It’s the holiday season, and a lot of people are shopping for the perfect gifts for their families and friends. However, finding that gift can be challenging. If you’re shopping for someone living with chronic pain, you might wonder what kinds of gifts you could buy to make life a little easier. Let’s look at 5 ideas for gifts for people with chronic pain.
#1: Epsom salt
Certain conditions cause joint pain, stiffness and swelling. Soaking in a warm bath may help relieve some of the pain, so someone living with chronic pain may appreciate Epsom salt. Epsom salt is made from magnesium sulfate crystals. Magnesium itself is an essential mineral that the body needs.
Magnesium helps bone and muscle health in the body. A warm Epsom salt bath feels good to an achy body, and may help someone absorb more magnesium. You can find Epsom salts at most drug stores and grocery stores, and it’s affordable.
#2: Electric jar or can opener
Some conditions cause painful swelling and stiffness in people’s hands. This can make it difficult to open jars and cans. These relatively inexpensive household items can make a big difference for someone with chronic hand pain.
#3: Compression gloves or socks
When hand pain or foot pain becomes bad, some doctors and therapists recommend compression gloves and socks. They are designed to gently support the hands and feet, and they may help improve circulation.
They can also help decrease swelling and stiffness caused by conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. If you’re not sure what type of compression gloves or socks to buy, ask your pharmacist to recommend one.
#4: Paraffin wax hand or foot spa
Warm paraffin wax spas are great for people with chronic pain. Moist heat is good for people with pain.
You simply warm the wax, place your hands into the warm wax and cover your hands with a plastic bag and towel. Wait for several minutes before unwrapping your hands. You can melt and cool the wax as often as you want.
#5: Electric blanket
Cold weather can cause chronic pain to worsen. Sometimes a comforter or quilt isn’t warm enough, so an electric blanket is a great gift for people with chronic pain. An electric blanket can gently warm you up and loosen up stiff joints.
With these gift ideas for people with chronic pain, you can feel good about giving the perfect gift that your friend actually wants.
I’ve been going through chronic pain for over 10 years due to a horrible car accident which left me with a bad right leg, right knee, right femur and bad back. I also have a fibromyalgia. I’m at my wits end with pain clinics who say that they can’t do anything else for me. What can I do, whom can I turn to for help?????
Michelle,
I’m sorry to hear that you’re having such a difficult time getting help. Unfortunately we hear this quite a bit from people with conditions like fibromyalgia, since it affects everyone a little bit differently. The key to feeling better is slow and steady progress. Many people feel better after they start exercising or doing yoga, and eating a healthy diet plays a key role as well. It’s all about starting from where you are, and congratulating yourself for any and all progress. Sometimes being patient with yourself is the hardest part.
We offer articles on recipes, exercises and mindfulness activities that, when all pieced together, might be helpful to improve your condition. Please check back, because we will also be rolling out a forum next month where people in similar situations can share their stories and support one another. It’s going to be a great place to collaborate and share success stories.
Thanks,
Your Friends at Pain Resource