Living with chronic pain is tough. I have been doing it since 2015. It’s not just the physical discomfort; it affects our emotions and moods too. As someone who understands this firsthand, I want to share my thoughts on how chronic pain can change our moods. It’s a conversation that needs more attention, so let’s dive in together.
The Weight of Suffering
You know that feeling when the pain becomes a constant companion? It’s like carrying a heavy burden on our shoulders all the time. It doesn’t just affect our bodies; it seeps into our emotions, making it harder to find happiness and joy. The weight of suffering can cast a shadow over our lives and make it tough to see the brighter side of things.
Battling the Shadows
Chronic pain brings out a whole range of emotions I never expected. Anger, frustration, and resentment become frequent visitors as we struggle with the unfairness of it all. We start questioning why our bodies have turned against us and why our lives have taken this unexpected turn, what we might have done wrong to deserve this pain, and so on. It can feel lonely like no one truly understands what we’re going through.
The Waltz of Depression
Depression often sneaks in when chronic pain is around. The unrelenting nature of the pain chips away at our resilience and leaves us vulnerable to exceptional sadness. We might feel hopeless, and sad, as well as lose interest in the things we used to enjoy. It becomes a tricky dance, trying to find our way forward while darkness looms.
Anxiety’s Grip On Us
Living with chronic pain means living with uncertainty. And that uncertainty can trigger anxiety, wrapping us up in worry and fear. We become anxious about when the next wave of pain will hit or how we’ll cope with it. Due to the pain, we experience, we constantly worry about the places we’re headed, fearing that we might become the party pooper and have the urge to leave or go home. It’s like having a constant companion, making it harder to fully engage in life.
Our Relationships Can be Under Strain
Chronic pain doesn’t just affect us; it affects our relationships with out family and friends as well. Our mood swings, irritability, and inability to participate in activities can strain our connections with loved ones. We crave understanding and support, but sometimes it feels like we’re on our own, feeling disconnected from those we care about.
Living with chronic pain is a daily battle that goes beyond physical discomfort. It affects our moods and emotions, shaping our lives in ways I know I we never expected. It’s important to acknowledge and address the emotional toll that chronic pain takes on us. Remember, your feelings are valid, and it’s okay to recognize the emotional challenges that come with chronic pain.
If you’re going through chronic pain, know that you’re not alone. Seek support from medical professionals, therapists, and support groups. Let’s have conversations about chronic pain and raise awareness so that nobody has to suffer in silence. Together, we can work towards a world where empathy, understanding, and effective treatments are available for those living with chronic pain.
Do you have chronic pain? Do you forgo exercise because of chronic pain?
According to Utah university, It is estimated that 20% of adults in the U.S. experience chronic pain. In fact, chronic pain is the most common reason adults seek medical treatment in the United States. And depending on the severity of the pain and location up to 70% of chronic pain sufferers limit their exercise because of pain.
Chronic pain is not easy to deal with on a day-to-day basis. However, for those of us who do live with it, the good news is we don’t have to forego a fitness routine. In reality, by keeping to a fitness routine, you are actually improving your health, mental health, and physicality, and your body will feel better too. As a matter of fact, did you know that exercise is used as a therapy by many doctors to treat chronic pain as well as depression and anxiety? I have to be honest with you. When I first started my fitness routine, it was hard. But after just a short time I started seeing the benefits. And more than anything, I really started seeing my depression and suicidal thought going away!
The one thing I want to make sure you understand is it is extremely important to check with your doctor before starting any exercise program. We want to make sure the exercise you choose is going to be okay with whatever injury, disability, or mobility issues you are currently dealing with.
If you have been dealing with chronic pain for a while or mobility issues it is possible your muscles could be weakened from not being used very much. So when you start a program it’s not going to be easy as it was before your issues. Actually, you might feel a bit more muscle pain because your body is not fit. But give it just a little bit of time and all a sudden you will start noticing more endurance and strength that you haven’t felt in a long time.
So let’s take a look at some of the basic benefits and then we will get into 7 easy exercises that are really good for those of us with chronic pain and mobility issues…
So what are some of the benefits?
According to Harvard Health, mental health improves. While we exercise endorphins are released and go into our bloodstream. These endorphins are the body’s natural painkiller. Did you know that these endorphins are the same ones that are released during playing music, laughing, ultraviolet light, and yes, sex? Harvard says, “endorphins are just one of the four feel-good hormones, and the best way to describe it is a runner’s high.”
