Alternatives pain therapy

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purple painkiller
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Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2016 3:49 pm
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by purple painkiller on Thu Oct 05, 2017 11:29 am

Alternatives pain therapy

I am 37 years old. I was in a car accident a few years ago and it's completely turned my life upside down. I suffer from chronic pain through and have nerve damage. I am on a number of strong medications that I feel is slowly causing more damage. I have had different injections into my spine. With my doctor's help I have been able to reduce some meds and I've been fortunate to get a referral for acupuncture. The constant pain and frustration of not being able to do what I used to do I get depressed and anxious about my situation. I was on antidepressants for a while but they completely changed my personality and decided to slowly stop them. I did a lot of research about natural pain remedies and I've been trying to eat healthier and drink various herbal teas. I also came across medical cannabis. As it's not legal in the U.K my husband and I decided to go to Amsterdam. I needed to be heavily medicated to travel. I tried medical cannabis and I am so angry at our government for not allowing it in our country. I was able to walk on my own without pain!! I was able to interact with people without pain!! I was able to be intimate with my husband without pain!! Whilst we were in Amsterdam I didn't need half of the medication that I usually take. Medical cannabis works! Many countries have legalised for medical use. I want to know if the professionals in this country are aware of the benefits and if it helps why isn't it available here? I would much rather rely upon a plant for my pain relief than all the chemicals and poison in the prescribed medication. Needless to say it was depressing coming home.

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Ed Francis Hypnotherapy
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Joined: Sat Sep 09, 2017 10:46 am
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by Ed Francis Hypnotherapy on Sun Oct 08, 2017 11:08 am

Re: Alternatives pain therapy

Hello,

I understand your frustration, it is important to know that you need to stay on top of your mental health as this alone can make any symptoms feel worse. Turn everything into a positive! Your body is responding this way to tell you it needs time out, don't try to force it to do something it doesn't want to do, if you do then your body will react in more negative ways.

The reason why you experienced a positive feeling using cannabis is possibly because it give a relaxing effect and relaxation can really help to ease pain - we experience pain more because we tend to tense up when in discomfort.

I am fully aware of the positives and negatives of cannabis however, relaxation/meditation/mindfulness/hypnosis are all fantastic techniques to help reduce pain and puts even less chemicals into your body. As always check with your GP before undergoing any alternative treatments and your therapist should always check with your GP to make sure no further harm will come of using any relaxation techniques.
Ed Francis
Clinical Hypnotherapist - DCH
http://www.talkhealthpartnership.com/on ... rancis.php

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Dr Claire Mansfield
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Joined: Tue Mar 28, 2017 9:32 am
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by Dr Claire Mansfield on Tue Oct 17, 2017 10:17 am

Re: Alternatives pain therapy

Hi, again I can understand your frustration that you have experienced something that alleviated your symptoms and allowed you a better quality of life (albeit temporarily). Not being able to do the things in your life can often lead to feeling depressed and anxious. You say that you have tried antidepressants but I'm not sure if you have tried a talking therapy. It isn't a magic cure but it can make a huge difference in helping with pain management, improved quality of life and better mental health. As Ed mentions, feeling depressed and angry effects the body and may be exacerbating your difficulties. There is alot of good evidence for the benefits of psychological treatment for those with physical health difficulties. Many hospitals have psychologists that treat patients alongside other clinicians for physical health difficulties because of this. You might want to talk to your GP about how to access psychological support, or you can access this through a local charity or organisation such as Mind or privately through the counselling directory. Good luck.
Dr Claire Mansfield
Chartered Counselling Psychologist - CPsychol, PsychD, MA, BSc

http://www.talkhealthpartnership.com/on ... sfield.php

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