pain killers

As anybody who has been to see me will tell you, I'm very keen for people to take pain killers if it means that nearer normal activities can be resumed. However all drugs need to be used sensibly. The recommendations are that you shouldn't use anti-inflammatories (ibuprofen for example) for at least 3 days after an injury. Your marvellous self-healing, self-regulating body is using inflammation (heat, swelling redness) to help to mend itself, so try not to interfere if possible. A bit of ice or contrast bathing (cool/warm/cool) will not come amiss. Try taking some paracetamol, if this isn't enough codeine may be useful BUT PLEASE read the instructions on the packet and if in doubt, or on other medication, talk to a pharmacist at your local chemist.

If you want a more holistic approach to pain try to recognise that pain is generated by your brain to prevent further injury. Your brain is looking at all sorts of scenarios; how amazing, it's looking at past experience and knowledge and also projecting into the future trying to predict outcome. So the bit that's hurting you isn't doing it out of spite, it needs a bit of consideration and care. If you can bear to, try and spend a little time 'in company' with the pain. You might like to see how large the area of pain is, is it a pain you've felt before, does it have a colour, is it as nasty as you first thought?

Now also might be the moment to really eat well. Your body needs a full complement of vitamins and minerals to mend itself, as well as some quiet time. On the other hand nothing beats the depression of pain and boosts the healing systems like a good laugh with friends.

Get help. A few words of good advice are often the best pain-killers, and the only silly question is the one you didn't ask.