Many people on artificial nutrition also live with long term pain. Medicines can help, but they are rarely the whole answer, and many people want other ways to cope alongside them. These are approaches that many people find useful.
Gentle movement
Moving at your own pace can ease pain over time and lift your mood. Short walks, stretching, or gentle yoga or tai chi. Swimming is usually not allowed with a central line such as a Hickman line, so ask your team what is safe for you first.
Calming the mind
- Slow breathing. Breathe in slowly through your nose as if smelling a flower, then out through your mouth as if blowing out a candle.
- Mindfulness and meditation can help take the edge off pain and the stress that comes with it.
- Talking therapies such as CBT can help you find new ways of coping. Ask your GP or a pain clinic.
Comfort and support
- Warmth, such as a heat pack (never on or near your line, tube or stoma).
- Cushions, supports and a comfortable position during long feeds.
- A good sleep routine as far as your feeds allow.
- Pacing yourself: spreading activities out instead of doing everything on a good day and paying for it after.
You do not have to do it alone
Support groups, friends and family, and professionals such as pain clinics and physiotherapists can all help. Tell your team if pain is getting worse or changing. New or worsening pain should always be checked.
Remember: talk to your nutrition team or GP before trying anything new, and never stop or change prescribed pain relief without their advice.