Do your friends and family struggle to choose a holiday gift you can use? Maybe you're still a little wary about the whole season of giving after last year's scented candle gift triggered a migraine.
See Tension, Migraine, and Cluster Headaches
A gift certificate for acupuncture or massage—or a custom-made gift certificate promising help with home responsibilities—can come in handy. Read Treating Chronic Pain with Acupuncture
Drop some hints
To put that all behind you, share this list of 9 gifts designed to make life with chronic pain a little easier:
- Heated clothing or blankets. If cold weather aggravates your pain, stay cozy with battery-warmed clothing. Small batteries are used in everything from scarves to hats, mittens, socks, and coats. Search online for "heated clothing" or take a look at a sporting goods or outdoor retailer.
Read more about How Cooler Weather Affects Chronic Pain on Spine-health.com
- Create a mini-spa. Let a paraffin wax spa melt away your pain and stiffness. Wax warmers made for home use come with a tub about the size of a crockpot. Once the wax melts, you dip a hand, elbow, or foot into the wax. The soothing feeling lingers as the wax solidifies and is peeled off to use again.
- Be a softy. Chronic pain may mean you spend a lot of time in slippers. Ask for some with extra support and plenty of memory foam to minimize foot pain.
- Go ergonomic. Make those hours on the computer as comfortable you can with an ergonomic keyboard, mouse, or desk chair.
Read more about Ergonomics of the Office and Workplace on Spine-health.com.
- Crank up the comfort with gel. Sitting can be uncomfortable, but sometimes you have no choice. A gel cushion can make all the difference in the car, at work, or at home. Compact versions are often sold with automotive accessories, and a variety of options are available online.
- Get the gift of time. If you've got small children at home, suggest a custom-made gift certificate offering to take the kids hiking or ice-skating. If you're on your own, ask for help with a home repair or hanging holiday lights.
- Have a seat. Holiday events and shopping won't be so exhausting if you have a seat with you. If you use a cane, ask for the kind that converts to a small seat with a tripod base. And if your gift-giver is especially generous, ask for a walker with a padded seat.
- Be practical. Compression gloves and socks can ease the pain of fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis, and also add a welcome layer of warmth. Usually made of washable cotton, some styles include rubberized grips for driving and other activities.
Read more about fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis on Arthritis-health.com.
- Keep your options open. You won't have to sit at an uncomfortable desk to stay in touch online when you have a lightweight lap desk. A lap desk can also come in handy on days when you're more comfortable in bed.
And while it may be top of mind to you, a friendly reminder that you're sensitive to certain fabrics or scented products can't hurt.
