If you’re a busy single mom, you have a lot on your plate. It’s challenging enough to run to work, daycare and soccer practice and cook and keep your household running. When you suffer physical agony due to chronic pain, you can become overwhelmed to the point of collapse.
Single moms with chronic pain need all the help they can get. The following ten tips will help you manage your multiple responsibilities while easing your discomfort.
Your family doctor should be your first stop for pain management. If you lack health insurance coverage — a frustrating problem in the U.S. — you may understandably shy away from seeking care due to the cost. However, minor issues left untreated can balloon into life-threatening and pricey disasters. Investigate community clinics that offer services on a sliding scale.
Even if you’re single and loving it, it might help to take a male companion with you when you go. Women often receive disparate treatment in health care settings. More men than women suffer heart attacks, but women are more likely to die from them due to bias and the lack of understanding of how female symptoms differ.
When you have chronic pain, you can start to feel isolated. You might lack the energy to participate in social events, and eventually, your friends stop inviting you. You sometimes suffer the unintentional insults of others who imply that you’re exaggerating your symptoms and suggest that you quit whining.
A community of others with similar issues can be a lifeline. Your family and colleagues might find discussing your pain draining, and you can start to feel like all you do is complain. However, a counselor or support group of people who genuinely “get it” can make you feel less lonely. You may find that the mood boost takes your mind off your symptoms.
When you have chronic pain, you learn the meaning of “strike when the iron is hot” quickly. If you’re familiar with spoon theory, you know that you have to use your limited energy wisely before your body throws up the white flag.
If your pain levels tend to increase as the day continues, try getting as much as possible done early in the morning. Conversely, if you wake up achy and stiff, schedule client meetings and teacher conferences later.
You may or may not agree that food is medicine, but overeating the wrong things can increase inflammation. If you have a condition such as ulcerative colitis or rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis, you might have noticed flares increasing after eating certain meals. An anti-inflammatory diet, such as the Mediterranean or DASH plan, could significantly reduce overall pain.
Exercise helps you control your weight, which eases pressure on achy backs and joints. It also gets your synovial fluid flowing to cushion you from impact. Perhaps most importantly, workout out gets your endorphins flowing. These natural opioid-like brain chemicals provide pain relief without the risk of addiction.
Chronic pain patients often try to push through agony that would leave others in the ER. However, as a mom, you can’t always stop to attend to your needs. Learn to check in with your body throughout the day — ask yourself how you feel. If you find your patience and ability to smile through the pain lagging, switch to a quieter, gentler activity.
Single moms often take pride in their ability to wear many hats, but everyone needs downtime. If you keep in contact with your child’s other parent or family, let them shoulder childcare sometimes. If not, investigate affordable babysitting options so that you can take a break while keeping your kids safe.
If you tried yoga for chronic pain in the past and hated it, ask what style of practice you tried. For beginners, a fast-paced ashtanga class causes confusion, and many of the poses look impossible. Try a gentle restorative yoga class — they emphasize using props and minor body adjustments to work into those areas that need attention.
Your body and mind share an intimate connection. Often, the pain you feel stems from muscle tension. When you feel stressed, your brain sends signals to your body to tighten in preparation for battle, but in today’s world, you can’t run from an overbearing boss the way you can an angry bear. A mindfulness body scan uses your breath to work into these knots and gently release them. All you need is a place to sit quietly and focus on your breathing.
As a single mom, you prioritize your children’s needs over taking care of yourself. However, it’s challenging to parent effectively when you have an empty tank. Take time to refill daily, whether that means relaxing with a novel for 30 minutes after you tuck the kids in or sinking into a steamy bubble bath.
If you’re a single mom with chronic pain, you deserve help and TLC. The ten tips above can help you to manage all your responsibilities and improve your health outcomes.
Oh yeah. I had a problem like this. Immediately after my ex-husband Washington divorŅe , I started having health problems. he did not help me with the children and all the worries fell on me alone. when I went to yoga, I immediately felt better, but I also realized that it was not only about physical pain. it's also a head full of thoughts can do this to us
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