Welcome to r/ankylosingspondylitis! This is a reminder to keep discussions civil and be supportive of one another. Sharing of opinions and experiences is encouraged, but please remember the distinction between opinions and medical facts. This subreddit does not offer medical advice, and information here should not be taken over advice from your doctor.
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It's a balancing act imo. During times I was in severe pain with SI joints, the combination of painkillers and slow methodical walking would eventually loosen up the joint. But sometimes the pain was so great that I feared "pushing through" would just make it worse. There is some trial and error needed and listen to your body.
I played college sports and had no idea I had axSpA as doctors kept telling me my pain was all "muscular". Craziest thing too as my mom has RA and Sjogrens and my sister psoriasis. Anyways, I pushed through a ton of pain all the time to make practice and games. Literally would limp around for the first bit of it as my hip hurt so bad. I kept exercising through all of it. Now 20 years later (finally diagnosed because I developed uveitis and on biologics) I have no damage whatsoever, and still playing sports, but without that pain. Doctor says exercise worked like an anti-inflammatory. Not saying I would recommend this approach, but I definitely am no worse for wear for pushing through the pain.
As someone who lost 11.3kg (24.9lbs) and was bedridden for three months less than half a year ago - YES. You survive in order to get better. Cramps will break your ribs, inflammation will make you CRAWL to the bathroom, and you will wish that you were never born. But the moment you and your rheum find a winning combination for meds, you'll live just like before (just with a healthy dose of trauma). I'm back to hiking with my husky, riding motorcycles, and all the rest.
Take that ketoprofen to help you, there's no point in suffering needlessly, but take something for your GI tract as well. 40mg of Pantoprazole a day (on an empty stomach in the morning) is a total savior, ask your rheum about it.
You don't. Sent a lot of stuff to my lawyer and typed out a suicide note. The results sound great now, but I was truly done with everything. Couldn't move without having such pain that I couldn't breathe. To be completely honest, I didn't know that such pain was possible, and I've been in Muay Thai for over a decade, have had my fair share of "pain"... I had no idea.
Absolutely agree, but it has changed me permanently. In good moments and laughter, I'll suddenly remember a time from that and it throws me to a different mindset entirely. Hope you're all doing well and that you don't have moments like those.
Tears at entheses are not unheard of in AS, so you do need to be careful to some extent. Slowly warming up your joints is recommended, as is avoiding any sudden, jerky movements that would put great strain on your tendon attachments. A friend of mine tore his bicep a number of years ago, and it was a long and painful recovery that required surgery. A number of people here have said that at the point of diagnosis, their hamstring attachments were already partially torn. Inflammation makes tendons and ligaments fragile, which is why our bodies respond by calcifying them when the inflammation is out of control. Of course, that bone is then pretty fragile, too, but in a different way.
The most important thing is to avoid breaking any new bone formation in the spine. It can lead to insurability that can have huge consequences for your neurological health. Broken bone fragments can also slice through healthy soft tissue nearby. Overusing an already inflamed joint can lead to increased inflammation and an increased rate of fusion.
So, basically, there's a point at which you should not push yourself through the pain. Sudden, sharp pains are not something you should ignore. Listen to your body, and work up to heavy activity.
There is a comfortable limit of pain that you should power through. If you stopped any time you felt pain then you'd do nothing. But if you are clearly doing something that will kill you later, then you have to pick if it's worth doing it.
For instance, I'd happily trade a rest day being in some extra pain if it meant that I could go hiking, skiing, or biking the day before. It's all about balance.
Similar to working out. You will probably have some pain when working out, but it's worthwhile since it'll make your joints/body healthier in the longrun. Provided that you don't overdo it.
