Endometriosis:

Coping with Endo Pain

 

Endometriosis Guide for Teens	Managing Pain, Activities, & Friendships
Endometriosis FAQ's	Pain & Symptom Tracker
Hormonal Therapy Options	Pain Mapping Worksheet
Continuous Hormone Pills	Endo, Nutrition, and Exercise
Continuous Hormone Pill FAQ's	Endometriosis and College Planning
Coping with Endo Pain	Glossary of Endo Terms
Managing Pain at School	Additional Endo Resources

 

If you are reading this guide, you probably already know about the challenges of living with the chronic pain of endometriosis. Even though everyone experiences pain differently, it can be helpful to think of your pain in two ways: the physical pain you have, and how it impacts your life.

 

Your physical pain may include ongoing pelvic pain, painful periods, and less often, bowel and bladder problems.

 

How your pain impacts your life may include challenges such as: isolation from friends due to unexpected bouts of physical pain, not being able to participate in sports or other activities (because of chronic pain and/or fatigue), and anxiety over school work because of absences. Also, your pain can take a toll on those who care about you, such as family members and significant others. This can cause added tension and stress. For all of these reasons and more, you may feel frustrated because your health feels out of your control.

 

Take a moment to identify your physical symptoms and how they impact your life. You can use a piece of paper to write them down.

 

Learning to manage the stress in your life is important under any circumstances, but it is essential when you are living with chronic pain. Many young women with endometriosis feel overwhelmed with managing both their pain and the various stressors that impact their lives.

 

Here are some examples of ways to manage the stress of chronic pain:

• Exercise
• Sleep 8–9 hours each night
• Take naps when you need them
• Meditate daily
• Eat 3 healthy meals a day with nutritious snacks in between
• Do things you enjoy when you feel well
• Stay in touch with your friends in person, by phone, or online
• Keep up with your schoolwork (so you don’t feel overwhelmed or get behind)
• Practice yoga
• Learn when to push yourself and when not to
• Keep to routines as much as possible
• Plan ahead with your parents/caregivers for unexpected "flair–ups" of pain
• Talk to a counselor

Have you tried any of these so far?

Write down some ways to help manage your stress that you would be willing to try in the future.

 

It's also helpful to have your own personalized list of things to do when you have a pain flare–up. Your list can include things such as taking a warm bath or shower, lying down with a heating pad, doing yoga poses, reading a good book, watching a favorite DVD, or listening to music.

 

Complimentary and Alternative Treatment for Pain Management

 

Some young women are helped by surgery, some by medication, and some with a combination of both. Many young women find that adding alternative or complimentary treatments to traditional treatment helps them manage their pelvic pain more effectively.

• Yoga involves a series of poses and gentle stretches. There are many different kinds of yoga. You can explore yoga classes at your YMCA, health center and yoga studios. Many girls find it helpful to take yoga classes. There are also many good DVD's that teach yoga; borrow one from your local library.
• Acupuncture is an Eastern Asian Medicine that involves the insertion of very fine needles into "acupuncture points" in the body. This is thought to stimulate the body’s nervous system to release certain chemicals in the muscles, spinal cord, and brain, which in turn release other chemicals and hormones in the body that may help to improve pain and other discomforts. Acupuncture may be covered by your health insurance.
• Massage is another complimentary practice which some girls with pelvic pain find helpful. There are several kinds of massage therapies available. Often massage treatments are combined with gentle heat.

Learning how to cope with your pelvic pain can feel like an overwhelming task at first. However, the more strategies and techniques you learn, the easier it will become. Having the support of important people in your life will also help you manage your pain. When you learn how to rule your pain, rather than allowing it to rule you, you will have the confidence to live your life to its fullest potential.

 

Previous

Next: Managing Pain at School

 

Written by the CYWH Staff at Children's Hospital Boston

 

Updated: 4/8/2010