Chronic pain is caused by tissue damage, or illness, inflammation or other diseases we can sometimes not even find on blood tests, X-rays or MRIs. When you have pain for a long time, it affects your life in many ways. One way is by causing the brain’s alarm center to go haywire.
When you are alarmed, your healthcare provider may focus on your alarm rather than the underlying problem. The less your alarm, the calmer you are, the more likely you are to receive appropriate care. Bloody hard, I know. I’ve had moderate pain and migraines in my life and, at that time, I was not calm!
Helping your healthcare provider figure your pain out helps the provider-patient relationship and you.
Unfortunately, I cannot cover everything in the website. What I can do, is provide as many videos and as much information as possible so that you can communicate your pain to your physician. Types of Pain can help. Google. I encourage it. Then take your questions to your provider. I have found pain forums on social media helpful, but try not to spend too much time in front of the screen.
If you have had chronic pain – any pain lasting longer than 3 months – your health care provider may have ruled out disease that can cause damage or harm you. Lower back pain can be severe and yet less than 10% of the time a specific cause is found. Fibromyalgia is another distressing pain condition with no one specific cause. Osteoarthritis, migraines and chronic headaches also fall into these categories where pain causes distress but no clear treatment path. Try the form for the Persistent Stress of Chronic Pain and it will bring you to a management link.
Calming the alarm center will improve communication and pain by lowering inflammation and Central Sensitization. Try Ways To Calm Down.
Everyone experiences pain and trauma differently. Forms that rate your pain are a great way to improve communication with your health care provider.
Try the form below or the link Forms relating to Pain
Forms relating to Stress, Depression, Anxiety.
Your Childhood Experiences affect your life. If you feel in a safe place, Try completing this Form. I would suggest you discuss adverse child events scores with your doctor or health care provider before completing the form as it could trigger bad memories or even flashbacks. Exploring past traumas can be done once you have learned the skills to manage chronic pain and emotional upset.
Childhood Experiences Form
Rate your Adult Trauma
Trauma affects Chronic Pain by affecting the Limbic System.
Complete this form – the higher your score the more likely you are to suffer with physical and mental ill health. I believe the mostly negative news and social media exposes us to far more trauma than our ancestors. Adult Trauma Score
When completing rating forms, you could be triggered. Please make sure that you have been cleared by your healthcare provider before completing these forms.
Neurodivergence is often missed. Here is a test to see if you may be on the spectrum. Possible Spectrum Disorders.
Below is a very brief pain inventory:
Rate your how bad your pain feels to you. Everybody’s pain is different. Record how you experience your pain and improve communication with your health care providers. Click the number next to how you feel.