People with ALS can experience pain for various reasons. Below, we list some tips for preventing and dealing with it:
- Practice specific movements and do stretching — alone or with the help of a family member or caregiver — to help prevent or relieve muscle stiffness and stiff joints and to stay mobile.
- Don’t use your muscles further than they can— save them for the activities that are most important to you. It can help to reduce physical exertion or distribute it differently throughout the day.
- Use a soft neck brace to help lift the weight of your head and prevent neck pain and neck tension.
- Try gently rubbing or applying pressure to fasciculations, a type of spasm or cramp that often occurs in the early stages of ALS and can be annoying and painful, keeping you awake at night.
- Cherry pit pillows or a hot cold pack can be heated in the microwave or cooled in the freezer. They work particularly well on the back of the neck, on the tops of the shoulders, and for the lower back.
- Maintain a good sitting posture propping up with pillows, blankets or other support.
- Drink enough water, so your muscles stay hydrated.
Specifically for wheelchair users:
- If you are sitting, raise your feet to the same level or higher than your heart to help reduce swelling that can be caused by sitting in a wheelchair for a long time.
- Place your arms on the armrests of your wheelchair: it helps expand the ribcage and promotes better breathing.