The beginning to better living

Holistic medicine as an alternative for pain management

Wow, I think that's my longest title yet. And it sounds so cool too.

What am I taking right now?
If left untreated, sleep apnea can result in a growing number of health problems including:
  • High blood pressure
  • Stroke
  • Heart failure, irregular heart beats, and heart attacks
  • Diabetes
  • Depression
  • Worsening of ADHD 
In addition, untreated sleep apnea may be responsible for poor performance in everyday activities, such as at work and school, motor vehicle crashes, as well as academic underachievement in children and adolescents.

I can say, from personal experience, that all is true. I would sleep for 12 hours or more a day and wake up exhausted. My bipap helps some, but I still feel the effects every day. To some extent. 
Most of what people refer to as "alternative" medicine, also known as holistic medicine, predates western medicine by a few thousand years. Much of it is actually responsible for what we use every day. So, there must be something to it. I'm going to try it, on myself.

When it comes to pain management and weight loss my insurance covers very little. Sure, if I'm diabetic they'll cover bariatric surgery. Do I really want to be diabetic just to get my stomach chopped out? Not really. So, what have I to lose by trying something new (actually something very very old)? I think, not a darn thing.

I stopped taking OTC pain meds because I was building up such a tolerance to them that it would take 2000MG of ibuprofen or any of the others to even put a small dent in my pain. And I would have to take that amount every couple hours. I can only imagine the damage that was doing to my body. Of course, when you are in severe pain you don't really care.

So I went to the doctor and asked what I could do. The answer, of course, lose weight. But until then we can give you pain meds. So I traded the over the counter drugs for prescription drugs. Oxycodone to be precise. Along with Robaxin, a muscle relaxer, valium, voltaren gel and those are just for the pain. I take more for the mental issues and the neuropathy in my feet. My desk top looks like a pharmacy with all the pill bottles sitting on it.

The pain pills give short term relief, with a multitude of side effects. And I never know how they are going to affect me, especially the oxy. My system is apparently rather unique when it comes to processing drugs. Oxy will put me on my ass one day and the next keep me awake for a day bouncing off the wall. This is one (the main) reason I've never considered marijuana as a pain treatment, it does very strange, very unpredictable things to me. All of these pills have addictive qualities. All of the pills, without the insurance, are expensive. And again, they all only allow short term relief. So I can get a good night of sleep if I pop enough pills, but is this something I want to do every day of  my life? No.

So, I have decided to try some of the "holistic" methods. There are many different options out there. Some a little further than others. The first few are pretty common. Yoga, I can do that, right? Tai Chi is another. Acupuncture. I hate needles, but I'm willing to give it a try and see what happens. Certainly not going to hurt anything. Meditation is said to help with pain. Calming the mind and all that. Even hypnosis can supposedly help.

Why give tai chi a try

Like other complementary and alternative practices that bring mind and body together, tai chi can help reduce stress. During tai chi, you focus on movement and breathing. This combination creates a state of relaxation and calm. Stress, anxiety and tension should melt away as you focus on the present, and the effects may last well after you stop your tai chi session. Tai chi also might help your overall health, although it's not a substitute for traditional medical care.
Despite its long history, tai chi has been studied scientifically only in recent years. And although more research is needed, preliminary evidence suggests that tai chi may offer numerous benefits beyond stress reduction, including:
  • Reducing anxiety and depression
  • Improving balance, flexibility and muscle strength
  • Reducing falls in older adults
  • Improving sleep quality
  • Lowering blood pressure
  • Improving cardiovascular fitness in older adult
  • Relieving chronic pain
  • Increasing energy, endurance and agility
  • Improving overall feelings of well-being

I recently learned (OK, so maybe I'm a bit slow) that many foods, herbs and spices have healing qualities to them. For instance, turmeric is shown to help with arthritis and joint pain.

My goal is to get healthy. If mainstream medicine and my crappy insurance can't help me, I will step outside of the box and try some other methods. Here are some interesting articles.  

The meds that I currently take, all of them, essentially do nothing but mask symptoms. The pain meds don't make the pain go away, they just make me not care. The head meds don't make me better, they just help the head work a tad better.

Practicing relaxation techniques can reduce stress symptoms by:
  • Slowing your heart rate
  • Lowering blood pressure
  • Slowing your breathing rate
  • Increasing blood flow to major muscles
  • Reducing muscle tension and chronic pain
  • Improving concentration
  • Reducing anger and frustration
  • Boosting confidence to handle problems
To get the most benefit, use relaxation techniques along with other positive coping methods, such as exercising, getting enough sleep, and reaching out to supportive family and friends.

You know, the funny thing is, that's what half my meds are for.
  • Autogenic relaxation. Autogenic means something that comes from within you. In this relaxation technique, you use both visual imagery and body awareness to reduce stress. You repeat words or suggestions in your mind to relax and reduce muscle tension. For example, you may imagine a peaceful setting and then focus on controlled, relaxing breathing, slowing your heart rate, or feeling different physical sensations, such as relaxing each arm or leg one by one.
  • Progressive muscle relaxation. In this relaxation technique, you focus on slowly tensing and then relaxing each muscle group. This helps you focus on the difference between muscle tension and relaxation. You become more aware of physical sensations. One method of progressive muscle relaxation is to start by tensing and relaxing the muscles in your toes and progressively working your way up to your neck and head. You can also start with your head and neck and work down to your toes. Tense your muscles for at least five seconds and then relax for 30 seconds, and repeat.
  • Visualization. In this relaxation technique, you form mental images to take a visual journey to a peaceful, calming place or situation. During visualization, try to use as many senses as you can, including smell, sight, sound and touch. If you imagine relaxing at the ocean, for instance, think about such things as the smell of salt water, the sound of crashing waves and the warmth of the sun on your body. You may want to close your eyes, sit in a quiet spot and loosen any tight clothing.

