Chronic Pain and Brain Fog

It has happened to me occasionally… I get a fever. I cough. My nose runs. My palms get sweaty. My stomach is just the perfect mixture of nausea and cramps. That is me, sick.

When we get sick, we notice that everyday tasks and everyday lifestyle needs to be altered. I am sure we have all noticed the details of our daily routines when our sickness highlights how much we cannot do them when we are sick (just like tearing a muscle in your thigh after working out an noticing for a week post-exercise how much you actually do use that single leg muscle).

With Sjogren’s syndrome, I can just imagine how much everyday life is altered. Not affected with the disease, I have been reading other blog and posts by Sjogren’s syndrome patients who are documenting their diseases first-hand.

What never occurred to me was that “brain-fog” and “chronic headache” follows Sjogren’s syndrome symptoms. No, not necessarily from the disease itself. This develops from the frustration of not being able to carry out normal tasks that most people overlook, such as swallowing, walking without pain, digesting, or even crying. With Sjogren’s syndrome, this all becomes difficult. Also, with not enough moisture circulating within a Sjogren’s patient’s body, the brain’s thoughts may become confused and unclear.

I read from Sue Falkner-Wood’s internet blog on EverydayHealth.com that “when you experience pain it wears you away and demands a toll be paid and sometimes, it’s your mind.”

Who would have thought that an illness that requires demanding efforts to physically stay pain-free would cause mental fog and serious hurting? It is not an outsider’s first thought, but if you think about it, it makes sense.

What are some ways to reduce the pain? Knowing that you have Sjogren’s and getting it diagnosed. This way, you can take precautions to increase your quality of life (i.e. a better diet, more effective exercising, medications and supplements, etc.). It all stems back to doctor-patient communication. If any of these symptoms match yours, your mental clarity has decreased, you are becoming forgetful, or you are experiencing chronic pain throughout your joints an muscles, please consult your doctor. And keep up with my blogs! = )