Anxiety make pain worse

Jan1955

Hands Good day to everyone

Do any of you find that the feelings of stress and anxiety actually affect the level of your pain…It really affects mine badly. I have Osteoarthritis in my spine, hands and knees. I have had all the tests done, so it’s definitely OA. This time 18months ago I could get about, but this has come on very quickly and completely stopped me in my tracks. I feel anxious and angry and a little afraid all at the same time..🙄

Thank you for any response, I really appreciated it.

Skinny Keef

Yes. ABSOLUTELY DEFINITELY!!!

Suffered with stress anxiety and IBS from my early 20s due to my career and now thankfully being retired my reasons to be anxious are less, but I find at the same time that the level of thing that makes me worry is a lot less than it used to be, a bit like expenditure rising to meet income but in reverse.

But yes, if say I am stressed or anxious or even depressed then my pain is so much worse and I won’t even attempt to do stuff that I would be able to do on a good day.

stickywicket

Yes, of course, @Jan1955 . i think it's been proven that stress makes us feel pain more acutely so, presumably, anxiety too. It's good to recognise these negative feelings whih are a perfectly natural, normal response but, obviously, not so good to dwell on them. i think that's why so many of us find distraction is our best method of defence against the pain. Whatever really grips you. For some, Wimbledon will be a great distraction; for me, it'll be The Ashes this week plus my grnadson's baseball plus, of course, all the boring household stuff which takes longer and longer to achieve😆 I'm fairly sure that stress and anxiety don't actually make our arthritis worse - only our perception of it. So, my take on it is to get doing and achieving (makes me feel good), get the exercises done and ignore the arthritis as much as possible ie lock up the negativity in a strong box😀 It'll break through from time to time but knowing I have the tools to deal with it means I can acknowledge it, curse it(!) then shove it back in that box where it belongs.

Jan1955

Thank you so much for your comments guys. It helps so much to know you’re not alone x😀

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Skinny Keef

Coming down from tramadol between doses can give a hopeless anxious feeling and pain really ramps up then so I definitely agree with @CatherineCarer above.

stickywicket

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/comment/710067#Comment_710067

@CatherineCarer that must be more disabling than the arthritis itself.

May I suggest a tip from @Vindem , posted recently on @Supermand 's thread ('What do you do to keep sane?')

@Vindem writes " I do the opposite & do my BEST & BIGGEST SMILE for as long as I can hold it whilst making myself RELAX TO REPAIR - mentally! . I can then feel a change happen in my mind & my body as it is not possible to smile & worry at the same time & also it can have quite an effect on others around you as it can surprise them in a very nice way while helping yourself as well.

Never under estimate the POWER OF A SMILE! on yourself & others. I do it as soon as I open my eyes first thing when I wake up, then do my exercises in bed before I get out. You have to get in the habit of it to get results but its worth it to get in control & not be dragged along by events. This Is the best & easiest exercise ever ."

I think that's good advice and can't hurt to try. Good luck😀

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