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Does medical marijuana work for chronic pain?
Chronic Pain | Last Active: Nov 18 8:13am | Replies (701)Comment receiving replies
I've had some level of nerve pain, for about seven years now (it's worsened after two surgeries for the rare disease, achalasia). Treatment for chronic and acute pain require a different mindset by the patient. Unless it becomes an emergency I'm resisting medication. Medication for long term pain seems doomed to fail. The best treatment for chronic pain I've discovered, and I'm certainly far from perfect at it, is mindfulness meditation. It teaches a great deal, but mostly how to coexist with the pain (nor react poorly to it), not let it run your life. It does this by changing your perspective, how you relate to it.
In order to make this a successful par of treatment you have to give up on the idea of an instant relief, it takes a while to understand the benefits. In Oregon we have a group called Refuge Recovery (which was founded on Buddhist principles and primary serves addicts and alcoholics but is very welcoming overall) who teaches mindfulness.
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@shack76 Thank you for sharing your perspective. Refuge Recovery brings to light that living with addiction recovery follows many of the same principles successful pain management requires. It took me over a year of practicing these principles, after completing pain management at Mayo, to finally find the empowerment that comes from being mentally and physically stronger than my pain wants to allow. Empowerment allows regaining better life quality.
Another tool imperative in managing symptoms is to omit pain behaviors....anything you do, say, or think that reminds you of your symptoms. Each time you touch a sore body part, discuss how you hurt, think about how your life is difficult, it "accesses the network", meaning upregulates more symptoms and continues the negative cycle. Remember, chronic moves past acute:
" hurt does not = harm "
For members wanting to reduce pain behaviors, here are some helpful tools:
Change negative thoughts within 30 seconds of realizing you're having them by distracting yourself and shifting your focus:
- word search/cross word puzzle
- read a book
- humor - call a funny friend, watch a funny movie or show
- good deed for someone else, make a donation, check on a neighbor
- keep a gratitude journal of what you are thankful for...blue skies, sunshine, a pet, a child, grandchildren
@shack76 Thanks again for inspiration this morning! The Connect community benefits from each person's knowledge and experience. Thank you for sharing.