Pain Triggers
Avoid These Pain Flare Triggers
If you have Crohn’s disease or Fibromyalgia, you know that your pain is worsened when you get a flare. This is when the pain in your abdomen is suddenly much more severe, making just about everything more difficult to do. Here are some ways to try and avoid the triggers for your pain flare-ups.
Changes in the Weather
When the weather changes to an extreme, whether from hot to cold or cold to hot, it can affect certain types of chronic pain. This is especially true when your pain is related to your joints, such as with arthritis or fibromyalgia. If you start to keep a pain journal and record everything that occurred on the days when you had major flare-ups, you may notice that your neck or knees hurt a lot worse when it rains or gets extremely cold, than on other days. This lets you know weather changes are going to increase your pain, helping you to prepare for them in the future.
High Levels of Stress
Everyone experiences stress, but some have a lot more stress than others. Unfortunately, if you have chronic conditions like Crohn’s disease, the stress can impact your pain and cause painful flare-ups. Stress is common among many people who experience chronic pain, whether you have migraines or stomach problems from Crohn’s. You notice that when work stress has increased or you are having personal problems, there comes the pain. The good news is that with proper stress relief methods, you can reduce your pain as well.
Hormonal Changes in Women
For women, a big flare trigger for chronic pain can be when you have hormonal changes during different times of the month. This might be related to PMS, where your pain is worse when you are about to start your period, or you might experience more pain as you head toward menopause. This is another good reason to keep a pain journal, since it helps you notice these patterns. The more you know, the more prepared you will be for the potential triggers.
Eating Inflammatory Foods
If your pain is related to your digestive system, such as with Crohn’s disease or irritable bowel syndrome, you need to be careful with what you eat. You should be following an anti-inflammatory diet as it helps to reduce this trigger. Make sure you are avoiding inflammatory foods like butter, red meat, fried foods, and refined carbs, such as white bread, rice, and pasta. Your body will thank you.