Tag Archives: pain management

Questions To Ask Before Getting Your Infant’s Blood Drawn

From the time my daughter was about three months old, she’s had blood in her stool. It’s not every diaper and not even every week, but it consistently reappears. Her pediatrician and a G.I. specialist have almost entirely ruled out the possibility that it is anything to worry about. Even so, they recommended we get her blood drawn to test for and rule out any blood clotting disorders. I’m not the type of parent who immediately goes along with what a doctor tells me. I like to do my research, weigh the pros and cons, and then make a decision. … Continue reading →

Pain and Appetite

Pain can be hard on your body. Sure, it’s a good indicator that something is wrong… but pain can really mess with your body’s normal function. Maybe you have trouble sleeping, or maybe you lose your appetite. It seems like pain is one of those signals that overrides some of the other noise going on in your body — like the rumble in your tummy that says you’re ready for another meal. To be honest, I hadn’t thought much about it until it became a personal problem. I’ve been experiencing a lot of pain lately from the region of my … Continue reading →

Pain and Sleep

In a way, pain is a good thing: it is the body’s way of saying that something is wrong, and giving you a general idea of where the problem is. But pain can mess with your appetite, concentration, sleeping habits, and more. Sometimes, pain makes you want (or need) more sleep. If you are sick or injured, you need time to rest and heal! There are some types of pain that make me want to snooze — mostly headaches. Often, I’ll try taking a nap to see if I can sleep the headache off before resorting to pain relievers. Though … Continue reading →

Measuring Pain

At my doctor’s office, every exam room has a poster depicting the pain scale. From zero (no pain) to ten (the worst pain), each number also has a face depicting an expression from happy to tearful. This is officially known as the Wong-Baker FACES scale for pain measurement. It was developed by two pediatric specialists — Donna Wong and Connie Morain Baker — to help children assess and manage their pain. There are other scales to help patients assess their pain levels, like the McGill Pain Questionnaire, which asks (adult) patients pick from groups of words to describe their pain. … Continue reading →

Feeling Better

I still have gratitude on my mind (’tis the season, after all!). And right now I’m thinking what a miracle it is to feel good. There are lots of times I don’t. I tend to get tension headaches, so if my day turns stressful (and it often does), I end up with a headache. Mostly, they’re minor, and easily ignored. Sometimes they need an over the counter pain remedy before they hit the road. It’s not a huge deal — but I am used to having some small level of pain in my head at any given time. The days … Continue reading →

What is a TENS Unit?

One option for managing pain is a TENS unit. TENS stands for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation… a scary name (electrical what now?) for a helpful therapy. How it works, in brief: electrodes are stuck to the skin in the area where a patient is experiencing pain. The TENS unit delivers an electrical current to the skin and tissues. Intensity of the current can vary; users generally report feeling tingling or pins and needles in the area. Why it works: experts believe that the electrical current disrupts the pain by giving a different sensation to the skin and tissues. The current … Continue reading →

Cursing as Pain Management

Have a foul mouth? It might actually benefit you when it comes to pain management. A study from Keele University in England took a look at how an outburst of swearing can help people deal with pain. Sixty-seven college students took part in the initial study. First, they were asked for their five favorite curses — things they might say after accidentally whacking a thumb with a hammer. I know what I’d say in that situation, and it’s not pretty! The students were then asked to hold one hand in icy water for as long as they could bear it. … Continue reading →

The Headache that Just Won’t Quit

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I’m no stranger to headaches. When I was in high school and college, I had one sinus infection after another — and a sinus headache just about all the time. Once I had sinus surgery to cut away the infected tissue (and fix a deviated septum), the first morning I woke up without a headache was like a miracle. My problems with sinus infections have been few and far between since then. Alas, sinus headaches aren’t the only type of headaches I get. Every once in a while, I wake up with a real whopper. When I was still in … Continue reading →

Treating Chronic Pelvic Pain

Chronic pelvic pain is often a result of more than one health issue. Treating just one problem may not relieve your chronic pelvic pain. Dealing with your chronic pelvic pain starts with finding the right doctor. Chronic pelvic pain involves several body systems: the bladder, the colon, the uterus, and more. It may be difficult to find a pelvic pain specialist in your area. Ask your regular doctor or gynecologist for a referral, look into local teaching hospitals, or do some research online. If you don’t have a specific diagnosis yet, try starting with the International Pelvic Pain Society. If … Continue reading →

Dealing with Growing Pains

It’s not just a television sitcom from the 1980s! (I won’t mention my crush on Kirk Cameron, either!) Growing pains are actually a quite common phenomenon in children. I don’t remember suffering from them when I was a child — did you? Growing pains occur most often in the legs. They are often felt after strenuous play or exercise (maybe that’s why I didn’t have them — I wasn’t much of an athlete as a kid). A child may experience growing pains during two periods of development: between the ages of three and five and between the ages of eight … Continue reading →