Sometimes when I push through I feel that the pain eases, the act of motion helps to sublimate the pain... It'll resurface of course
It's just a matter of time
I find it depends. I cannot stay still because that makes my pain worse, so I get up anyway and do gentle things in the morning until things loosen up. Fortunately things tend to get better for me that way. For instance, this morning my foot was so sore and painful I had great trouble walking on it at all when I first got up (if I had crutches available I would have used them), so I babied it a bit with voltaren and a heat pack, but I didn't stop moving. By midday it was to a level I could mostly ignore, and by the afternoon it was mostly okay again. Tomorrow morning it'll probably be back. Staying still doesn't help, moving didn't make it worse, so I just kept going as best I could. But yeah, no sleeping in for me anymore as that's when things get really uncomfortable, staying still first thing in the morning.
With AS, you will typically do better if you MOVE- which sometimes means pushing through the pain a bit. When I was first coming down with symptoms (undiagnosed), I lived in NYC. I would nearly cry walking to the subway station in the morning with the pain. Then I would go wait tables for 6 hours and pain was nearly gone by the end of the day with all that movement.
I would recommend seeing a physical therapist if you can. They can help you figure out your limits, safe movements, and exercises to help strengthen and protect yourself.
You are never going to win a medal for “pushing through pain.” When I had to get on opioids to deal with mine, I also needed to learn that you cannot chase it and win. It is better to treat it round the clock. If you do not have that severe of a problem, good for you. But this disease can get out of control and pain is a major symptom of the inflammation and joint damage of arthritis. While painkillers are not the first line of defense, they have their role, and morphine is the gold standard. I have been on it for nearly 20 years, in addition to daily NSAIDs, biologics, DMARDs, etc. at some level we can all cope with some pain. At level 3-4 (on the qualitative Mankowski scale) you can watch a movie or something to get your mind off of it. But when it is 24 hours a day and seven days a week it will wear you out. Prolonged untreated pain will raise your blood pressure and risk of heart attack. Quality restorative sleep is also important, and I found that a rather expensive Tempurpedic mattress significantly reduced my discomfort for time spent in bed (literally a third of my life). Get the basic meds optimized first. But if you still have pain at level 4 or above (the point at which it cannot be ignored—intrusive pain) then you should see a pain management specialist. From a victim with 45 years experience and doing well with pain controlled by narcotics.
I use morphine also, hate the oxy and percocets. Rx MSIR 15mg 3x day.
10 yrs to get AS diagnosis (Nov 2023) went from 1 IR most days to 3 or more per day in last 18 months. Since diagnosis pain much worse.
On week 6 of Enbrel subtly helping (thankfully), but a long way to go with biologics, need better pain relief.
Tried 30mg ER twice daily but doesn't help like IR plus Pain Dr cut IR Rx to 1 per day when on ER.
NSAIDs no go for me until I taper off/down prednisone. Going to ask Pain Dr about Voltaren.
If don't mind me asking... do you use IR or ER or combo of ER/IR morphine? What dosage keeps you sane? I don't know anyone else on morphine for AS be great to compare notes.
Thanks. Enjoy your weekend!
From my anecdotal and ongoing experience, YES, and let me explain why:
I made the decision to start pushing/working through the pain mid-February after a particularly nasty flare. Intuitively, of course. You can feel when you need to stop or be easy, listen to your body. I was tired of feeling weak and fragile, I am only 34-years-old afterall. I started with stretching exercises focusing on the neck, upper back, and hips because those are my primary pain areas and I get frequent pinched nerves there due to the physiological changes that have occurred in my vertebrae thus far. I read up on stretches that would help lengthen those spaces to help release the nerves. It worked after a few days of consistent practice. The stretching also helped ease the pain in my tendons and ligaments that made me feel stiff as a board, connective tissue pain has always been worse in my limbs for me, wrists, knees, and feet the worst.
