Can Distraction Conquer Fibromyalgia Pain and Flare-ups?
- Aug 19, 2024
- 6 min read
Episode 34: Glamping, Baking, Writing; All Roads Lead to Pain-free Distraction.
I am back from my two week long camping trip. Actually, not camping, but GLAMPING. We were in an RV van that we affectionately named "Tight Squeeze". I mean... it was TIGHT. Every which - away you bent, you bumped your head, your knee, your butt, or your elbow. But, BUTT, but, it was worth every bruise, every scratch, and every mosquito bite. Let me tell you, it was work, but it was relaxing and, no other way to say it, entertaining. This was the answer (today) to my year-long fibromyalgia flare. I got out of my normal stressful setting, got into nature, worked, and was entertained.
Now, I am not saying this is the answer. I am saying it was the answer that worked in this moment, today, in my life. I have had other moments that have knocked me out of my flares such as discovering a new passion: sourdough baking, or finding a new routine: 2 mile walks, delighting in my personal growth: understanding what causes a trauma response and finding a way through it, around it, or avoiding it altogether. For me, it seems to be about distraction. That is the question and focus of this blog. Can a person with fibromyalgia "distract" their way out of a Fibromyalgia flare?
Scouring the "inter-webs" as I do when I want to know something, there seems to be little about distracting oneself from the pain of fibromyalgia. There is plenty about diet, pacing, exercise, and sleep, but what about just finding surprising moments of joy, or new passions or lovely distractions to help treat the pain? It's there, I know it is. Why else would my past pain doctors say, "find a distraction". I used to be furious at this suggestion. But there may be more to it than I used to think.
The Research
I know there area plethora of articles about pain and distraction, not specifically fibromyalgia pain, (which I contend is a wholly different thing but this is for another blog post). What I found confirmed by beliefs that distraction could be a key element in pain relief. But two of the many articles I read from nationally sponsored medical sites caught my attention. First, there was a brief paragraph from an article from the UK's NHS site that said, "Shift your attention on to something else so the pain is not the only thing on your mind". It also said to "get stuck" in an activity that you enjoy and can get lost in. In other words, distract yourself. This is another step toward confirming that I'm not crazy for thinking distraction helps with my fibromyalgia pain.
Another article published by the National Library of Science (PubMed) concluded that using selective attention—such as controlled, directed, or executive attention—on a distracting task can effectively reduce pain. This article simultaneously discussed that a person's ability to do so is dependent on their "pain-related cognitions" and their tendencies toward catastrophizing which may interfere with their selective attention abilities. What this means is that if a person can't get their mind off the pain and is fully engrossed in the perception of it, they may not be able to isolate that perception and focus on the distracting task. For this person, distraction methods will not be an effective analgesic.
This study has clarified techniques I've been practicing since my fibromyalgia diagnosis, thanks to my therapist, who consistently interrupts my hyper-focus on past traumatic experiences that contribute to my stress and debilitating pain. Reading this study has helped me understand the why behind these techniques—why he encourages me to step out of these moments and practice what he calls 'reality checking.' By finding distractions to stop my catastrophizing, I've developed selective attention skills (crafts and hobbies) that relieve both my pain and anxiety.
The Takeaway
My take away from the articles I have read and the two that I have mentioned here is that distraction is good. Distraction can be as much as an analgesic as any non-medication modes of pain relief.
What Are My Favorite Distractions?
Storytime...
Believe it our not, camping, or "GLAMPING", is far from the top of the list. This was our first time in an RV and it has been 10 years since we camped previous to this vacation. But no. Camping/Glamping is not a favorite. It did do the trick in that it thrust me out of my normal routine. It was so different and demanding that I could focus only on the tasks at hand. I had no time to think about pain, that is until I laid down to sleep on that hard-as-H3LL camper van bed. But, even that wasn't enough to send me into a flare because I was too tired and usually fell asleep immediately. The mornings were a little tough; my body ached, but not from a fibro-flare, but rather, that STIFF & HARD-AS-ROCK bed. As soon as I started moving around and doing the days activities, I was in a better place. But, camping in Minnesota is hard. I was 100% distracted from pain because every day the job of camping is to figure out how to get to the end of the day without getting eaten alive by mosquitos, figuring out the easiest, healthiest, and tastiest camp food for the day, and locking up and snuggling in for the night, only to do it all again the next day. It is non-stop. For some, this is too much and would cause a flare, but for me, it was a break from my fast-paced, overstimulating teaching job into the simplicity of nature and the joy of taking one decision at a time.
The Short List
There are three things that are my favorite and most accessible distractions:
#3 Research and Writing - obviously, as I write this blog. I love the process of finding out information and writing about it in the simplest way possible so everyone can understand the nuances of a subject- whatever the topic is. Give me a research project and ask me to write about it and I am off to the races!
#2 Self-Discovery - As I have experienced a lot of life trauma, I have found that learning about the positive aspects of my person and dispelling all of the old negative beliefs about myself is enlightening and sometimes downright delightful. Therapy is good!
#1 Sourdough Baking - this is my newest passion. I love it so much I have turned it into a part time business venture. I am a kinetic and tactile learner and the process of using sourdough starter to make bread, bagels, cookies is completely satisfying. I love mixing the dough, kneading the dough, stretching the dough, shaping the dough - I love all of it!
All of these provide me with focused distraction. Baking, discovering new things, and writing, when I am doing any of these tasks, I forget about my pain.
RECAP:
I believe I've answered my original question: yes, distraction can help conquer a fibromyalgia flare-up. While it’s not a permanent solution, it can provide a temporary reprieve from pain. The evidence suggests that focusing on an enjoyable, absorbing task can act as an effective analgesic. In my experience, during a flare, shifting my attention to activities like research, self-discovery, and sourdough baking has helped reduce both pain and anxiety. Distraction might not erase the pain entirely, but it offers a much-needed break from the overwhelming nature of chronic pain.
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Karen Palmen, EdD is a veteran educator in Saint Paul, Mn. She teaches Dance and English at Saint Paul Central High School. She has an active TikTok page that features humorous, political, mental health, and educational content (kickin it with karen). And a a dormant YOUTUBE channel with the same name, featuring fermented foods and other cooking oddities.
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Sources:
“10 Ways to Reduce Pain.” NHS Choices, NHS, 2 May 2023, www.nhs.uk/live-well/pain/10-
Rischer, Katharina M, et al. “Distraction from Pain: The Role of Selective Attention and Pain
Catastrophizing.” European Journal of Pain (London, England), U.S. National Library of Medicine, Nov. 2020, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7689692/.
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