Chronic pain is frustrating to live with because most painful conditions have no cure, and there is no end to the pain, and all you can do is try your best to manage the pain. All disabilities have myths because there is a lot of disability stigma in the world, but when you have an invisible disability, and people can’t see your struggles often there is even more. People have an idea of what they think pain is supposed to look like, and if you don’t fit that description, you are accused of being a faker. There is so much stigma when it comes to pain because people often blame chronic pain patients for their pain and think we can cure ourselves by eating healthier and exercising more. It is hard to live with chronic pain because it affects every aspect of your life, but I think it wouldn’t be as hard if patients were believed and were not treated like an addict every single time we asked for pain medication. What are some chronic pain myths? In this post, I am going to share some of the most common chronic myths that you may have heard that are simply not true.
Everyone gets addicted to their meds– Narcotics are addictive but the idea that every single person who takes pain medication is an addict is simply not true. Some people get addicted to their meds and I feel sorry for people who cannot stop but a vast majority of people in pain aren’t addicts. The opioid crisis is hurting pain patients more than addicts because people are being denied medication that would allow them to have a life. Medication that is not an opioid is always ideal because narcotics have horrible side effects, but depending on your level of pain, sometimes Tylenol is not strong enough. The opioid crisis makes it more difficult for drug addicts to get access to medication they don’t need, but it’s also making the government create stricter laws, which leaves people in pain suffering. I don’t blame my doctor for under-prescribing pain medication because your doctor can lose their license if they over-prescribe medication, and I mostly blame the government. Addiction can be an issue for some people, but I don’t think that is the real crisis, and I think it’s that people in pain are not given access to effective pain management. Pain management is important because when you don’t have an effective pain management plan, it affects your quality of life, which may cause severe depression that leads some people to commit suicide. Some people get addicted to their meds, but a vast majority of people don’t, and we need to stop treating everyone who needs pain medication like an addict because it’s harming patients.
Losing weight cures pain- People sometimes think your weight is the direct cause of your pain, but that is sometimes true. If you have gained a lot of weight over a short period of time and are having a lot of mobility issues, your weight might be a contributing factor, but not all types of pain can be cured by joining Weight Watchers. Weight loss can help some people improve their joint pain and move better, but the idea that all pain is because of your weight is simply not true. There are a lot of medical conditions that can cause pain, and losing weight sometimes makes no difference in your pain levels. and we need real solutions. I wish more doctors understood that sometimes your weight has nothing to do with your pain and did a thorough exam before assuming that your weight is the problem, because that kind of shame is what makes people avoid the doctor.
You are in pain because you are aging- As we age, we may experience more aches and pains than we did when we were younger, and that is normal, but being in constant unbearable pain all of the time is not part of aging. You don’t have to be old to experience chronic pain, and I know a lot of people who started experiencing pain at a very young age because pain doesn’t discriminate and is not something only senior citizens experience. You can start experiencing chronic pain at any age and my pain started when I was in my mid to late twenties because you don’t have to be old to experience unbearable pain, and most people with chronic aren’t old and are very young.
Movement makes it better– Exercise can help some people improve their pain and I encourage people who are able to exercise to do some kind of movement because if you don’t move and let your muscles get stiff, sometimes it causes more pain, but exercise doesn’t always make it better and depending on what type of pain you have it might make it worse. There are some instances where your joint pain is caused by lack of movement, but not everyone with pain can cure themselves by exercising more, and there are some medical conditions where you shouldn’t exercise because it can make your pain flare. Movement does not always improve pain, and it only helps some people improve their pain.
Medication cures chronic pain- When you are in pain and take medication, people often think that it cures you, and I only wish that was true. What aren’t you better yet? Medication can improve your quality of life if you live with pain, and it is necessary for some people, but it does not take your pain to a zero and only gets it to a level where you can function. Medication improves your quality of life, and many people would be completely bed-bound without medication, but it is not a cure, and you still have days when you can barely get out of bed.
It’s all in your head– A common misconception that people believe about pain is that it’s all in your head and is just anxiety or stress. Anxiety and stress can make pain worse but if you are experiencing constant unbearable pain, it is probably not your imagination, and meditating likely will not get rid of it. Pain is your body’s way of telling you something is not right, and you should never question whether your pain is real because if you are struggling to move, it’s probably real, and you should talk to your doctor about it. It can be harmful to tell someone that their pain is in their head because it discourages someone from getting help, and unless you are in by body, you don’t know how real my pain is.
Everyone cries endlessly- People often assume that everyone in pain is crying endlessly, but that is only true for some people. Pain does not have a specific look, and you should be most concerned for people who don’t show visible signs of pain because those are going to be the people you aren’t going to know when they have hit their breaking point.
Chronic pain is often misunderstood because it’s not always visible, and unless you are crying endlessly, people think that your pain is not that bad. It can be difficult to manage chronic pain because you don’t always know where your pain is coming from, and doctors don’t always know what is wrong with you, and sometimes give up on patients. Doctors sometimes tell patients that they need to live with the pain, which causes even more trauma, because you can’t live with severe pain, and it’s not surprising that some people get severely depressed and think that the only way out is to commit suicide. Chronic pain patients need effective pain management to be able to have a life, and the opioid crisis is not making it easy because it’s not allowing doctors to do what they think their patients need to improve their quality of life. What chronic myths have you heard that are not true? If you liked this post, please leave a comment below and share it with your friends to help them be more aware of pain myths.
Subscribe And Never Miss A Post
My Rockin Disabled Life 