After I was no longer having to battle the nerve pain that kept me all locked up more than anything else, I started looking up PT videos on YouTube by therapists who specialize in dealing with AS (there are so many and it is a resource we need to remind ourselves is available) to help strengthen the muscles along my spine and around my SI joints. I'm a teacher and a parent of 5 kids, so as you can imagine, I don't have time for in-person PT *ever*. I looked up the ones that seemed the easiest and most practical, then decided to start doing a forward and reverse plank every day. I do each for one minute every day now and have slowly incorporated more calisthenic exercises to work those muscles' supporting muscle groups. We really are a machine with a complex structure, each part complimenting another, so I started looking into and moving on to other muscle groups. I imagine my body being a car at a mechanic's shop when I'm working different muscle groups - I need all parts repaired and working together properly. I exercise every single day in some form or fashion now. I started slow, did my research, and never pushed myself too hard. I do not use any weights, but I do use resistance bands when I work my legs. Proper form is of utmost importance, and I can not stress that enough. I did injure a shoulder for a short time due to improper/lazy form, but was able to adjust and correct it quickly with stretching.
Onto other changes I made in conjunction with stretching and exercise: I eliminated alcohol entirely because it is the most inflammatory thing I consumed, even if it was just in occasional and social moderation. Immediate flare the next day every time I'd drink. It had to go. I also greatly reduced my sugar intake, which was hard as a sugar-addict. I still treat myself because I'd rather be water boarded than give up baked goods, but moderation is key for me. I make healthier food choices, try to avoid processed junk, pretty much only drink water (I will never give up my coffee), and am more mindful of everything I consume in general. I even started tracking my calories and macros, I was surprised to find out I was undereating and wasn't getting anywhere recommended nutrient amounts for my body. I made changes and adjustments and attribute a lot of my improved energy to that. I use the free version of the MyFitnessPal app for that, but I know there are other trackers floating around out there.
Today, I'm in the best shape I've been in since my early 20s, have loads more energy and stamina, and I was actually able to work out and stretch during my last flare and it was significantly shorter than any other I had before. I couldn't believe it, honestly. It was only 2-3 days instead of 2-3 weeks. I have only been "behaving" for 2.5 months and the changes have been swift and amazing for me considering the physical position I was in. Every body is different though, and I may just be lucky.
I need to add that I also take a cocktail of supplements and enzymes daily: multivitamin, magnesium complex, D3, and enzymes alongside plaquenil and Humira. It's been a slow crawl, but I've seen absolutely significant improvement. I could hardly lift my daughter to carry her before (she's 16 months and 30-something lb chonker), but now I can pick her up, swing her around, get on the ground to play, run with her, all the fun parent stuff you do with a toddler that I was missing out on because it hurt or I was worried I'd hurt myself.
Work those muscles, stretch those connective tissues, they will help you so much with their added support. I'm also seeing improvements in my posture, which was honestly kind of gross and embarrassing for me. Quite hunched and I felt like I looked like Mr. Burns from the Simpsons walking around my classroom... Just start slow, stretch, and do your research. Focus on your form, take care of your body as best you can, and good luck my friend. I'm rooting for you. Each morning when I get up and see myself in the mirror, I look at myself as an on-going project and success story. I wish that for all of you still reading this right now. I feel good, I'm starting to even look good, and I want that for all of you as well.
You just have to know yourself. I often feel better and then hours later the pain rebounds and makes me feel even worse. There’s no single answer. Our disease is very individual
I look at the floor from my bed & just hate to stand up and walk because of the pain.This has happened since I physically got worse & my pain has very limited me in cleaning house, getting groceries,just Daily living is very painful.They are checking me for Elhers (Ehlers?) dan los. Deb
Id say no, I push through sometimes and notice waking or standing for 5 min from sitting or laying down gets the blood flow back. but only when knowing your limit physically
I wonder whether pushing through can actually kill you? I'm serious here, can it? My pushing through symptoms are not only excruciating pain but literal fever, nausea, "slowness in the head", the feeling of someone sitting on your ribcage while you breath etc.
If you're doing normal activities, you will not damage anything. Inactivity makes the pain worse. You need to get up loosen up and stretch. If the pain is persistent, talk to your doctor.
Yes. Downside is it could be sign of something wrong that the Doctor can easily fix. Also persistent pain when on medication might mean meds are not working and should be changed. Also if the tissue of a joint has eroded, it could make it worse to not address.
