The Chronic Pain Support Center

The Journey:
Just Found Out
Dealing With It
Recover & Thrive
Worst Case

Facing the Initial Impact of Chronic Pain

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Chronic Pain

Every person is unique, but when you face a challenge like chronic pain, you are never alone.  Countless men, women, and children have faced exactly the same diagnosis and have survived and thrived. The following guide is designed to help you navigate your journey with the best information and resources that helped other survivors when they faced the same challenge.  

TSC has scoured the Web to gather together links to the very best chronic pain resources: articles, blogs, forums, and tools that can help you make better decisions and take action to overcome the range of physical, emotional, and other challenges you're facing now.

As you’ll see, we always welcome your ideas and suggestions to make this chronic pain guide even more helpful to survivors like you.   

 

JUST FOUND OUT

Survivors Say: Best Resources for Chronic Pain

The Big Picture

We all feel pain occasionally. Acute (sharp, short-term) pain is a healthy response by your nervous system, cluing us in to potential injury. For some people, however, pain is a constant companion. If you experience pain for six months, or for long beyond the normal time it takes to heal from an injury, you are dealing with chronic pain. Common chronic pain complaints include headache, low back pain, cancer pain, arthritis pain, neurogenic pain (pain resulting from damage to the peripheral nerves or to the central nervous system itself), and psychogenic pain (pain not due to past disease or injury or any visible sign of damage inside or outside the nervous system).

To better understand the most common signs of chronic pain this page can help:

Yahoo! Health: Chronic Pain Symptoms

Your Chronic Pain

One of the reasons pain -- especially intense, long-term pain -- can be so difficult to treat is that it's hard to measure. As you begin your journey, you'll want to work closely with your doctor, and probably a pain specialist, to explain your full medical history. This will help your health-care providers understand your pain and its possible sources and to determine the best treatment plan to manage it successfully. Here's more about how to help your doctors help you:

Your World

Dealing with chronic pain, especially when you're having trouble keeping it under control, is a very emotional experience. Talk with your loved ones and reach out to support centers (online and in-person) now; don't try to weather this alone:

Chronic Pain Myths

 

Dealing With Chronic Pain

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Information and Recommended Links for Survivors

Types of Treatment

Medications -- especially analgesics (pain relievers) -- make up chronic pain relief. Check out these important guides:

NSAIDs (Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory) & COX-2 Inhibitors & Non-Opioid Painkillers

Opioids

Opioids drugs are often prescribed to people who suffer severe chronic pain. Common opioid painkillers include morphine, codeine, oxycodone, hydrocodone and propoxyphene:

Anti-convulsants

Anti-convulsant drugs have been found to be effective in the management of pain, especially in the case of neuropathic pain, which stems from a disorder in the central nervous system:

Yahoo! Health: Anticonvulsants for chronic pain

Corticosteroids

Corticosteroids, either taken orally or injected, can offer survivors fast, dramatic relief from the inflammation associated with many chronic-pain-causing conditions:

YourTotalHealth: Corticosteroids & Pain Management

Drug Pumps/Intracathecal Infusion

Some survivors whose chronic pain isn't helped by oral drugs, or who experience severe side effects such as nausea when they take painkillers, may opt to have their medication administered through an implantable pump which which feeds opioids like morphine directly into the spinal fluid:

U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Managing Chronic Pain

Trigger Point Injection

When a person is unable to relax their muscles, knots may develop at certain "trigger points," irritating surrounding nerves and causing pain:

WebMD.com: Pain Management: Trigger Point Injection

Antidepressants

Antidepressant medications, particularly those in a category called tricyclics, have been found to help with chronic pain. Antidepressants may also be used to treat the depression that often accompanies long-term pain:

MayoClinic: Antidepressants - Another Weapon Against Chronic Pain

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS)

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation is a drug-free way of treating pain. During a TENS treatment, a physical therapist uses a battery-powered unit to administer an electrical impulse via electrodes over the area being treated:

USA Today/HealthScout: TENS Therapy - Symptoms, Treatments and Prevention

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) teaches those with chronic pain better ways to relax and manage pain and stress. This type of psychotherapy, which is often short-term, can educate survivors on how to change their view of pain and negative emotions:

Yahoo! Health - Cognitive-behavioral therapy for pain management

Possible Treatment Side Effects

Every drug carries the possibility of side effects, and if you're taking more than one medication you risk complications from interactions. Make sure all your health-care providers are aware of all the medications you're taking, including over-the-counter drugs and any supplements or herbs you use as well. This guide describes side effects of drugs commonly used to manage chronic pain, while the second site outlines possible risks to drugs:

Holistic Treatments

For a good overview about the usefulness of alternative (complementary) medicine for pain relief, try this page:

Making Sense of Pain Relief: Are there alternative therapies that can help me reduce my suffering?

Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy aimed at helping easing pain is called hypno-analgesia:

AltMD: Hypnotherapy for Chronic Pain

Tai Chi    

Tai chi is a form of gentle exercise aimed at balancing the body, cultivating serenity, and stimulating the flow of vital energy, called chi , and may be useful in managing chronic pain:

National Pain Foundation: T'ai Chi Chih — Moving Meditation

Acupuncture & Acupressure

Acupuncture and acupressure have been used in the management of pain:

YourTotalHealth: Acupressure & Pain Management

Mind-Body Techniques

A number of holistic therapies are devoted to taming pain via mental exercises. Techniques that are useful for people with chronic pain include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), meditation, creative visualization, biofeedback, and prayer:

StopPain.org: Pain Management

Creating a Support Circle

  • Set up your TSC survivor profile.
  • Join support groups of other survivors or set up your own.
  • Interact and provide updates on your TSC profile or in the TSC forums.