SpineUniverse says some of the benefits of exercising, even when you have chronic pain are…
Exercise keeps your joints moving well. That’s especially important for patients with chronic pain caused by arthritis. And I have said it before in many videos, “Motion is Lotion”
It helps to keep your muscles strong which supports your bones better.
And exercising on a regular basis keeps muscles strong which actually helps you with your daily basic needs and regular life duties such as taking a shower, cooking, cleaning, and even some basic hygiene issues that those of us with chronic back pain deal with.
It helps you maintain a healthy weight, lose weight and avoid obesity. Well, I can say it has not helped me to loose weight, but I have maintained my same weight for over 10 years now with a fluctuation of nothing more than about 5 pounds,
So let’s take a look at 7 exercises that are good for people with chronic pain and mobility issues. Of course, every BODY is different and you have to take into consideration your area of pain. So some may work better than others for you. It will be a matter of trial and error. And remember to always talk it over with your pain management doctor.
Muscle strengthening. Now according to dr. Glass who happens to be the Olympic team sports doctor says two things anyone with chronic pain can do is core strengthening and flexibility. Getting a stronger core, glutes, and back can help reduce back pain. If you have joints that are painful due to injuries or arthritis then getting stronger muscles around those joints can help ease pain a lot. Having strong muscles, doing strength training, can make you more mobile and will support those joints that have weakend.
Flexibility training through things like stretching and yoga can also help bring your chronic pain at bay by improving your movement, posture, and muscle pain. It can also help lower cortisol levels in women with fibromyalgia. If you’re exercising, stretching should be done before and after all exercises and should never hurt. You can work on stretching your neck, shoulders, hands, upper and lower back, hips, glutes, ankles and feet. A whole body approach is how you should think of stretching. Things like yoga can be excellent for someone with chronic pain, but remember to go over all the moves with your pain management doctor first. Some yoga poses can put more stress on your joints and can be harmful. For me, Yoga was my first choice after my accident and operation and I still practice three to four times a week. However, I do basic stretching every day, 7 days a week for about 10-15 mins.
Swimming is a great low impact exercise. There’s no pressure on any of your joints., Yet it gives you that full body strength training that weight lifitng can give you and it includes the flexibility and stretching of yoga. If you are lucky enough to have access to a pool, regular swimming can be a great source for increasing your endorphins. Try attending a water aerobics class, regular swimming, or even just running in place in the pool. Later you can add weights to your legs and arms and even riding a bike under water.
Of course my favorite is walking and Hiking. This exercise can be awesome for building stamina and strengthening your glutes, thighs, calves, ankles. And if you use walking sticks, it can even strengthen your hands, arms, and shoulders. Once you have started with shorter distance walks and build up your endurance and strength, then you should consider trying hiking. But remember to always get the right shoes and gear and take a partner with you if you’re dealing with mobility issues or disability. Walking has greatly helped me with my severely impacted balance as well. After my operation and accident I really had a problem with falling over as I was walking. Once I started my walking program it eventually decreased so much that I barely even notice it today.
Tai Chi is another exercise that combines breath control, meditation, stretching, and strength training all-in-one. Tai Chi has also been linked to lowering blood pressure and improving heart health. And we all know that those who deal with chronic pain, mobility issues, and disabilities are more likely to have high blood pressure and heart problems due to the either lack of exercise, stress, and anxiety from constant pain. This is one exercise I have not tried yet but since doing the research for this video I’m actually going to buy a DVD and give it a try. Hey, if I like it, I might do a video on it.
Biking is another low impact exercise that can warm up all your joints, and strengthen your lower body which can help with knee pain, hip pain, and even lower back pain. However you need to make sure that you get a bike that is extremely comfortable for your back. That Means the seat is in the correct height and position as well as the handle bars need to be high enough so you are not hunching over. So take your bike to a bike shop and have them adjust the handlebars and the seats to make it more comfortable for you. And if you’re not into biking on the street or maybe you don’t have good balance, or you own a bike, consider getting a stationary bike. Hey, you can watch your favorite show and exercise at the same time.
Lastly consider meditating on a daily basis. Now I know this does not sound like a muscle building exercise, but Learning to relax especially if you are dealing with chronic pain can be a harder exercise than any that I have described. But according to a study by PudMedical central, people who practice mindfulness were able to reduce pain by up to 22%. This may be because it reduces anxiety and depression. Listen, those of us who deal with chronic pain we need to learn to relax. And we all know it’s hard when it’s constantly nagging at your back, your ankle, your neck, your head, or your hands. So learning to relax through daily meditation can really help to reduce that stress which can help bring that blood pressure down as well. There are many free apps to help get you started. Start with just 5 mins and try to build your way to 30 mins a day. This has been an extreme game changer for me. When I miss several days in a row, I notice the change in my self talk, mood and blood pressure. This one can be done, no matter your disability or even how much chornic pain you have. And don;t worry if you fall asleep during it. Congrats, it means you got relaxed!
