Feeling worried or anxious is a common reaction to cancer. These feelings come from uncertainty about the future and can occur at various points during your diagnosis and treatment. Most people feel especially anxious when they are waiting for the results of tests that will tell them if the cancer has spread or gotten worse…. Read more »
Year: 2010
Describing your pain
Receiving good pain treatment can depend in part on how well you can describe your pain to your health care providers. Pain has a language all its own and sometimes people may find it a challenge to clearly describe their pain. One reason that pain can be difficult to describe is because everyone reacts so… Read more »
Pain and music: Dealing with pain to the beat of a different drummer
Sometimes, pain persists in spite of whatever treatment health care providers use to relieve it. While it has become fairly common to add other treatments like relaxation, meditation, and massage, along with standard medical approaches to pain management, music is a less well known non-medical method for helping relieve pain. Actually, using music as a… Read more »
Gender, pain, and intimacy
We all know the typical “I will fix it” response that many men are prone to take when their female partners talk about being in pain. Adopting a “fix it” approach does make some sense. None of us wants to see our partners suffer, and it is right in line with time-honored theories about pain behavior–… Read more »
It began with brushing my teeth: Managing my life and facial pain before and after surgery for a brain tumor
Contributed by: Stephanie Reviewed by: Evelyn Corsini, MSW, October 2010 Stephanie, a 48 year old wife and mother, is a native of Indiana. Just over three years ago, I began to experience strange sensations: sudden, temporary, bursts of electrifying pain surging through the left side of my face and head, seemingly triggered by brushing my… Read more »
Don’t give up: Stay connected with your medical providers so you don’t miss something new
Contributed by: Virginia Reviewed by: Evelyn Corsini, MSW, October, 2010 Virginia is 72 years old and lives in Massachusetts. She had a 30 year career as a physical therapist. Now she enjoys crafts and loves flower gardening, but it increases her leg pain so she must do this in small amounts of time. She and… Read more »
Managing chronic pain at work
Benefits of working Besides providing a regular source of income, working is important to most people in several ways. People need to feel productive. Being able to work boosts self-esteem and helps you to feel at your productive best. The challenges of work, a job well done, and interactions with co-workers, can be rewarding in… Read more »
Don’t be afraid to discuss money with your health care provider
Money is not a topic that health care providers and patients often discuss. But health care providers need to know as much as possible about you to plan for your best medical care. How able you are to afford health care related expenses, without causing a major impact on your life, is important for your… Read more »
Getting control of panicky feelings
Barbara is pleased with how she manages her chronic pain by using medication, exercise, and meditation. But at times she will have a sudden feeling of panic, causing her heart to race. When this happens, Barbara struggles to regain control. It’s not unusual for some people who cope with chronic pain, to feel occasional, sudden… Read more »
Using chronic pain as an opportunity for personal growth
Chronic pain is not something you have to experience passively. Part of taking an active role in coping with your pain is finding a way to use it to learn more about yourself. How do you begin to make sense of what it means to live in pain? For many people, living with chronic pain… Read more »