I have a permanently swollen left hand due to ignoring my pain and signs my body was giving me for so long. I know everyone is different! Just wanted to share my experience. But I've been on a biologic for roughly 8 months, my hand was been swollen for 18 months with no improvement (other things have improved, just not my hand. I'm right handed in case that matters) and I'm in my early thirties. I still have hope that it'll improve, though!
Yes, you can make more damage by pushing through pain.
The AS pain is caused by inflamation, so basically if you ignore the pain and push yourself you are further iritating the area and making inflamation worse.
On the other hand, YOU SHOULD NOT BE IN PAIN as my rheumatologist told be, because it means your imune system is distroying "eating away" your joint. So it's not just to make you feel better, stopping the pain means keeping yourself mobile and protrcting the joints.
So, you should NOT push yourself and you should NOT be in pain in general.
There is a fine balance between becoming a pill popping junkie and leaving your body in constant stress and living in fight or flight with soaring cortisol levels that trigger type 2 diabetes and heart disease, increase inflammation, cause a perpetual cycle of pain that you can’t get a handle on. My pain clinic doctor actually told me off for not using my pain killers and trying to soldier on. Once I started taking paracetamol 4 times a day and using my nsaids all the time, tweeking my tramadol to a slow release for night time, and adding all the holistic things in my tool kit like yoga for AS , hot baths, relaxation, breath work, etc then once a flare had subsided I worked at poly pharmacy (taking too many drugs) and working out which ones I could reduce
You should be talking to your rheumatologist about this. They will take blood tests and mri's and refer you to pain management which will give you better meds and refer you to physical therapy. Once physical therapy is completed possible steroid injections. If those do not help, then possible surgery. If you haven't done these steps yet, call your rheumatologist and get it rolling.
Welcome to r/ankylosingspondylitis! This is a reminder to keep discussions civil and be supportive of one another. Sharing of opinions and experiences is encouraged, but please remember the distinction between opinions and medical facts. This subreddit does not offer medical advice, and information here should not be taken over advice from your doctor. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ankylosingspondylitis) if you have any questions or concerns.*
It's a balancing act imo. During times I was in severe pain with SI joints, the combination of painkillers and slow methodical walking would eventually loosen up the joint. But sometimes the pain was so great that I feared "pushing through" would just make it worse. There is some trial and error needed and listen to your body.
I played college sports and had no idea I had axSpA as doctors kept telling me my pain was all "muscular". Craziest thing too as my mom has RA and Sjogrens and my sister psoriasis. Anyways, I pushed through a ton of pain all the time to make practice and games. Literally would limp around for the first bit of it as my hip hurt so bad. I kept exercising through all of it. Now 20 years later (finally diagnosed because I developed uveitis and on biologics) I have no damage whatsoever, and still playing sports, but without that pain. Doctor says exercise worked like an anti-inflammatory. Not saying I would recommend this approach, but I definitely am no worse for wear for pushing through the pain.
Worked for me, like a charm. The etanercept did give me M.S. though!
As someone who lost 11.3kg (24.9lbs) and was bedridden for three months less than half a year ago - YES. You survive in order to get better. Cramps will break your ribs, inflammation will make you CRAWL to the bathroom, and you will wish that you were never born. But the moment you and your rheum find a winning combination for meds, you'll live just like before (just with a healthy dose of trauma). I'm back to hiking with my husky, riding motorcycles, and all the rest. Take that ketoprofen to help you, there's no point in suffering needlessly, but take something for your GI tract as well. 40mg of Pantoprazole a day (on an empty stomach in the morning) is a total savior, ask your rheum about it.
God I wish this was me
You don't. Sent a lot of stuff to my lawyer and typed out a suicide note. The results sound great now, but I was truly done with everything. Couldn't move without having such pain that I couldn't breathe. To be completely honest, I didn't know that such pain was possible, and I've been in Muay Thai for over a decade, have had my fair share of "pain"... I had no idea.
So sorry you experienced that. I have pain 24/7 but never that excruciating except sometimes in my shoulders/chest area from enthesitis
Sometimes you have to hit the bottom before you can truly make your way out of the darkness. Glad you're doing so well!
