I’ve written about my experience with neuropathy, now’s the time to talk about the paradox of touch. You would think since my skin hurts all the time, that I would hate to be touched. I love it. Touching distracts you from what your nervous system is trying to tell you, kinda like when you’re sad and a friend tells you a funny story: It keeps you from focusing on what’s bothering you. One reason pain sufferers have trouble sleeping is because it’s quiet and there is nothing distracting you from what hurts. Whether it’s the power of touch or a good joke, I’m all for finding non-medicinal ways to manage pain.
Not original but it works.
So what, you say? Here’s what helps me – if you’re hurting and haven’t tried these, have at em. If you’re living with someone who is in chronic pain, ask em if it helps.
- Massage therapy – whether by a pro or informally given by friend/family, even a short massage can make you feel better. My husband has a great habit of stopping to give me a 30 second rub – of course, I get greedy and want more and the best are with lotion. My favorites are when he rubs my feet/ankles or my upper arms (I know, weird. It works, so hush.) Oh, and my hands. Then there’s scalp massage. Like I said, I’m greedy; I’m not sure there is ever too much massage. BTW, if you’ve never had a massage and think it’s only for the wicked, you don’t know what you’re missing.
- Clothing and fabric with certain textures. Plush fabrics (like fleece) work best but layers also work ok. It’s June in south TX, which means we’re all supposed to be sweating but I’m using a fluffy, double layer wooby (blanket) we bought from Costco a couple of years back. Heaven help me when it finally wears out, I’ll look like a 4 yr old with a tattered blankie. I also prefer this type of blanket over quilts. We have two quilts on our bed right now and I can still feel the fan underneath them. So we have a special wooby just for my side of the bed. $30 Target special. Then there are the extra woobies so I don’t have to share.
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- Couch Wooby
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- 2 Quilts + Bed Wooby
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- Just in Case Woobies
- Another thing that works? Movement. For me, it has to be something that is mentally and physically distracting, like dance. I grew up dancing, so it may have some emotional connection, too. Doesn’t have to be fancy. Plus, it does two things at once: 1) distracts me from pain and 2) gets me moving. Since I’ve gotten seriously out of shape, I’m also happy for this. The kind of dance doesn’t matter – I’ve done everything from ballet to tap, hula to hip hop. As long as my joints can take it, I’m good. Also in this category? Yoga. Great stuff for working on flexibility and focusing on the good things, like breathing and finding your center.
- Music. Some music is better than others, depends on my mood. In the morning, when I need to move my stiff joints and tendons, I use a Booty Shaker playlist (yes, that’s what I called it; think Black Eyed Peas, Pink, Shakira, Gwen Stefani, Lady Gaga and some old school like Earth, Wind & Fire or some Eminem for good measure…). When I’m in migraine mode? Yo-Yo Ma’s Bach Concertos. Music transports me always.
- Laughing – it’s the best medicine, seriously. If nothing else, find a reason to laugh, not whine.
Resources:
Touch therapy for adults (Publications of the NIH and US National Library of Medicine… which I had no idea existed)
Power of Touch, posted by the American Massage Therapy Association. They’ve got a vested interest, but still….
Touch pain relief (Buzzy pain relief, appears to be about giving shots to kids, but short & informative)
It's Not Serious, Just Seriously Annoying. Really. 