You have heard me before tell you how exercise has saved my life. I honestly don’t know where I would be or how I would be if I never got off my butt and started back to exercising after my accident. It has helped me with my anxiety, my mood swings, my pain level, my mobility issues, my balance issues, and even my blood pressure has gone down. I feel better not only mentally and physically but also better about myself.
I know having chronic pain, mobility issues, and a disability can be a pain in the gluteus maximus, but today is a great day to start with just 5 or 10 minutes of something. And as you get stronger go for 15, then 20, and so on. Work towards about 30 minutes a day four or five times a week. I’m telling you from one big-boned and broken chronic pain mobility issue person to another, It helps! It has made a huge difference in my life. Just ask my husband and kids! So go out and start moving today.
Until next time stay healthy, stay happy, and stay wise.
Strategies to Get Your Broken Body Outside and Moving Again
Are you disabled or have mobility issues? Do you wish you could get outside to exercise or hike again?
More than 1 in 4 adults in the US have a disability according to the CDC and Harvard. And due to some of these disabilities, it can cause you to stop exercising which can lead you to be 3x more likely to have heart disease, stroke, diabetes, etc.
Being outdoors can not only improve your physical health but also boost your emotional and spiritual well-being. It has been known to cure the blues, bring a smile on your face, relieve stress, snuff out of a bad day, relieve depression, and just a general feeling of well-being.
But sometimes for those of us who are disabled, have mobility issues, or have chronic pain, it can feel like it’s Out Of Reach. I can totally relate to these feelings. I am a Big Boned and Broken person with chronic pain and mobility issues too and have dealt with having to give up my love for hiking. However, being outdoors, walking and hiking can be for just about everyone. It will just look different depending on your body and your disabilities.
I have+ 15 easy strategies for those with all levels of disabilities, chronic pain, or mobility issues to help you get either Outdoors or out on those trails. Try 1 or try them all. So let’s get started.
Look for paved sidewalks or trails. Now I will say for those of us who have chronic back pain this can actually be a more painful experience having the hard concrete underneath our feet. But for those who are on crutches or a wheelchair, this is a perfect option.
If you are in a wheelchair look for either wheelchair or stroller access Trails. There are many sites that will give you detailed information about different trails in your area
Take it slow. Build up your endurance and strength by taking it as slow as you need. Don’t be a speed demon. Speed is not the goal, time outside and endurance should be the goal here.
For those of us who are walking, use hiking poles, even on pavement. This can take a lot of the weight off your back, hips, and legs and distribute it more evenly throughout your entire body.
Hike with a partner. This is really important when you’re first starting out. Think about it this way. If the pain gets too much to handle, you fall, or you just can’t go any further, your partner can go and grab the car while you sit and wait.
Start small. Start with ¼ of a mile or ½ a mile and build yourself up. This is a great way to start getting your arms and legs straightened and increase your endurance.
Don’t be a weekend warrior. Hike or walk a few times each week. It is much better to have three short ½-mile hikes than one big huge 3-mile hike. This will keep you from being laid up for a day or two because of excess pain.
Be careful of hike ratings on some of the apps. What a fully capable twenty-year-old deems as easy can be much more difficult for those of us who are Big Boned and Broken and have mobility issues, disabilities, and of course chronic pain. Read the reviews to get a better picture of what the trail really looks like.
Look at Google Maps either at the terrain or the satellite to get a better idea of what the trail inclines and terrain will be like
Consider getting an app like alltrails where it will give you ratings, pictures, explanations of what the trails are like Etc.
This next one goes along with #10. Be willing to write your own reviews on hiking apps to help other people to know how the terrain and trail are for disabled or handicapped individuals.
Get the right shoes for hiking. If you’re going to hike, whether it is on the trails, concrete, or in the hills, tennis shoes might not be the right fit for all those adventures. Your feet, back, legs, etc will be very unhappy. It is not only important to think of your injury, but your feet and the right shoes will make or break your new adventures outside.
Find a hiking group in your area that have similar interests and circumstances. This can not only make the hiking fun if you’re new to it but even if you’ve been doing it for a while. Shoot, you might make a new bestie!