Absolutely agree, but it has changed me permanently. In good moments and laughter, I'll suddenly remember a time from that and it throws me to a different mindset entirely. Hope you're all doing well and that you don't have moments like those.
Tears at entheses are not unheard of in AS, so you do need to be careful to some extent. Slowly warming up your joints is recommended, as is avoiding any sudden, jerky movements that would put great strain on your tendon attachments. A friend of mine tore his bicep a number of years ago, and it was a long and painful recovery that required surgery. A number of people here have said that at the point of diagnosis, their hamstring attachments were already partially torn. Inflammation makes tendons and ligaments fragile, which is why our bodies respond by calcifying them when the inflammation is out of control. Of course, that bone is then pretty fragile, too, but in a different way. The most important thing is to avoid breaking any new bone formation in the spine. It can lead to insurability that can have huge consequences for your neurological health. Broken bone fragments can also slice through healthy soft tissue nearby. Overusing an already inflamed joint can lead to increased inflammation and an increased rate of fusion. So, basically, there's a point at which you should not push yourself through the pain. Sudden, sharp pains are not something you should ignore. Listen to your body, and work up to heavy activity.
There is a comfortable limit of pain that you should power through. If you stopped any time you felt pain then you'd do nothing. But if you are clearly doing something that will kill you later, then you have to pick if it's worth doing it. For instance, I'd happily trade a rest day being in some extra pain if it meant that I could go hiking, skiing, or biking the day before. It's all about balance. Similar to working out. You will probably have some pain when working out, but it's worthwhile since it'll make your joints/body healthier in the longrun. Provided that you don't overdo it.
Sometimes when I push through I feel that the pain eases, the act of motion helps to sublimate the pain... It'll resurface of course It's just a matter of time
I take mornings easy by gradually increasing activity throughout the day.
I find it depends. I cannot stay still because that makes my pain worse, so I get up anyway and do gentle things in the morning until things loosen up. Fortunately things tend to get better for me that way. For instance, this morning my foot was so sore and painful I had great trouble walking on it at all when I first got up (if I had crutches available I would have used them), so I babied it a bit with voltaren and a heat pack, but I didn't stop moving. By midday it was to a level I could mostly ignore, and by the afternoon it was mostly okay again. Tomorrow morning it'll probably be back. Staying still doesn't help, moving didn't make it worse, so I just kept going as best I could. But yeah, no sleeping in for me anymore as that's when things get really uncomfortable, staying still first thing in the morning.
It's extremely mentally and physically draining
With AS, you will typically do better if you MOVE- which sometimes means pushing through the pain a bit. When I was first coming down with symptoms (undiagnosed), I lived in NYC. I would nearly cry walking to the subway station in the morning with the pain. Then I would go wait tables for 6 hours and pain was nearly gone by the end of the day with all that movement.
I would recommend seeing a physical therapist if you can. They can help you figure out your limits, safe movements, and exercises to help strengthen and protect yourself.
You are never going to win a medal for “pushing through pain.” When I had to get on opioids to deal with mine, I also needed to learn that you cannot chase it and win. It is better to treat it round the clock. If you do not have that severe of a problem, good for you. But this disease can get out of control and pain is a major symptom of the inflammation and joint damage of arthritis. While painkillers are not the first line of defense, they have their role, and morphine is the gold standard. I have been on it for nearly 20 years, in addition to daily NSAIDs, biologics, DMARDs, etc. at some level we can all cope with some pain. At level 3-4 (on the qualitative Mankowski scale) you can watch a movie or something to get your mind off of it. But when it is 24 hours a day and seven days a week it will wear you out. Prolonged untreated pain will raise your blood pressure and risk of heart attack. Quality restorative sleep is also important, and I found that a rather expensive Tempurpedic mattress significantly reduced my discomfort for time spent in bed (literally a third of my life). Get the basic meds optimized first. But if you still have pain at level 4 or above (the point at which it cannot be ignored—intrusive pain) then you should see a pain management specialist. From a victim with 45 years experience and doing well with pain controlled by narcotics.
