Pain - how do you cope ???? page 3

[Urban Forager]

Has any one else had shingles? I took all the meds they'd give me. It's a very nasty deep nerve pain. I'm kind of a wimp when it comes to headaches but I had a home birth so under some circumstances I'm able to tolerate pain.

[superdooper]

I promise that I am not trying to be overly macho or anything, but I believe that a large part of pain, or at least the way that we react to it is mental.

Pain is your body telling you that something is not right. With practice, you can basically your body, "Thanks, I realize that. I'm good."

I've dealt with a lot of pain in my day (broken bones, lacerations, once had a car fall on my leg) and usually I can just kind of focus on the fact that there is pain, and mentally pushing it to the back of my head so I can focus on other things. Once you can do that, it doesn't feel nearly as bad.

Oh, and yeah, I agree with some of the others above, I actually fell asleep while getting my giant back tattoo done. I mean, I was sitting there hunched over for hours, unable to move... what else am I going to do?

That said, eff getting anywhere near my eyes with a tattoo gun. Seriously.

[texas.grok]

I have always had a pretty high tolerence to pain. I can block out most of it and sleep through about anything, including broken bones that I have had. I'm almost sleeved out on my right arm, working on my left arm (tattoos). The pain of having my right elbow inked was about the most intense pain that I have had. You know that place on your elbow that when you hit it against something, sends like a shock through your arm? Imagine getting tattooed over that area.

I have daily pain from one thing or another. But I have stuff that has to be done so FIDO *uck It Drive On.

[Veelore]

Pain is something that has always intrigued me.
They say childbirth pain will be dealt with better if you are well rested, low on stress etc.....
but why is it that some people cope with pain better than others ???????
I had a tattoo many years ago - yes Gwamma was a wee bit naughty that day - but I can honestly say that the pain that I endured after a caesarian, (during the caesar I was out to it - high on whatever the hell they give you in theatre, but as soon as I was awake I accepted no more pain relief) was far easier than the pain I experienced having my tattoos done
.........so whats the go ????? Why do some of us cope better with pain than others of us ?????

I think its partially to do with the person, and partially based on environment. Someone used to pain from a young age, is going to cope more easily with it than someone who was wrapped in cotton wool. From the few times I actally attended a 'friendship group' (a bizarre thing ran by the NHS whereby people in chronic pain met up to talk about things, while some guy who had overcome the disability of a stutter told us to try and wait an extra 15 minutes between dosing ), people who were able to ignore it in some way tended to fair a little better, though methods varied.

I would say a second variable is what you actually have to deal with. Someone who has literally no choice, simply has to find a way. Not saying they have to be happy about it. Some pains are just overwhelming, and I would venture nerve damage to be one of them. I am also told that migraines are that way too, though luckily I have never had to deal with one of them for any length of time.

My 'trick' if one can call it that was largely getting very annoyed about something, or someone. Guess it wasn't the healthiest of things, but it saw me through a hell of alot when things were getting out of hand.

[EagleRiverDee]

I find that my pain tolerance varies by the day. I get acupuncture monthly and I've noticed some appointments I don't even feel the needles go in. Other appointments (same acupuncturist, same needle size, same point locations) I not only feel them, they sting like a mutha'. It does seem to be related to stress- the more relaxed I am, the less I notice them. Ironically I get acupuncture to manage my lower back pain- it's amazingly effective and keeps me from having to take drugs.

[Shelli]

I come from a family of stoics on both sides. But I'm sure fond of Vicodin! Not really for the pain relief, because it makes the world all pink and fluffy with no sharp edges. No Vicodin in Australia though. Seriously, they don't know what they're missing.
Chronic pain is a whole different issue. I truly admire people who can power on through relentless, unending pain. I had frozen shoulder a couple years ago and that was intense for a lot of months. Nothing helped. I just had to tough it out.

[Ayla2010]

I wish I knew.
I had a homebirth, and managed to get through it, although I kept saying i couldn't. And tattoos make me sweat and shake and nearly pass out LOL

[Ayla2010]

I think its partially to do with the person, and partially based on environment. Someone used to pain from a young age, is going to cope more easily with it than someone who was wrapped in cotton wool. From the few times I actally attended a 'friendship group' (a bizarre thing ran by the NHS whereby people in chronic pain met up to talk about things, while some guy who had overcome the disability of a stutter told us to try and wait an extra 15 minutes between dosing ), people who were able to ignore it in some way tended to fair a little better, though methods varied.

I would say a second variable is what you actually have to deal with. Someone who has literally no choice, simply has to find a way. Not saying they have to be happy about it. Some pains are just overwhelming, and I would venture nerve damage to be one of them. I am also told that migraines are that way too, though luckily I have never had to deal with one of them for any length of time.

My 'trick' if one can call it that was largely getting very annoyed about something, or someone. Guess it wasn't the healthiest of things, but it saw me through a hell of alot when things were getting out of hand.

This is not true for me, I had plenty of pain growing up. No cotton wool for me. But I struggle with pain.

Oh and needles, like for a local before dental work, that pain is intense. Give me labour and birth again any day.

[Mr.Perfidy]

haha that needle pain is an example of psychological pain and it being in your head...do mosquitoes cause you grievous pain? I would wager no.

[NZ primal Gwamma]

I don't mind needles, coped fine after my hysterectomy and caesarians without any pain relief ( not even panadol) - but I cannot do the dentist drill. Nasty creatures dentists - and I say that in a loving way as I have a gorgeous brother who is a dentist !!!!!!!