If you’re not ready to get on the trails consider taking a nature challenge. This is where you go out each day for a week or even a month and you find different natural elements and draw them or take pictures of them and post them to the group. This can be done just walking down a neighbor or two, in your backyard, or even at a park while your watching your child play on the swings.
Lastly, I know there are some of you who are saying this is absolutely not possible for me yet. I am still in recovery, or this disability thing is still new to me. I get it. I was there for 3 years after my accident. So if hiking or walking is just not a possibility then at least sit outside once a day in the Sun for 10 or 15 minutes. If you are in an apartment, surround yourself with potted foliage, flowers, and even pictures inside your house of The Great Outdoors. Do you remember why? You got it. To boost your emotional and spiritual well-being
Hiking and walking were once taken away from me after my accident. But I started with walking just down and back 2 houses, then around my block, which is only 1/2 mile, and I did this several times a week. Then to my neighborhood’s, very flat, 1-mile dirt Trail. This is when I realized my body was getting stronger and I could do more.
So I gathered up the courage and went to my nearest Regional Park after researching all the trails and realized that one of the regional parks had a dirt trail that was flatish. So I walked this for a while. Then I moved up to going on steeper inclines and then moved to longer hikes and then moved to the hills. And now I hike some pretty good hills and go anywhere from 2 to 5 miles each hike. But it took time, research, trial and error, walking to a certain point and realizing I had to turn around because it was too much. And sometimes, unfortunately, it also caused more pain. Why? Because there were multiple times that I did more than I should have. I didn’t start off with the right gear. I did this by myself instead of with a partner. So when I got tired or felt I could not go on, I had no choice. This is why I decided to share these strategies with you. If I would have found something like this video when I was starting out, it might have saved me from aggravation at the beginning. So if you know anyone who needs to hear this information hit the share button now and send this video to them.
I believe hiking is for just about everyone no matter your fitness level, type of disability, or even your pain level. Whether you’re on crutches, in a wheelchair, or walking. You can get out there and walk and take a hike. It may take time to build up to it but you can do it and it may be 1 or 2 houses and back, around your block, with a helper or guide, or out on the trails in a park. It doesn’t matter. Just try something new today and be willing to do your research, get your right gear, and take it slow, and above all, talk to your doctor and make sure it is safe for you to do this. So today get out there and see some more green even if it’s just surrounding yourself with flowers and potted plants on your balcony. Start today with a little more outdoor and green time and see if it doesn’t start to uplift your mood.
Until next time Stay healthy, Stay Happy and Stay Wise!
As a woman, we have a lot of pressure put on us to look a certain way.
We are told we have to be supermodel thin, big breasts, full lips, big hips then small hips, and then back again, act and walk sexy everywhere we go, show off our bodies, be a sex kitten, and oh so much more.
But what if we cannot live up to this huge expectation that is put on us? What if we are slightly or a lot Big Boned? What if we are physically handicapped?
What if we are BBAB and we are absolutely none of the above according to what social media and the world says we should be? Does it make us any less of a woman? Any less beautiful? Any less worthwhile?
Myself being a Big-boned and Broken woman, there have been many times in my life I have felt unworthy, useless, unattractive, and an outcast in our society.
Especially since social media and the internet can onto the scene. And yes, I grew up in the dark ages. Without cell phones, social media, and OMGsh, computers! But guess what? Even then the stigma for women to be drop-dead gorgeous and stick-thin was placed upon our shoulders. And as a big-boned teenager in the late 80’s it played a huge number in the way I felt about myself.
Today women don’t just have TV and touched-up print ads to live up to, we have filters on social media that can trim our hips or add to them. Whatever the trend is today. It can thin out our waist, give us abs, and worst yet make our face and skin look as if we are poreless and a 55-year-old woman look 25 again. Wow, how difficult is that to live up to. It is no wonder our teens are depressed, cutting, starving themselves, and worst, committing suicide.
Then you add in being a BBAB woman who suffers from chronic pain and if it’s even more depressing. We can suffer from feelings of unacceptance, feeling left out, ugly, and like we don’t belong. This leads to depression, anger at ourselves, at God, and everyone around us! Some of us will stuff these feelings down way into our gut which leads to stress, weight gain, high blood pressure, lacking a sex drive, and striking out at the people we love most.
It has taken me several years to figure out how to live in the BBAB body and feel comfortable and happy right where I am today. Oh let me make it very clear, I still struggle with many of not all of these things I mentioned but today’s Kristin feels so different, mentally than the Kristin of several years ago and I want to share with you a few things that have helped me.
