25 July 2014

Resource: American Chronic Pain Association

(This article is the first in a semi-regular series about resources from health, chronic pain, and spirituality spheres that have helped me and informed many of my posts.)

Photo by William Marsh

The American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA) is a wonderful resource for medical and practical information about chronic pain. On the website you find information about the many health conditions and diseases that cause chronic pain. You learn about medications and treatments, pain management, and pain awareness and understanding.

If you join, you can opt to receive the quarterly Chronicle, a journal with a wealth of articles, suggestions, book reviews and updates on ACPA goings-on.

In the June 2014 Chronicle:
  •  From the lead article, Pace Thyself: Listening to our Bodies -- "In this issue of the ACPA Chronicle, we will look at how to set priorities so you use your good days wisely. We'll also discuss how to use pacing to accomplish these priorities. Our goal is to gain a feeling of satisfaction for a job well done, with a minimum of pain, and a life well lived."
  • The article, Prioritization Prompts a New Mindset, Uncovers Blessings, covers these topics -- "Mind Over Matter," "Taking Ownership," "Appreciating Today," and "Structured But Flexible."
  • An article by the editor, Alison J. Conte, entitled, Pacing and Priorities: Finding a Way Back to What's Important.
  • And more...
I have always found the Chronicle to be especially helpful, mostly because its articles pertain to day-to-day life, giving concrete ideas and methods for living well with pain.

I hope you get as much out of this resource as I have.



As I work toward improving this blog, I am trying to add Disqus (a service that enables better conversations on websites and blogs). It's taking me a while to figure out how to do it. In the meanwhile, you can leave a comment through Google+ or email me at carold.marsh@gmail.com.



2 comments:

  1. I'm still new in trying to learn about pain management. I don't deal with chronic pain, thankfully, but I have an aunt and a few friends that do. Do you take care of your own pain management is or is it a schedule that your doctor keeps? http://www.painfreenevada.com

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  2. Hi, Angela: Though there are professional pain management resources, doctors and clinics, I have learned my pain management on my own. I've read articles, blogs and books and have practiced just about every technique I came across except narcotic medication. Narcotics make me feel at least as bad as the migraines do, just in other ways, so I stopped taking them after a few trips to the ER. There may be resources in your area for professional pain management: I never recommend that people only read my blog for their information because I'm not a medical professional. i have a lot of experience and I can tell you what works for me, that's all. (That is my disclaimer.) With that said, I do have a lot of recommendations for practice of deep relaxation, meditation, breathing, and other simple ideas (like listening to diverting comedies: Seinfeld is a favorite) that cost little and are not invasive at all. You will find those by clicking on 'pain management' and 'relaxation' and other labels in the column on the right. Stay in touch, and let me know how you fare with your research. I am glad to help out with more specific information about my own resources. Blessings, Carol

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