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Managing & Understanding Pain with Ice and Hot Packs
Tuesday, August 28th, 2012 07:35 pmBack in town, I was discussing pain with my acupuncturist (as you do). Verbalizing my experience helped me realize why my #1 pain remedy works as it does.
My neck, shoulders, arms, and lower back are subject to fibromyalgia pain. It can start with a tiny trigger — an uninvited touch to my shoulder, or skewing my neck when sleeping, or reaching too far to prevent a fall — and then spreads as a dense burning underneath my skin. The pain feels like it's larger than my body.
For two decades, both ice packs and heat packs have helped with this pain. Today I understood why. When fibro pain expands beyond my own body map, I no longer feel capable of controlling it — it's outside my purview.
The cold and heat packs work in the same way; for simplicity I'll describe the effect with the cold version.
The pack serves different functions as it gradually warms up. Initially, the ice cold sensation simply trumps the pain. But as the pack warms, the temperature difference between my skin and the throb of the pain is like a strobe light outlining the edge of my body. These bright lights illuminate which muscles and tendons to consciously relax, as well as scare away the terrorizing shades of uncontrollable pain.
The cold packs are better analgesics, when pain has already taken hold. The hot packs are kinder, and hug places before they start screaming. I don't use electric heating pads, because it's too easy to fall asleep on them and they will burn you. There are various pack systems marketed to physical and occupational therapists; one can get two cases (to cinch around one's shoulder or leg) and then three packs. Two live in the freezer and one dallies near the microwave.
My neck, shoulders, arms, and lower back are subject to fibromyalgia pain. It can start with a tiny trigger — an uninvited touch to my shoulder, or skewing my neck when sleeping, or reaching too far to prevent a fall — and then spreads as a dense burning underneath my skin. The pain feels like it's larger than my body.
For two decades, both ice packs and heat packs have helped with this pain. Today I understood why. When fibro pain expands beyond my own body map, I no longer feel capable of controlling it — it's outside my purview.
The cold and heat packs work in the same way; for simplicity I'll describe the effect with the cold version.
The pack serves different functions as it gradually warms up. Initially, the ice cold sensation simply trumps the pain. But as the pack warms, the temperature difference between my skin and the throb of the pain is like a strobe light outlining the edge of my body. These bright lights illuminate which muscles and tendons to consciously relax, as well as scare away the terrorizing shades of uncontrollable pain.
The cold packs are better analgesics, when pain has already taken hold. The hot packs are kinder, and hug places before they start screaming. I don't use electric heating pads, because it's too easy to fall asleep on them and they will burn you. There are various pack systems marketed to physical and occupational therapists; one can get two cases (to cinch around one's shoulder or leg) and then three packs. Two live in the freezer and one dallies near the microwave.