Children With Chronic Pain

When you think of chronic pain, you probably think of adults with injuries or age related problems.  Maybe with an unpleasant condition that they’re forced to live with.   However, how often do we think of chronic pain in terms of children?


It is a sad fact that there are children who do suffer from chronic pain.   Some have sustained injuries, others have ailments that cause them pain.  Children can have a very difficult time dealing with chronic pain, especially when it interferes with school, sleep cycles and time with friends.  


These links will provide some information of children with chronic pain.

• Talk Therapy for Kids’ Pain: Better Than Pills?
  This Time magazine article talks about Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and how it can be used to help kids deal with their chronic pain.

• Conquering Chronic Pain In Children
  This article discusses the book ‘Conquering Your Child’s Chronic Pain’ and discusses how adults can help children with chronic pain.
  
• Managing Chronic Pain in Children and Adolescents
  This article discusses child and adolescent pain in a medical light.

These article discuss the three most common types of chronic pain in children and teens; headaches, abdominal pain and musculoskeletal pain.  


Perhaps the most important thing to remember when you are interacting with a child with chronic pain is patience and empathy.  Anyone who has ever been in pain knows how frustrating it can be.  It is even more so for kids and teens who or of an age that is rarely associated with this type of pain.  Being supportive is vital to helping a child cope!

How Dehydration Makes You Hurt

The human body is more than 55% water.

Water is VITAL to most of the body’s functions.  So why are most of us not optimally hydrated?

How does dehydration affect your level of pain?   Dehydrated muscles won’t function as well as hydrated ones.  Hydration plays an important role in circulation which is vital to muscle movement.  Being poorly hydrated can results in more lengthy muscle soreness, as muscles try to heal themselves and can also contribute to muscle cramping.

Being dehydrated can also cause headaches.  Keep in mind next time you’ve got a headache after having a few cups of coffee and it might not be a caffeine headache, it might be a dehydration headache!

You should drink half your body weight in ounces of water every day.

• In example: If you way 150lbs, you should be drinking 75oz of water daily.  
• That’s 9.4 8oz glasses of water.   
• 8oz of water is equivalent to a measuring cup full of water.
• Most standard sized kitchen glasses are 16oz.

Next time you’re experiencing muscle pain or headaches, after you’ve applied your Sore No More, drink an extra glass of water to help your body function its best and stay pain free!

{Sources: One, Two, Three}

Explaining Chronic Pain To Your Friends and Family

The purpose of Sore No More is to help you manage your pain.   While many of our customers keep a tub on hand to sooth over-worked calves after a day of hiking or shoulders after a stressful day at the office, many also use it regularly to help them deal with their chronic pain.

Nearly everyone who has to live with chronic pain has experienced the affect it can have on relationships with others.  Whether you snapped at your kids or bailed on dinner with friends, it can be hard to express to those we love how pain impacts our lives.  

We want to help you manage your chronic pain above and beyond the topical qualities of our product.  The following is a list of links that will provide you with resources regarding how to explain your chronic pain to friends and family.  

• Chronic Pain Message Board Post - How to Explain Chronic Pain to a Four Year Old
• How Do You Explain Chronic Pain To Others
• Yahoo Answers- How Can Chronic Pain Be Explained to Those Who Don’t Suffer From It?
• “The Spoon Theory” How to explain a day in the life of someone who is chronically ill.

Remember that there is always help and support to be found online and there are MANY resources available to remind you that you’re not alone and to help you communicate to those around you.