Freezing Your PsA Pain

It is no secret that I only use natural and alternative pain relief options for psoriatic arthritis, fibromyalgia, and my other chronic illnesses. Not everyone has access to all of my pain fighting treatments due to laws in their state or country and/or the cost. However, one of my treatments is something that is legally available worldwide, affordable, and most likely already in your possession. What is it? ICE!

Brain freeze

Ice has been saving my sanity ever since chronic pain presented itself. It is obviously not a cure, but it has been able to reduce my pain level enough to keep me from losing my mind. Without numbing the inflamed area with ice I would have surely gone mad. One can only handle so much pain before it takes over their thoughts and emotions.

Melting away my pain

I use ice to decrease pain in my hips, tailbone, spine, neck, shoulders, knees, and ankles. How often I use it depends on where I am at with my illnesses, how hard I have been pushing my body, or if I have aggravated or injured an area. I may go months without using ice, then have to use it daily for weeks or months at a time. Recently I have gone from walking short distances to walking further than many of my healthy friends and family. With each milestone, I push my knees and hips beyond their comfort zone. With ice included in my pain management plan I am able to continue moving forward instead of coming to a complete stop. Applying ice to my spine and neck the moment I feel pressure has reduced the amount of time I spend in bed when a heatwave hits.

Freezer full of pain relief

Ice is one thing that I have been able to afford no matter what my financial situation has been. My freezer is filled with flexible ice packs, some store bought and others homemade. To cover larger areas or to have packs that are molded to fit over my knee or shoulders, I place wet towels into large Ziploc or trash bags and then freeze them. I have a bag full of refillable icepacks to take with me on road trips or to Disneyland. Dollar Tree sells mini versions that are perfect to place on knees and elbows. I use a knee wrap or ace bandage to hold them in place. A bag of frozen veggies also comes in handy when I need a flexible icepack.

Is ice part of your pain management/relief plan?