Just in case it's any use at all: I've found that sucking strongly-flavoured sweets distract me from very bad head pain. Mint makes me sick, but cinnamon and very sour sweets help. You might enjoy different flavours.
Relaxation also helps me, but I had to be taught how to relax while in pain, and try different techniques until we hit on one that worked (what works for me is to clench and relax every muscle group in turn while thinking 'You don't have to do anything special, you just have to be there, and breathe.') It's about the same level of effectiveness as taking two aspirins - a very mild effect. It does, however (for me), stop the first twinges from building into the full horrors of pain-fuelled despair and, if the pain gets bad enough, not wanting to live any more. I hadn't realised that the emotional not-coping and anxiety was caused by the pain as a known side effect - I had just put it down to poor mental health or lack of moral fibre or something.
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branchandroot
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Date: 2013-02-27 09:27 am (UTC)Relaxation also helps me, but I had to be taught how to relax while in pain, and try different techniques until we hit on one that worked (what works for me is to clench and relax every muscle group in turn while thinking 'You don't have to do anything special, you just have to be there, and breathe.') It's about the same level of effectiveness as taking two aspirins - a very mild effect. It does, however (for me), stop the first twinges from building into the full horrors of pain-fuelled despair and, if the pain gets bad enough, not wanting to live any more. I hadn't realised that the emotional not-coping and anxiety was caused by the pain as a known side effect - I had just put it down to poor mental health or lack of moral fibre or something.