Pain induced insomnia
Posted , 3 users are following.
I have just finished reading an email from Patient Access about insomnia, it has lots of information about the different types and causes of insomnia, unfortunately one cause they didn't mention is chronic pain. I suffer from osteoarthritis and the pain in my feet, knees and hips means that even if I manage to get to sleep, pain wakes me up after a maximum of two hours. my main form of pain relief can only be taken six hours apart, so I am in a no win situation however I look at it. I have never had this problem addressed by any medical professional, they just skip around it as best they can. I am told that the damage to my joints is not bad enough to refer me, but that I am already on a very high dose of analgesics. So I am left in a limbo of pain that makes each successive day and night filled with pain and misery.
What is the answer? I exercise as much as I can, which usually means pottering about looking after the cats, shopping, housework and gardening (although it has to whilst sitting on my gardening stool). I would love to hear of any actually helpful ideas other than the usual exercise and sleep hygiene as they are both covered.
1 like, 2 replies
lisa71440 anne35683
Edited
I agree with your comments. My long term chronic pain is not reviewed , just left to take painkillers, and any attempts to get short term help e.g a short course of sleeping tablets to use a couple of times a year , usually mean a protracted (telephone) discussion with GP or clinician
, practically begging for help. The courses i have completed and looked at do not address pain as the reason for sleep problems. It is OK to say sleeping pills are not the answer and damaging to health, but so is sleep deprivation which can be devastating both physically and mentally
jacqueline01135 anne35683
Edited
Try Tiger Balm on your joints and anywhere that you have pain .I Do ,with great results .
Professional golfers use it ,