Sunday, September 10, 2017

Surviving Pain in Fall


My respite is over and I am happy to say, I feel renewed once again. The beauty of summer in the Rockies is unforgettable.

As we came down out of the mountains, I became acutely aware that the summer heat and humidity are still present, but I also know fall will arrive soon and the lazy days of summer will surrender to crisp chilly air. For some who live with chronic pain, that will be welcome, while others will see their pain increase as a nature of their illness. Regardless, it's time to prepare. With short-term memory loss, I need written prompts, a string tied to my little finger or a note pinned to my jacket isn’t enough. That's how the Broken Body, Wounded Spirit Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic Pain series came to be.

If you aren’t familiar with the series, you can learn more at my author profile.  There is also detailed information on my website at the following links if you want more information before you decide if this is a book for you. If you have the book, it's time to get it out and re-explore. I suspect you will see things from a different perspective, and you will learn something new to share.


Fall is the season for reaping the rewards of summer and preparing for the winter. It is a time to reflect and look forward. I hope you enjoy Fall Devotions. We have been told it offers encouragement, practical advice, comfort, and aesthetic appeal.

Here’s to a colorful and hearty fall season.





Available:

Amazon in paperback 
Amazon UK Kindle 
Amazon Canada Kindle 
Barnes and Nobel paperback 






Friday, September 1, 2017

Prejudice against Women Living with Chronic Pain


September is chronic pain awareness month and a perfect time to recognize that when it comes to chronic pain, women are treated differently than men.

by Jen Jasper
from  Broken Body, Wounded Spirit:
Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic Pain

Winter Devotions

Discrimination

There is a centuries old bias against women. Societal beliefs and recriminations have blamed women for their pain, calling us “hysterical.” Today—not much has changed. Our pain remains misunderstood, mistreated, undertreated, and sometimes untreated all together — simply because we are women. The gender gap between men and women is more like a chasm. 

If you are interested learning more about what I have to say, please read Women, Pain, Bias, and Discrimination.


Women’s Experience with Chronic Pain


A review of over 450 epidemiologic studies clearly demonstrates women are at a significantly greater risk for developing chronic pain. As females we have a cornucopia of possible chronic pain generators, some dominate in women and others are specific to our gender. Disorders and diseases that cause pain range from pelvic pain, irritable bowel syndrome, arthritis, to menstruation, female related surgeries, child bearing, etc. Hormonal differences and genetics also influence our pain. We tend to be more sensitive to pain—not the same as tolerance—and the character of our pain can be different because of the source, such as childbirth. And, the words we use to describe our pain also play a role in the way our pain is judged.

There’s no doubt our pain experience and the way we relate to it is different from our male counterparts.

 “Our health care provider’s words matter too. We should feel safe when communicating our concerns and symptoms and never judged for having a medical condition that has no cure. Our provider should be part of our team, part of our plan, not part of the problem. When we feel heard, we do better.”  


Trust

In my blog, The Painful Truth: A Book, a Documentary, a Meeting with Lynn Webster, MD (pain specialist, author, and producer), I wrote about something Dr. Webster said at a PAINS symposium. It resonated with me and I will likely never forget it. He said he always asked his patients, “What do you want [from pain care]? The answer was always the same, “Doc, I just want my life back.” He heard this same response repeatedly. Dr. Webster witnessed a primal release of emotions from his patients when he replied…

“I believe you.”

Trust is important to every chronic pain patient, particularly those groups who have been identified as being treated with bias. It's not just women who suffer the consequences of disbelief, judgment, and discrimination. We all need to be heard and for our care provides to believe what we say. If our provider is disinterested, they are not to be trusted. Trust, like communication takes two.

Conclusion

I think our understanding of pain experiences between men and women has a long way to go, as does our understanding of chronic pain in general. However, when we look at the influence gender has on chronic pain, we can say — women experience and report pain differently. 

Women are more likely to be wrongly diagnosed, and possibly told to take an antidepressant for their unspoken “hysteria”. Some of us are told to go home and rest until it passes, or we feel unheard and dismissed like a student sent to detention for misbehaving.

Despite the IOM report, Relieving Pain in America telling us there is bias and discrimination against women, and the National Pain Strategy telling us stigma and vulnerability exists, particularly in women exhibiting pain from conditions like chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia — we wait for change.

If you have suffered as a result, you might find the Guidelines for Pain Warriors on my website helpful.


Additional Reading: Two interviews this past year with two brave women:


In healing,,Celeste

"Adversity is only an obstacle if we fail to see opportunity."

~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~

Celeste Cooper, RN
Author—Patient—Freelance Writer at Health Central & ProHealth Advocate

Celeste’s Website: http://CelesteCooper.com

Learn more about Celeste’s books at her website or find links here on Celeste's  blog. Subscribe to posts by using the information in the upper right hand corner or use the share buttons to share with others.

All blogs and comments are based on the author's opinions and are not meant to replace medical advice.  



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