Pain Tolerance / RA Stoicism Archives | Rheumatoid Arthritis Warrior

Pain Tolerance / RA Stoicism

People with RA tend to be stoic and private about pain. Their pain tolerance tends to become unusually high. Investigators are often confused about RA pain tolerance.

Opioid Restrictions Versus Patient Needs

Opioid Restrictions Versus Patient Needs

Kelly Young 20 Comments , ,
The thinking behind recent opioid restrictions There are two sides to arguments behind recent efforts at opioid restrictions in the U.S. However one side has been dominant in the last couple of years. State and federal governments have enacted opioid restrictions in an attempt to reduce misuse of prescription medications. Options for patients with severe pain...Continue reading      20 Comments » Read more

When Our Strength Works Against Us

Kelly Young 44 Comments ,
Last month, I called your attention to an article that truthfully presented the reality of Rheumatoid Disease, asking you to thank the site – and many of you commented there. One exchange reminded me of many I’ve seen over the years. Carly made a tricky point that seems like a catch-22 (no-win situation). Norma’s response...Continue reading      44 Comments » Read more
It's just pain, right?

It’s Just Pain, Right? No, Dr. No, It’s Not

Kelly Young 26 Comments , ,
No, it’s not just pain A letter from a fellow warrior reminded me of something I’ve been wanting to blog about since last summer. Today was technically my last day in the clinical trial. They were supposed to call me to check once more for adverse events because it’s day 210. Everything happens on a certain...Continue reading      26 Comments » Read more

Tweeting an EMG: Another Way to Research Pain

Kelly Young 24 Comments , ,
Really important stuff that I read last week, while researching pain scales, will not be on the blog today. I’ve been thinking a lot about how differently a disease affects us and whether we can honestly communicate about that. When Dana asked for resolutions at the weekly #HCSM (healthcare communications in social media) chat, I said I...Continue reading      24 Comments » Read more

4 Funny Things about Pain Scale Charts

Kelly Young 61 Comments , ,
Pain is one of the most important symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis and many other conditions. Pain is the most obviously significant signal that something is wrong. However, pain is also the most difficult symptom to measure. Need for a pain scale Since pain is such an important indicator that something is “wrong,” we ought to find better...Continue reading      61 Comments » Read more

Behind the Scenes Video: Patient at a Social Media Conference

Kelly Young 4 Comments , , ,
Telling it like it is. On camera. It’s uncomfortable. It's very hard to talk about harsh pain. Why does pain seem so embarrassing? I even gave birth in quiet agony a few times because of that. 3 aspects of RA that are difficult to discuss It’s hard to talk about pain, so most of us are pretty private...Continue reading      4 Comments » Read more

IOM Pain Report Relieving Pain in America Gets Mixed Reviews

Kelly Young 21 Comments ,
Institute of Medicine (IOM) studies pain in America This past summer, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) produced a report on the status of pain treatment in America called Relieving Pain in America: A Blueprint for Transforming Prevention, Treatment, and Research. (You can download a prepublication PDF of the book at that link.) The report recommended to...Continue reading      21 Comments » Read more

“Fine Thanks, and You?” and 5 More Stupid Things I Say

Kelly Young 68 Comments , ,
1) “Do you want your rubber duck?” The favorite rubber duck has a squeaker which lets water in. Squeezing the water out of that duck brings severe hand pain. Not quite as much as the softer Thomas squeaker toys. (And water also hides in the duck so it has to be squeezed for two days.) 2) “I...Continue reading      68 Comments » Read more

RA Reality Versus “The Lie”

Kelly Young 116 Comments , ,
When everything looks normal but it’s all wrong Countless times I’ve said that I would gladly be wrong about RA. I’d gladly be delusional instead of this sick. I often say “If only I actually were crazy. Then, I could take medication and at least believe I felt better.” Of course it’s a facetious remark, but...Continue reading      116 Comments » Read more

The Tug of War of RA Awareness: Privacy of Pain & Agony of Disclosure

Kelly Young 60 Comments , , , ,
This week’s post on Rosalind Russell raised some important questions. A comment by Ronda was highly critical of Russell for the way that she hid from the public the severity of her suffering due to Rheumatoid Arthritis. How can we raise awareness if we hide how bad it is? It’s a good question. Rosalind Russell was...Continue reading      60 Comments » Read more

Alice Goes to Jacksonville: Mayo Clinic Center for Social Media

Kelly Young 11 Comments , , ,
What’s the Mayo Clinic Social Media Health Network? I joked a lot about Alice in Wonderland this week as Katie Beth and I traveled to Jacksonville for the first meeting of the Advisory Board for the Mayo Clinic Center for Social Media (MCCSM). It was combined with a conference for members of Mayo Clinic’s new Social...Continue reading      11 Comments » Read more

Patient’s Rebuttal to RA Pain Catastrophizing Claims

Kelly Young 44 Comments , , ,
Part of me would like to back down. But this pain won’t let me. Is it ironic that I encounter the most cruel RA pain in years at the same time I encounter this argument again about RA pain, catastrophizing, and depression? Relating pain, catastrophizing, and depression to RA Ironically, an article called “Pain, catastrophizing, and...Continue reading      44 Comments » Read more
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