I know you may not like the first thing I am going to tell you, but here it goes. Exercise. Now I realize there are a few of you who may not be able to join an exercise class or do strenuous exercise, but the majority of you who are watching this can do something.
*When I first started out I started with yoga. I sat in a chair and moved my arms and stretched my shoulders, waist, and legs. This led to feeling better and better and I finally was able to take a slow yoga class. Now I have my own yoga plan that I do almost daily at home. And yes, I still start out in the chair. Hey, why stop something that works well?
*Walking was another thing that helped. Now I was instructed to walk after my hip replacement. So I started with ½ mile several days a week and overtime it led me back out to the regional parks to hike the trails. Now I hike 3-5 miles several days a week.
*Exercise bands were another item my physical therapist had suggested and I still use them a few times a week to this day. They are not going to bulk you up, but it will give you some added strength or at least keep the strength you already have!
Eventually a few years into my journey, I decided I was still dealing with a lot of hurt, anger, and depression so I sought the wise counsel of my pastor and then a counselor. This was a smart move because it helped me to deal with some of the “It’s all my fault” and “I deserve this” attitudes I was having. My counselor opened my eyes to the realization that what was happening to me was not because I was a bad person or I deserved it, it just happened. She helped me to open my eyes to ways to deal with the depression and suicidal thoughts I was having.
Another thing I started doing was keeping a journal. Now I fully admit that today, many years later since the beginning of my BBAB journey, I don’t write in it every day. But in the beginning, I did. And let me tell you how much it helped. The first journal was just blank-lined pages and I brain-dumped everything onto those pages. As a matter of fact, I am currently transferring those journal pages onto my blog. This brain dump helped because I did not have to worry about language or hurting someone’s feelings or what people thought about me. I could just dump it all out onto a piece of paper.
*Eventually I went to a gratitude journal. This helped me to see the good things that were still in my life and were right in front of my nose. But when you are in constant pain it is hard to see those good things.
I also decided to try some holistic approaches to pain management. I tried acupuncture, meditation, CBD oil, breath therapy, sound therapy, herbal medicine, heat and ice therapy, essential oil, and several others. Many of these things I still use or do today and others did not work so well for me. I would like to persuade you to look into some of the holistic ways to deal with your chronic pain. You might find they work very well for you.
And of course, there is always traditional western medicine. Physical therapy and medications. And yes, I did and still do these too. Physical therapy helped me to know what muscles to work, why, and what, and how strengthening the muscles around the injured area can help to lessen pain. And of course, my pain management doctor has helped me with Radiofrequency oblation in my back and neck, pain medications, and steroid shots in my neck, back and knee. Depending on your injury and level of chronic pain, this may have to be the route that’s right for you.
No matter what you decide to do to help yourself and your chronic pain, remember your attitude can make or break how you feel and it can even change the whole feeling in a room of people. I am not saying we should not cry, feel down or talk to friends and family about it. I am talking about the “Poor Me” attitude. It is important to not keep this” attitude running through our brain 24/7. I was there, so I understand. Along with all the things the world says women should be that I listed at the beginning of this video and then our own internal talk, this can be way overwhelming and no matter what you do to help yourself on the outside it just won’t work until the brain gets some healing. Our internal thoughts about ourselves have to be positive. Every day you need to look in a mirror and tell yourself…” I am enough”, ”I am beautiful”, “I am useful”, “I am needed” or whatever your negative internal talk is. And please let me not try to fool you into thinking I have this all figured out myself. Because I don’t. There are days I am my worst enemy. But every day I journal, I have at least 1 thing I am grateful for, I exercise, I read my Bible, I meditate, as well as several other things to keep me happy and keep my pain levels somewhat bearable.
Look, I know it is hard to be a BBAB woman with chronic pain in a fake social media beauty-obsessed world. But, 1 step at a time, 1 happy thought at a time, 1 attitude of gratitude at a time, and each day can get better and better. If you need to, toss out social media altogether for a month and see if that helps a bit. Do you want to feel better? Do you still want to look better? It is said that happiness is marked by a feeling of great excitement and euphoria. Happiness and smiling can help with pain and make a person look stunningly beautiful. It can make people want to be around you, trust you, and model after you! So do yourself a favor and work on the head pain along with the body pain and see if in a month or two you don’t start feeling just a bit better.
I’m Kristin Nitz with Big Boned and Broken
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Until next time, stay healthy, stay happy, and stay wise!
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