5 Things That Have Helped Me Manage My Chronic Illness

Hashtag not sponsored.

Image via Vecteezy

Since time immemorial, chronically ill and disabled people have been finding creative ways to manage our conditions. Necessity is the mother of invention, and disabled people are as resourceful and inventive as they come. I’d like to share some of the tools, tips, and tricks I’ve found that help me on bad and worse days alike (still waiting on the ever-elusive ‘good’ pain day!) These aren’t treatments, medications, or cures, but things that help me to manage my various ailments and maladies so a sudden spike in pain doesn’t turn into a five-day flare-up. Everyone is different, so don’t feel discouraged if one or all of these methods fail to help you; take what you need, and discard the rest. I am not a doctor — though I do like to joke that 7+ years of chronic illness should entitle me to an honorary doctorate in suffering — just a self-professed disability advocate who has tried every method to treat pain on the market and then some. I am not sponsored by any products nor brands featured here, but if anyone from Murray’s Medical on Talbot Street is reading, please have your people call my people. I’ll be in touch.

Heat therapy

Must all heating pads be Depression Grey? What ever happened to whimsy?

Without a doubt, the method that has helped me manage my chronic pain the most is heat therapy. My heating pad is pressed against my person at least 50% of the time, and the other 50% of the time my hot water bottle comes in clutch. There are innumerable heating pads on the market; unfortunately mine is from the Jeff Bezos website, but has tons of different settings and switches off automatically. You can find hot water bottles at practically any pharmacy, and they come in all different shapes and sizes, too. Do exercise an abundance of caution with this method, as I’ve heard horror stories about burst hot water bottles and have earned at least two heating-pad shaped rashes on my body from overuse. ThermaCare wraps and Deep Heat/Deep Freeze are handy if you’re out and about, too.

Massage balls

Coronavirus flashbacks, anyone?

Massage balls can be a bit finicky, but when they work they are a godsend. They are also available in different shapes and dimensions, and if you think they might work for you, try using a tennis ball first if you have one in a drawer somewhere. I like to use mine on my shoulder standing against a wall, but you can experiment with different positions and weight distributions, like using your massage ball standing up, seated, or lying down. Sometimes, when my pelvic pain flares up, I like to roll my massage ball over my lower abdomen while lying down; it doesn’t make the pain disappear, but helps to distract me from it by introducing a new sensation. Many people with chronic pain also enjoy massage devices like TENS machines (I think mine made me feel worse so I promptly passed it on, but it’s worth a try). I have also heard good things about those massage guns that look like sex toys from at least one well-meaning taxi driver, but can’t comment on their efficacy since I haven’t tried one myself. Next!

Single-use disposable toothbrushes

Colgate should give me a modest stipend for all the people I’ve converted to the religion of Colgate Wisp-ism

Sometimes I think I would’ve been better off had I been born in another era. Then I remember that I can buy single-use disposable toothbrushes in the big year of 2026. What a time to be alive. These fantastic little inventions come with a soluble ball of toothpaste on one end, so you can brush your teeth in bed without having to do the whole ‘sink, water, spitting’ song and dance. If you are reading this and wondering how someone could be so lazy as to refuse to go to the bathroom and brush their teeth, imagine how much that someone would have to be struggling in order to be unable to perform basic self-care, count yourself lucky that you have never been in that degree of pain, and develop a modicum of empathy. These bad boys can also function as a tongue-scraper with a tooth pick on the other end, if that’s your sort of thing. I have only been able to avail of these via our Amazonian overlords, but if anyone can find a purchase link that doesn’t result in me parting with my money to Jeff Bezos, I’m all ears.

Baby wipes

Baby wipes: not just for babies, apparently

If baby wipes have no fans, I am dead. On days where showering is an impossible feat, a quick top-and-tail with the humble baby wipe can help you to feel that little bit more put together. I can already hear the environmentalists champing at the bit to call me a terrorist in the comments. I am sympathetic to your cause, but if I have to choose between being gross and using a disposable product to stay clean, I am choosing the latter. The simple, unscented kinds bought in bulk are my favourite, but you can also find scented kinds with skincare benefits if that’s more your cup of tea. Honorary mention to the first cousin of baby wipes, dry shampoo, for saving me from the horror of a bad hair day more times than I can count. The environmentalists have left the chat.

Disability aids

Not a medieval torture device, I promise

Disability aids? For disabled people? Groundbreaking. In all seriousness, if you are able to get assessed for a mobility aid by a doctor or other medical professional, please consider doing so. My rule of thumb with mobility aids is that, if you are thinking about getting one, you probably needed it years ago. I use my walking stick or rollator every time I go out, and I have three or four reacher claw things (see above) scattered about my house. Getting a shower seat was particularly life-altering for me, as it turned showering into something I needed a whole day to recover from to something enjoyable-adjacent. The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower lanyard can be purchased online without having to fill out mountains of paperwork, a rarity for anyone who is disabled/chronically ill. If you are reading this in Dublin, Ireland, Murray’s Medical is like Disneyland for disabled people; they stock mobility devices, aids for daily living, sensory devices, and everything else in between. They also offer delivery throughout Ireland. Tell them I sent you, and make sure to ask if they’ll sponsor me.*

Beyond the above, anything that you can do to bring a little warmth and whimsy to your day, like candles and hot tea, can be a huge help. When you are disabled or chronically ill, it can be difficult to accept your limitations. You may feel pressured by well-meaning loved ones and bad-faith actors alike to ‘push through’ on bad days or eschew accommodations, aids, or assistive devices. When you feel this way, it’s important to remember that only you know what it’s like to live in your body and your brain. If there is anything you can do to make things easier on yourself, I encourage you to do that: use that accommodation you feel you don’t deserve, buy that mobility aid, rest, rest, and rest again. This has been a non-exhaustive list, and I may make a part two one day. For now I encourage you to go forth and live your best disabled life with all the resources and inventions that make life a little bit easier and turn your bad days into okay-ish ones.

*please don’t do this, but do give them your custom!