Meditation also might be useful if you have a medical condition, especially one that may be worsened by stress. While a growing body of scientific research supports the health benefits of meditation, some researchers believe it's not yet possible to draw conclusions about the possible benefits of meditation. With that in mind, some research suggests that meditation may help such conditions as:
  • Allergies
  • Anxiety disorders got this one, take a med for it
  • Asthma
  • Binge eating have dealt with this off and on most of my life
  • Cancer
  • Depression yep, there you go
  • Fatigue pardon me while I sleep
  • Heart disease
  • High blood pressure I take two different meds for this
  • Pain I can't even count all the crap I take for pain
  • Sleep problems sleep apnea, bouts of insomnia, poor sleep
  • Substance abuse
  • Guided meditation. Sometimes called guided imagery or visualization, with this method of meditation you form mental images of places or situations you find relaxing. You try to use as many senses as possible, such as smells, sights, sounds and textures. You may be led through this process by a guide or teacher.
  • Mantra meditation. In this type of meditation, you silently repeat a calming word, thought or phrase to prevent distracting thoughts.
  • Mindfulness meditation. This type of meditation is based on being mindful, or having an increased awareness and acceptance of living in the present moment. You broaden your conscious awareness. You focus on what you experience during meditation, such as the flow of your breath. You can observe your thoughts and emotions but let them pass without judgment.
  • Qi gong. This practice generally combines meditation, relaxation, physical movement and breathing exercises to restore and maintain balance. Qi gong (CHEE-gung) is part of traditional Chinese medicine.
  • Tai chi. This is a form of gentle Chinese martial arts. In tai chi (TIE-chee), you perform a self-paced series of postures or movements in a slow, graceful manner while practicing deep breathing.
  • Transcendental meditation. You use a mantra, such as a word, sound or phrase repeatedly silently, to narrow your conscious awareness and eliminate all thoughts from your mind. You focus exclusively on your mantra to achieve a state of perfect stillness and consciousness.
  • Yoga. You perform a series of postures and controlled breathing exercises to promote a more flexible body and a calm mind. As you move through poses that require balance and concentration, you're encouraged to focus less on your busy day and more on the moment.
  • Focused attention. Focusing your attention is generally one of the most important elements of meditation. Focusing your attention is what helps free your mind from the many distractions that cause stress and worry. You can focus your attention on such things as a specific object, an image, a mantra, or even your breathing.
  • Relaxed breathing. This technique involves deep, even-paced breathing using the diaphragm muscle to expand your lungs. The purpose is to slow your breathing, take in more oxygen, and reduce the use of shoulder, neck and upper chest muscles while breathing so that you breathe more efficiently.
  • A quiet setting. If you're a beginner, practicing meditation may be easier if you're in a quiet spot with few distractions — no television, radios or cellphones. As you get more skilled at meditation, you may be able to do it anywhere, especially in high-stress situations where you benefit the most from meditation, such as a traffic jam, a stressful work meeting or a long line at the grocery store.
  • A comfortable position. You can practice meditation whether you're sitting, lying down, walking or in other positions or activities. Just try to be comfortable so that you can get the most out of your meditation.
Here are some ways you can practice meditation on your own, whenever you choose:
  • Breathe deeply. This technique is good for beginners because breathing is a natural function. Focus all attention on your breathing. Concentrate on feeling and listening as you inhale and exhale through your nostrils. Breathe deeply and slowly. When your attention wanders, gently return your focus to your breathing.
  • Scan your body. When using this technique, focus attention on different parts of your body. Become aware of your body's various sensations, whether that's pain, tension, warmth or relaxation. Combine body scanning with breathing exercises and imagine breathing heat or relaxation into and out of different parts of your body.
  • Repeat a mantra. You can create your own mantra, whether it's religious or secular. Examples of religious mantras include the Jesus Prayer in the Christian tradition, the holy name of God in Judaism, or the om mantra of Hinduism, Buddhism and other Eastern religions.
  • Walk and meditate. Combining a walk with meditation is an efficient and healthy way to relax. You can use this technique anywhere you're walking — in a tranquil forest, on a city sidewalk or at the mall. When you use this method, slow down the pace of walking so that you can focus on each movement of your legs or feet. Don't focus on a particular destination. Concentrate on your legs and feet, repeating action words in your mind such as lifting, moving and placing as you lift each foot, move your leg forward and place your foot on the ground.
  • Engage in prayer. (For those of you that believe, I have heard this can work. I'm a non believer so I'll be skipping this one)Prayer is the best known and most widely practiced example of meditation. Spoken and written prayers are found in most faith traditions. You can pray using your own words or read prayers written by others. Check the self-help or 12-step-recovery section of your local bookstore for examples. Talk with your rabbi, priest, pastor or other spiritual leader about resources.
  • Read and reflect. Many people report that they benefit from reading poems or sacred texts, and taking a few moments to quietly reflect on their meaning. You also can listen to sacred music, spoken words or any music you find relaxing or inspiring. You may want to write your reflections in a journal or discuss them with a friend or spiritual leader.
  • Focus your love and gratitude. In this type of meditation, you focus your attention on a sacred object or being, weaving feelings of love and gratitude into your thoughts. You can also close your eyes and use your imagination or gaze at representations of the object. (not to sure how this one will be of use to me either. I have no object I hold sacred and certainly no being)
One of the nice things about most of the natural remedies is the lack of side effects. Green tea, what's the worst that happen if you drink green tea? You urinate a lot? Meditation? So I fall asleep.

Some places I'm going to check out:
Acupuncture for the people
A healing space

Wish me luck outside the box
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