU have much to offer them, and they have much to offer YOU. Ease the pain by sharing life's ups and downs with those who understand. Here is a wonderful message received from AnnaMarie, a UK PainSupport contact club member:

“I just wanted to thank you for all the encouragement that I have had from you and your other members. I’ve found the help from everyone an absolute blessing. My Doctor mentioned your website to me. Joining the Contact Club is the best thing I ever did.”


How to access the Contact Club...


Go to www.painsupport.co.uk


Click Making Contact


Click Main Menu on the left


Click Contact Club


You will then see "Wish to Join the Contact Club?"


Click where it says 'Please click here to Register' and complete the brief registration form.


Words of wisdom


" You cannot keep the mouth and mind open at the same time"


- - Quote from Brahma Kumaris

And Finally…

A vet (US - veterinarian) was feeling ill and went to see her doctor. The doctor asked her all the usual questions, about symptoms, how long had they been occurring, etc., when she interrupted him:


"Hey look, I'm a vet -- I don't need to ask my patients these kind of questions: I can tell what's wrong just by looking. Why can't you?"



The doctor nodded, looked her up and down, wrote out a prescription, and handed it to her and said,


"There you are. Of course, if that doesn't work, we'll have to have you put down."


- - Author Unknown

Editor’s Note


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 PainSUPPORT website, address below. You will also find details of my Downloads, CDs, tapes and books which contain many more methods for relaxation, pain and stress relief, confidence building and peaceful sleep. There is even a ‘Sitting Programme’ for those who find sitting a problem.

Keep smiling!

Jan at PainSupport


www.painsupport.co.uk