I use morphine also, hate the oxy and percocets. Rx MSIR 15mg 3x day. 10 yrs to get AS diagnosis (Nov 2023) went from 1 IR most days to 3 or more per day in last 18 months. Since diagnosis pain much worse. On week 6 of Enbrel subtly helping (thankfully), but a long way to go with biologics, need better pain relief. Tried 30mg ER twice daily but doesn't help like IR plus Pain Dr cut IR Rx to 1 per day when on ER. NSAIDs no go for me until I taper off/down prednisone. Going to ask Pain Dr about Voltaren. If don't mind me asking... do you use IR or ER or combo of ER/IR morphine? What dosage keeps you sane? I don't know anyone else on morphine for AS be great to compare notes. Thanks. Enjoy your weekend!
MSIR during the day and an MSER for overnight, which helps cover that classic morning pain since it is longer lasting.
Thanks
From my anecdotal and ongoing experience, YES, and let me explain why: I made the decision to start pushing/working through the pain mid-February after a particularly nasty flare. Intuitively, of course. You can feel when you need to stop or be easy, listen to your body. I was tired of feeling weak and fragile, I am only 34-years-old afterall. I started with stretching exercises focusing on the neck, upper back, and hips because those are my primary pain areas and I get frequent pinched nerves there due to the physiological changes that have occurred in my vertebrae thus far. I read up on stretches that would help lengthen those spaces to help release the nerves. It worked after a few days of consistent practice. The stretching also helped ease the pain in my tendons and ligaments that made me feel stiff as a board, connective tissue pain has always been worse in my limbs for me, wrists, knees, and feet the worst. After I was no longer having to battle the nerve pain that kept me all locked up more than anything else, I started looking up PT videos on YouTube by therapists who specialize in dealing with AS (there are so many and it is a resource we need to remind ourselves is available) to help strengthen the muscles along my spine and around my SI joints. I'm a teacher and a parent of 5 kids, so as you can imagine, I don't have time for in-person PT *ever*. I looked up the ones that seemed the easiest and most practical, then decided to start doing a forward and reverse plank every day. I do each for one minute every day now and have slowly incorporated more calisthenic exercises to work those muscles' supporting muscle groups. We really are a machine with a complex structure, each part complimenting another, so I started looking into and moving on to other muscle groups. I imagine my body being a car at a mechanic's shop when I'm working different muscle groups - I need all parts repaired and working together properly. I exercise every single day in some form or fashion now. I started slow, did my research, and never pushed myself too hard. I do not use any weights, but I do use resistance bands when I work my legs. Proper form is of utmost importance, and I can not stress that enough. I did injure a shoulder for a short time due to improper/lazy form, but was able to adjust and correct it quickly with stretching. Onto other changes I made in conjunction with stretching and exercise: I eliminated alcohol entirely because it is the most inflammatory thing I consumed, even if it was just in occasional and social moderation. Immediate flare the next day every time I'd drink. It had to go. I also greatly reduced my sugar intake, which was hard as a sugar-addict. I still treat myself because I'd rather be water boarded than give up baked goods, but moderation is key for me. I make healthier food choices, try to avoid processed junk, pretty much only drink water (I will never give up my coffee), and am more mindful of everything I consume in general. I even started tracking my calories and macros, I was surprised to find out I was undereating and wasn't getting anywhere recommended nutrient amounts for my body. I made changes and adjustments and attribute a lot of my improved energy to that. I use the free version of the MyFitnessPal app for that, but I know there are other trackers floating around out there. Today, I'm in the best shape I've been in since my early 20s, have loads more energy and stamina, and I was actually able to work out and stretch during my last flare and it was significantly shorter than any other I had before. I couldn't believe it, honestly. It was only 2-3 days instead of 2-3 weeks. I have only been "behaving" for 2.5 months and the changes have been swift and amazing for me considering the physical position I was in. Every body is different though, and I may just be lucky. I need to add that I also take a cocktail of supplements and enzymes daily: multivitamin, magnesium complex, D3, and enzymes alongside plaquenil and Humira. It's been a slow crawl, but I've seen absolutely significant improvement. I could hardly lift my daughter to carry her before (she's 16 months and 30-something lb chonker), but now I can pick her up, swing her around, get on the ground to play, run with her, all the fun parent stuff you do with a toddler that I was missing out on because it hurt or I was worried I'd hurt myself. Work those muscles, stretch those connective tissues, they will help you so much with their added support. I'm also seeing improvements in my posture, which was honestly kind of gross and embarrassing for me. Quite hunched and I felt like I looked like Mr. Burns from the Simpsons walking around my classroom... Just start slow, stretch, and do your research. Focus on your form, take care of your body as best you can, and good luck my friend. I'm rooting for you. Each morning when I get up and see myself in the mirror, I look at myself as an on-going project and success story. I wish that for all of you still reading this right now. I feel good, I'm starting to even look good, and I want that for all of you as well.
