Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Weather Changes and RSD

T am having more trouble with pain and tingling I was wondering if the cold weather we are having here in the great state of Michigan had anything to do with it-so I went on the internet and came across  this article I though tI would share with everyone. Weather does play a big part in the way RSD acts  up.

I really want to move to Florida or Tennessee where the weather is warmer so I don't hurt so much, but right now that isn't a possibility so I do what I can to minimize it as much as possible.

 CRPS - Weather changes, do they affect CRPS? RSD?

DOES THE WEATHER AFFECT CRPS? 

Now that the winter season is upon us, for most of the country anyway, many patients are seeing changes in their pain although quite a few may not have ever made the connection. In talking to patients I often run into some who do not know that the changes in the seasons cause changes in their pain. They might have noticed that they get colder in the winter, that storms bother them, etc. but did not understand that there is the direct connection.

Barometric changes, especially drops in the BP, can cause increased pain for many patients. These can come from violent storms such as hurricanes and thunderstorms but they can also come with snowstorms and changes in the highs and lows you hear the weatherman describing all the time. 

When you watch the weather next time, pay particular attention to when the next Low Pressure system is moving in and monitor your pain. See if you notice any changes/increases in your pain. Chances are that you will.

The other issue that CRPS patients face in the winter months, especially those who live in the colder, wintry states, is dealing with the extra pain that comes with the extreme cold. 

One of the ways that CRPS patients suffer pain, (and I realize this is oversimplifying things) is from constricted blood vessels. These constricted blood vessels not only cause pain but also restrict blood flow thereby lowering the temperature of the extremities.  When the temperature drops these blood vessels constrict further, increasing the pain and lowering the temperature even further. 

The patient ends up in more pain and an inability to get their feet/hands warm. 

So what do you do, to decrease the pain and effects of the winter?

Well, you could do what I did, move south! It is nearly Christmas and it is 70+ degrees here. But that isn't practical for most people so you need other solutions.

- Layered clothing helps, and definitely you need to keep your hands and feet and head covered as much as possible. 

- If you have access to a warm water pool (85 degrees of more) that is EXTREMELY helpful, not only for raising the temperature in your extremities but also for keeping the chronic pain patient's body in shape and lowering their overall pain level. 

- Soaking in warm water with Epsom Salts is very beneficial. You don't need fancy bath salts/oils but by using epsom salts your body absorbs the magnesium, which helps in restoring normal blood flow. 

- Using microwave moist-heating pads (the kind with beads inside) helps as well. 

What ideas have you tried that have helped? Share them here in the comments!
 
Hope this helped.

Have a great day everyone!








 

Friday, November 16, 2012

RSD Symptoms

These are some of the symptoms of RSD this terrible chronic pain disorder that people can not see- It is invisible no one knows what we with RSD go through everyday. We look like normal people with no problems, but we have some kind of pain all day every day. I do not have all these symptoms but I do have a lot of them, it is hard for me to do everyday tasks even sometimes it is hard to put socks on. My feet and legs get very cold, my ankles swell, I have muscle spasms in my legs and feet, muscle ticks, and chronic pain all day everyday in my feet, legs, lower back and now my fingers are being affected. I have chronic fatigue, and arthritis, I walk with a cane and use a wheelchair if I want to do anything that requires walking more than a few feet.  It is sometimes hard for me to hold onto things as simple as a full coffee cup. I deal with this everyday I have no choice it is what it is, Thank Goodness my daughter lives with me who does most of the driving, and things around the house I can not do I really cherish her.
Don't berate people for being on disability, parking in a handicapped parking spot, or not working you do not know what they are going through or what their capabilities are. 
Thank you to the people who open doors for me at a store I really appreciate it.
SYMPTOMS: Not all patients have exactly the same symptoms but the most common are: severe sensitivity to touch and temperatures, swelling, muscle spasms, myoclonic jerks, sweating, muscle ticks, inflammation, anxiety, depression, trouble concentrating, irritability, bone loss, skin lesions (rare), immune system problems, with the most prominent symptom being chronic pain. The pain has been described as burning, shooting, stabbing and aching. Some report bizarre feelings of cold water being splashed on the affected area, goose bump, and distonia (difficulty initiating movement). Over time symptoms can change, become worse or better and sometimes spread to other areas apart from the original injury. Pain has the tendency to become less severe the longer the RSD/CRPS is present.

Other symptoms of RSD/CRPS, not always mentioned, caused by the malfunction of the sympathetic nervous system: allergies/asthma, absence or abnormal menstrual cycle, chest pain, cardiac complica
absence or abnormal menstrual cycle, chest pain, cardiac complications, chronic fatigue, autoimmune disorders such as arthritis and Crohn's disease, IBS ( digestive problems-acid reflux, constipation ), fibromyalgia/myofacial syndrome, hypertension, Raynauds disease, increased sensitivity to external stimuli ( sight, sound, smell ), insomnia, memory loss, migraine headaches, mood swings/anxiety, tremors, visual disturbances.
Thank you for reading and God Bless!
 

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Cottage in the Oaks Giveaway!

We will keep this giveaway open until Friday, November 16 at 11:00 pm EST. This giveaway is open to the lower 48 US residents only and here’s how you can enter:
Mandatory:  1. Follow Cottage in the Oaks and comment that you do.
More options for more entries {these are optional}:
2.  Follow Cottage in the Oaks on twitter here. Leave a comment that you do.
3. Like Cottage in the Oaks Facebook page here. Leave a comment that you did.
4. Blog about the giveaway and comment with the link.
5. Tweet about the giveaway and comment with the link.
WOW!  5 ways to enter!!!! This is a gorgeous set……I know you guys will love it!
Best Wishes…..can’t wait to send this out to someone!
Blessings~
This is a awesome  giveaway I wanted to let all my reader to know about it to go and enter it, wouldn't this look fantastic in your shower?