Managing increased pain and anxiety during a stressful season
With EDS, my physical and emotional states are closely intertwined
The past few weeks at work have been enormously stressful. We school counselors often refer to this month as “Sucktober,” because it tends to be when the honeymoon of a new school year has worn off. Plus, big college application deadlines are looming, and student energy has begun to lag. This semester has brought one round of chaos after another, and it’s taken a toll on me emotionally and physically.
Like many people with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), I also have anxiety. My anxiety and pain are intertwined, meaning an increase in one can exacerbate the other. If I’m super stressed, it can set off a pain flare. And being in a lot of pain can cause my anxiety to spike.
Recently, I’ve been dealing with physical soreness from long days at work, as well as stress and anxiety. All of these issues have been playing off one another.
A vicious cycle
Like many others, I hold stress and tension in my shoulders. Unfortunately, my right shoulder was also badly damaged in a teenage soccer injury, before I was diagnosed with EDS. For years I had constant pain and extremely limited mobility, and while I’ve made enormous progress in physical therapy, it still takes very little to set off my shoulder.
Once my shoulder gets involved, it seems like every other part of my body becomes inflamed and painful.
After my shoulder flares up, the muscle pain and tightness will move into my neck, back, and hips. Sometimes, if the muscles get tight enough, I’ll wind up with a chronic headache that extends from my neck over my scalp, and ends just above my eyes.
Once the pain starts to spread, I tend to feel more tired, on top of the chronic fatigue I already manage with EDS. And when I’m tired, my emotions become more prominent, creating more stress. That in turn makes my muscles tighter, and we’re back to where it started. The circle of dominoes just keeps falling until I can get a massage to relax my tight muscles and reduce my stress level.
The hardest part for me is knowing I’m heading toward this cycle and being unable to prevent it. I can’t avoid stress, especially at my job this time of year.
It’s important for me to remember that I can only do so much. I have to try to minimize stress about things that are out of my control, and I need to be proactive about caring for my body. I make sure to spend extra time with my heating pad, eat enough protein to increase my energy level, and go to sleep early to maximize my rest.
This time of year isn’t easy, but I have to remind myself to push through as best I can until life settles down a bit.
Note: Ehlers-Danlos News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Ehlers-Danlos News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Ehlers-Danlos.
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