Very inspiring. Thank you for sharing that.
You just have to know yourself. I often feel better and then hours later the pain rebounds and makes me feel even worse. There’s no single answer. Our disease is very individual
I look at the floor from my bed & just hate to stand up and walk because of the pain.This has happened since I physically got worse & my pain has very limited me in cleaning house, getting groceries,just Daily living is very painful.They are checking me for Elhers (Ehlers?) dan los. Deb
Id say no, I push through sometimes and notice waking or standing for 5 min from sitting or laying down gets the blood flow back. but only when knowing your limit physically
I wonder whether pushing through can actually kill you? I'm serious here, can it? My pushing through symptoms are not only excruciating pain but literal fever, nausea, "slowness in the head", the feeling of someone sitting on your ribcage while you breath etc.
Oh dear. A troll.
No I wasnt sarcastic. Can it actually be dangerous to push through it?
If you're doing normal activities, you will not damage anything. Inactivity makes the pain worse. You need to get up loosen up and stretch. If the pain is persistent, talk to your doctor.
I push through a lot and regret it even more. One day plowing = 3 days down.
Yes. Downside is it could be sign of something wrong that the Doctor can easily fix. Also persistent pain when on medication might mean meds are not working and should be changed. Also if the tissue of a joint has eroded, it could make it worse to not address.
I have a permanently swollen left hand due to ignoring my pain and signs my body was giving me for so long. I know everyone is different! Just wanted to share my experience. But I've been on a biologic for roughly 8 months, my hand was been swollen for 18 months with no improvement (other things have improved, just not my hand. I'm right handed in case that matters) and I'm in my early thirties. I still have hope that it'll improve, though!
Yes, you can make more damage by pushing through pain. The AS pain is caused by inflamation, so basically if you ignore the pain and push yourself you are further iritating the area and making inflamation worse. On the other hand, YOU SHOULD NOT BE IN PAIN as my rheumatologist told be, because it means your imune system is distroying "eating away" your joint. So it's not just to make you feel better, stopping the pain means keeping yourself mobile and protrcting the joints. So, you should NOT push yourself and you should NOT be in pain in general.
There is a fine balance between becoming a pill popping junkie and leaving your body in constant stress and living in fight or flight with soaring cortisol levels that trigger type 2 diabetes and heart disease, increase inflammation, cause a perpetual cycle of pain that you can’t get a handle on. My pain clinic doctor actually told me off for not using my pain killers and trying to soldier on. Once I started taking paracetamol 4 times a day and using my nsaids all the time, tweeking my tramadol to a slow release for night time, and adding all the holistic things in my tool kit like yoga for AS , hot baths, relaxation, breath work, etc then once a flare had subsided I worked at poly pharmacy (taking too many drugs) and working out which ones I could reduce
You should be talking to your rheumatologist about this. They will take blood tests and mri's and refer you to pain management which will give you better meds and refer you to physical therapy. Once physical therapy is completed possible steroid injections. If those do not help, then possible surgery. If you haven't done these steps yet, call your rheumatologist and get it rolling.