Chronic Pain Support Group

Physicians and professionalsdefine pain as chronic if it lasts longer than three to six months and is persistent. It's distinct from acute pain that is a direct result of injury or trauma. This support group is dedicated to those suffering from chronic pain. Discuss treatments that have worked for you, find advice for your specific experience, and find support. You're not...

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Brain & Nervous System
/ Chronic Pain Support Group

exercise

meganK08
meganK08
I was wondering what everyone with chronic pain did for exercise? I had 2 sets of nerve blocks done 8 shots and I gained almost 40 pounds since last year. Not good Im overweight not by much I needed to gain 20 of them anyways. I do play on my wii fit but everyone tells me that is not exercise. I like to do pool therapy with the weights but some days I dont even want to get out of bed. My dr told me yoga was perfect for my pain. I have nerve damage from T10-S1 my pelvic area below my belly button, lower back and it shoots down into my feet. I cannot stand for a long time and sometimes even sitting. But my yoga dvd is broken and I cannot find another one. What kind of exercise do you guys do? Does it help manage your pain? Im supposed to have physical therapy for 2 weeks after my surgery but I cannot afford to stay in phoenix that long. hotel costs are too much. plus food and everything. hugs guys always

meagan
deleted_user
deleted_user
Hi Hun,
Under the direction of my PM Doctor and my NS I do some very light yoga, walking with my cane around my neighborhood and light stretches. I do not do anything that will have me lift weights or anything like that!
I have failed back surgery syndrome and nerve damage on my left leg, so I know what you mean when you say that sometimes you dont feel like getting out of bed! I have those days too! And those days, I stay in bed, but when I feel up to it, yoga and walking is my favorite thing to do.

Take care,

Tipper
deleted_user
deleted_user
Hi Meagan, Sending you a hug! It has been a trial and error thing with me too as far as exercise goes. I found that pool therapy didn't work for me - water too cold for one thing. I am currently looking into Tai Chi and have learned that it can be geared to people in all kinds of physical conditions. People can even do it seated, or holding on to a rail. They are very understanding and accommodating where I am going for this. I'm hoping it will work for me if I take it slowly and am hoping you find something good for you too. Keep us posted.
Peggy
deleted_user
deleted_user
At my worst, all I could do comfortably is walking, so I did a lot of it. I walked a min of 3.5 miles per day. Then I went back to yoga. I have been doing yoga for 20 years and it has kept me very limber. I gradually added aerobic exercise on an elliptical machine (similar to "low impact" running) 15-40 min per day depending on my energy level. So an average day is now 1 hr yoga, 0.5 hr aerobics, 0.5-1 hr walking. Many people gain weight after the shots but it isn't a given. I have had several dozen of all types (trigger point, facet joint, epidural, etc.) I've also taken oral steroids. I lost 10 lb and am now 133 lb at 5'9". (Normal weight for me is 125.) Exercise is the best remedy for pain and depression by far. It just sucks that people can get into this catch-22 where they don't exercise because they have pain and have pain because they don't exercise. You bring yourself out of that slowly and consistently. I have DDD along entire spine. L4-L5 fused due to aging, severe neck pain, herniated C-7, fibro. I had a severe vit D deficiency and would take forever to recover from even mild exercise. Since taking vit D, I know longer have this problem or "fibro." Good luck to you whatever you decide! Consistency is key!
Erika
deleted_user
deleted_user
I am supposed to be doing water therapy as well. (Haven't done it yet.) Yoga DVDs are easy to come by. Amazon has a lot, Ebay has TONS of them, and Borders has a lot also. I have a Yoga DVD, with a mat and a book and my prob is just DOING it. I'd love to take a Yoga class, but money is tight.

I need encouragement to actually DO the Yoga DVD. In the morning, I feel like hell, in the afternoon I try to get some things done, then people start coming home, and I always have a dumb excuse not to do it.

Look at those places for a new one. I bet you can get one on Ebay for very little money.
deleted_user
deleted_user
hi there! The only thing I'm allowed to do at this point is pool therapy. We do some tai chi, yoga stuff and do a little dancing in the water. It's ver fun and alot of work actually. You should try it.. I enjoy it!