Work Matters


The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) does not have a list of conditions under which people qualify. Instead, people with chronic pain or any disorder must  meet certain criteria. If you qualify for protection under the ADA due to your chronic pain, you are protected against job discrimination and have the right to a harassment-free workplace and reasonable on-the-job accommodations:

Job Accommodation Network: Employees with Chronic Pain

In some cases, a person who's unable to work due to chronic pain may qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI):

Chronic Pain Syndrome: Chronic Pain and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)

Health-care Providers Who Can Help


A pain management specialist can create a tailored treatment plan for you with the aim of relieving, lessening or managing pain. A pain management specialist’s first concern is improving your quality of life, so that you can live with as much ease and enjoyment as possible.

A physiatrist is a medical professional who specializes in diagnosing and treating musculoskeletal disorders. Physiatrists have many tools at their disposal, from traditional medical techniques to physical therapy, and they may prescribe devices such as braces, but they don't perform surgery.

Making Sense of Pain Relief: Finding a Health Care Provider

National Pain Foundation: Patient Guide to Pain Care Providers

Resources to Find Doctors

Find a pain management specialist or pain clinic in your area

Find a physiatrist in your area

Find a physical therapist in your area

Find a pain management center in your area

The Emotional Rollercoaster


Surviving and thriving proves to be a challenge to everyone who faces chronic pain. Ongoing pain can dramatically affect your ability to work and perform necessary tasks, which can lead to stress, which in turn worsens pain. There are many potential challenges for chronic pain survivors: loved ones who are frustrated with your condition; employees, bosses, and co-workers who don’t understand chronic pain; and insurance companies that may balk at covering long-term pain management. Pessimism can take an especially strong hold on people who feel their only hope is to learn to cope with pain rather than “beat it.” It is little wonder that chronic pain is often accompanied by depression.

Though it can be difficult at times, it's important to continue living your life as normally as possible, participating in the same daily activities you've always done. Getting out and among people can help you feel less isolated. Support groups are also key to maintaining a healthy emotional state. Try to find books and stories by those who have successfully dealt with chronic pain to help give you and your loved ones hope while dealing with this crisis.

Books Survivors Recommend

Communicating with Your Health-care Providers

  • Don’t under-report your pain for fear of sounding weak, like you're a "complainer" or a hypochondriac.
  • Bring a friend or family member to your appointments to provide support and also to lend an extra ear. Your advocate can help you remember what your doctor said and may have questions you hadn't thought of.
  • Don't be afraid to ask any questions you feel you need the answer to, even if you may be scared of the answer.
  • Write down questions ahead of your appointment and jot down the answers as your health-care provider walks you through them. Don't be afraid to ask for clarification on anything you're not sure of.

Dealing with Chronic Pain: Information and Recommended Links for Co-Survivors    

How You Can Help

  • Listen to your friend or family member.
  • Learn as much as you can about chronic pain and any condition(s) that are causing it.
  • Take your loved one to doctor’s appointments and accompany them on other errands if they need you; chronic pain can affect mobility and it may be difficult to drive or get around during a flare-up. 
  • Assist your survivor with their day-to-day duties, but don't throw off their usual routine, which may make them feel they are becoming a burden.
  • Pace yourself; your loved one would rather have you help consistently in small thoughtful ways than to have you overexert yourself and then burn out.
  • Encourage your loved one to remain socially active; interacting with people can keep a chronic pain survivor, and you, from feeling isolated.

What to Say   

  • “You are not your pain; it’s just one part of your experience.”
  • “I'll do whatever I can to help you get through this."
  • “We can look at as many treatments as you need to.”

What Not to Say

  • "It’s all in your head.”
  • “If you keep popping those pills, you’re going to become addicted.”
  • “You don't look sick.”
  • “You just need to take your mind off the pain.”

How to Build a Support Network

  • Set up your TSC co-survivor profile.
  • Create a support group for your friend or family member.
  • Interact and provide updates on how your loved one is doing.

How to Help a Survivor Deal with Day-to-Day Challenges

Recover & Thrive

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In some cases, people do recover from chronic pain, but by definition chronic pain tends to be something people struggle with for a long time. Luckily, we are learning more about better ways to manage pain and, by working with a good health-care team, most survivivors can get their pain under control most of the time, allowing them to lead a full life.

Once you've reached recovery -- successful management of your pain -- it’s important to share with others what has worked for you, as well as how your experience has affected you emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. By telling your story, not only can you put your thoughts and feelings into perspective but you can also provide hope to others who are going through a similar journey themselves.

Pain Management Success Stories

The inspiring story of a nurse who suffered chronic pain, insomnia and depression after an accident and regained her life through pain management medication and techniques:

Health.com: Chronic Pain - Low Back Pain

Many women who are chronic pain survivors may wonder whether they can ever start a family, given the limitations caused by their condition and the potential effects of pain management medication:

HealthCentral.com: My journey through Pregnancy ....and Chronic Pain

The story of a man who found relief after six years of chronic pain and falling through the cracks of the health-care system:

CNN.com: How one man conquered chronic pain

Give Back

What helped you while you were dealing with your chronic pain and finding better ways to manage it? Take a look back at your journey and share with others what helped you and what you wished you would have known or done. You can create a TSC profile, reach out to other survivors, join support circles, or share your story at The Survivors Club.

The Arthritis & Chronic Pain Research Institute is a great charity to start with if you'd like to support chronic pain research:

Arthritis & Chronic Pain Research Institute

Worst Case

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Famous Chronic Pain Survivors

  • Marcia Cross, actress
  • John F. Kennedy, U.S. President
  • Jerry Lewis, comedian/actor