Surviving High Pain Days: Gentle Strategies For Relief
In my last post, I mentioned that I finally got my diagnosis: Complex Regional Pain Syndrome—a disease that isn’t well understood but may involve abnormal inflammation or nerve dysfunction. Since then, I’ve undergone countless procedures and tried numerous treatments in hopes of finding relief.
This has included nerve blocks, acupuncture, physical therapy, and so much more. While some provided short-term relief, none have offered lasting effects. So what do you do? What happens when you run out of answers?
In this blog, I’m sharing some coping strategies that have helped me navigate high-pain days. Please remember that CRPS affects everyone differently, so what works for me may not work for you.
(Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional before making any decisions regarding your health, diagnosis, or treatment.)
When High-Pain Days Hit: How to Cope
Dealing with high-pain days—or even daily pain—is like working a full-time job without any benefits. Sometimes, there’s no break, not even when you sleep. This kind of lifestyle isn’t just physically draining—it’s emotionally exhausting, too. That’s why I try to focus on light, gentle, and relaxing activities when those days hit.
1. Listen to Your Body: Rest Is Not Lazy
When you live with chronic pain, your body is constantly tense—always on edge. The last thing you need is to push yourself when your body is begging for rest. So please, don’t equate rest days with lazy days!
If you’re someone who’s used to being productive—knocking out tasks back to back without breaking a sweat—it can be so hard to adjust to a slower pace. And if you’ve only recently been diagnosed, the shift can feel frustrating.
You might feel guilty for not being able to do what you used to. You might tell yourself you don’t "deserve" a break. But please hear me when I say:
💛 Rest is not a weakness.
💛 Rest is not a failure.
💛 Rest is necessary.
You have the right to put your body first. To take a break, to breathe, to mourn—because with chronic pain comes grief. There will be days when you miss the way things used to be. That’s okay. Let yourself feel it. Let yourself rest.
Because sometimes, pushing through the pain only makes it worse—resting is productive.
2. Gentle Distractions: Shifting the Focus
When I need to shift my focus away from pain, I turn to gentle distraction techniques. Some things that help:
✨ Listening to audiobooks (especially comfort reads!)
✨ Calming music or white noise
✨ Watching a comfort show—bonus points if I’ve already seen it 100 times!
On days when I can handle light movement, I’ll do gentle Pilates. Something about the slow, controlled movements and deep breaths puts me in a calming state.
And speaking of deep breaths—breathwork is a lifesaver. If I let my anxiety take over during a flare-up, the pain only gets worse. Slowing my breathing helps me regain control and soothe my nervous system.
3. Sensory Relief: Calming the Body
(Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional before making any decisions regarding your health, diagnosis, or treatment.)
Sometimes, the best comfort is physical relief. A few things that help me:
🛏 Weighted blankets – These promote relaxation, reduce stress, and help me sleep on nights when pain keeps me up.
💨 Essential oils – Lavender, lemon, and eucalyptus are my go-tos.
🔥 Heating pads – Perfect for soothing tight muscles or nerve pain.
Final Thoughts
Chronic pain can be unpredictable, relentless, and just plain unfair. But you are so much stronger than you think. On the hardest days, be gentle with yourself.
🌿 Listen to your body.
🌿 Rest when you need to.
🌿 Do what brings you comfort.
You are not alone in this. You got this. 💛
With Warmth & Resilience
Tala Röse
