Pain Management Tip: Keep Warm

It is, perhaps, an appropriate time to note that it is frigid outside these days.  We're expecting a low of -9º F tonight, windchill closer to -20º.  

My pain is mostly in my muscles.  And let me tell ya, my muscles don't like to be cold.  So today's tip is simple:

Tip:  Keep warm!

Shivering (as I'm sure you've noticed) is a response to the cold which involves your muscles tensing and shaking to keep your vital organs warm.  In that sense, shivering is good.  But, if you're like me, you don't need any more tension in your muscles.  So put on a sweater!  Wrap yourself in blankets when you're sitting and reading on the couch.  Drink some tea.  

My Experience:  I'm a total miser when it comes to heating my apartment.  I'm one of those people who thinks that the thermostat should never exceed 65º in winter.  This condition, known as "Thermostat Naziism," means that I am cold a lot.  And that's bad for my pain.  

So what do I do?  Well, I wear extra layers if I'm just going to be sitting around the house.  I find that if I'm active in the kitchen I can get by with a t-shirt and sweatshirt.  But if I'm just sitting I might need more.  I often wrap myself in a blanket if I'm going to be reading or writing for a while.  And I always drink lots of hot beverages.  

Also, heating pads can help a lot.  The negative side of using a heating pad in the winter is that when you take the heat away from your relaxed muscles, they end up feeling colder than they would have if you'd never used heat.  Kind of like how my grandmother used to yell at me for sitting too near to the wood stove.  She'd say, "You're gonna get cold!"  It never made sense to me that sitting near a heat source would make me cold, but she was right.  As soon as you step away, the normal temperature of the room feels frigid. 

Hot showers also help in extreme circumstances, or baths.  However, these come with the same drawbacks as the thermostat and the heating pad.  On one hand, you're wasting water, on the other hand you're gonna be cold when you get out.  

So, just bundle up and have some tea.  Keep those muscles warm so they don't freak out.

Disclaimer:  The Pain Management Tips in this blog are merely ideas and observations from my personal experience of chronic pain and pain management.  I hope my ideas and experience can help you, but I'm not an expert, and really I'm in no position to be giving advice.  Talk to a doctor or pain psychologist for more trustworthy input.