Cuddling with chronic and/or physical disabilities.

hoping4snugs

I am thinking about this due to the Fat Jokes thread but didn't want to derail that topic.

My profile use to warn that I have to change positions during cuddling a lot due to pain from arthritis. I have bone on bone arthritis in my patella's and mild arthritis and a bulging disk in my low back. I'm pretty much always in pain. Loosing weight would help but my physical limitations make something that was difficult feel impossible.

When I started to meet people and worked my way towards laying down and cuddling I learned something that maybe others already knew. Even public cuddles that involved only hand holding and arm stroking greatly reduced my physical pain. I still have to shift around to stay comfortable but the affects of all those chemicals that get released is profound.

Do others get relief from physical pain by cuddling?

Edit to clarify: I didn't intend the above to sound like I see cuddling as an alternative to traditional medicine. I work in a medical field and am skeptical of anything not vetted by solid research. Science has thoroughly proven the feel good chemicals above and by comments below referenced above.

pmvines

It depends on how much moving around etc there is for me personally. I always wake up sore . Sore back , joints , nausea, headache. That's been my norm for too long to remember. So I can't really say that cuddling night before necessarily helps with this, however I dont really tend to notice much soreness during cuddling itself. But that again could be due to the time of day as my issues are mostly in morning .

I am also very vocal in the placebo effect of cuddling and how important it is to not mistake a good feeling you get from cuddling as having any kind of lasting impact on your health. There are too many people here who try to present it as having medical and mental health benefits and though it is beneficial in some ways, it's not snake oil or miracle water , and it is certainly not curative of any diseases or disorders .

TxTom

Do others get relief from physical pain by cuddling?

Not from pain, but cuddling does help in other areas.

I try never to cuddle when I don’t feel well or if I’m in pain because it really doesn’t do much for that, but it does help with relieving stress and making me feel more calm

PinkMallo

A few of my clients have substantial physical limitations or issues. From what they have told me, cuddling helps by helping release the tension pain can cause in your body and by giving them positive physical sensation to focus on. I don't have any delusion that a great cuddle is going to 'cure' anything... But I do think they provide a moment of peace and a break from pain being the primary physical focus. But... ahhhh... if I show up and someone wants me to cuddle a compound fracture, im calling 911. Lol. 😬

IronicMaiden

Even when it doesn't help with the pain itself, it makes it easier to bear. Since my pain is usually from tense muscles, that also helps me relax which reduces the pain which helps me relax. For back pain, the body heat and pressure from being the little spoon helps too. And when it's particularly bad, my cuddlers have been willing to give me a quick neck or back massage.

hoping4snugs

@pmvines You mean hugs don't cure arthritis? That is such a bummer. I can't imagine waking up every day like you described you may be used to it but it's not good. My worst time is after being up all day so getting to sleep can be a real problem .

@PinkMallo Good call on the 911 for fractures. I think your clients probably have it right. That combination of pleasant distraction, stress relief ( I have a boat load of that), and the natural release of serotonin ect. I feel good for days after a meet up. 😌 I have no delusions that it's a cure but am thankful for the respite.

Bear

Before I had my knees replaced, I would have to be careful of leg placement. Yet oxytocin would help a lot. The only issue I have now is I usually have to cuddle on a bed versus the floor because it could be hard to get up. I also tend To move positions occasionally, because I have a minor condition of restless legs. I found out in my most recent Sleep Study . Not enough for medication or to wake me up, but enough to be noticed I guess.

hoping4snugs

@Unscented_Lemon oh man chronic back pain is no good. About 7 years ago I was rear-ended by a plumbing truck. My seat folded in half backward and I started a new journey into back pain and memory problems from concussion. I have worked past a lot the problems. I sincerely hope you do to. PM me if you ever want to hear about all things I tried and if they may apply to your situation. So much depends on the root cause.

Bear

Cuddling does not cure anything, it can be temporary relief in some instances. I imagine that's the oxytocin at work.

hoping4snugs

@Bear I am very close to getting approved for knee replacement. Left then right. It sounds like that was successful for you. I hear the relief is immediate.

Bear

@hoping4snugs it made a huge impact on my life. Now I just gotta lose weight to be more active, lol. I was born on bone for years and lost about an inch and a half of height. Having both replaced halves been a big difference in my life. I can walk and move around and not have the same pain as I used to. The biggest thing I would say to do afterwards make sure you do your stretches and physical therapy and that's the key.

hoping4snugs

@Bear Did you mean oxycodone? I am so hesitant to take pharmaceuticals other than Naproxsin or Ibuprofen. I was offered nuerontin but turned it down (for nerve pain stemming from my back).

Bear

Oxytocin is the Cuddle drug. It's released via hugging and cuddling and touching. It's a natural chemical in the body.

hoping4snugs

@Bear That is great to hear!

Bear

@hoping4snugs
https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/oxytocin-the-love-hormone

Bear

@hoping4snugs if you have any questions, feel free to contact me.

hoping4snugs

@Bear Definitely...

CuddlesByGracie

Similar to what @PinkMallo said, when I'm in pain I find that any other physically distracting sensation can help i.e. when I get a wave of intense pain then pressing my thumb into the palm of my other hand repeatedly, or tapping on my forehead, helps to dull my perception of the pain. Endorphins are also a natural pain-reliever so doing any activity you enjoy can effectively help too.

Therefore I can see that the physical sensations experienced during cuddling plus the endorphins released could have a temporary effect on pain, as well as a general sense of wellbeing. As others have said though, cuddling is certainly not a cure-all and I'm wary of anyone who overly focuses on it's physical health benefits (but it is pretty awesome for plenty of other reasons!).

TR23

I have physical disabilities and deal with multiple chronic pain sources. It sucks and many people don’t understand the tolls it takes over time.

Prior to cuddling I shared there are select positions I can’t lay in due to pain. We then adjusted accordingly. Good communication is key.

I believe cuddling can help with pain in some ways temporarily.

Most people with chronic pain have more natural body tension than other people, so getting to relax by cuddling has the ability to potentially relieve more tension.

After my last session, I thanked my cuddler a couple days later. After the session, that night I slept an unusually long time and felt well rested the next day—which doesn’t often happen. If sleep is time for your body to recover, then a better night of sleep can help you the next day deal with less pain.

One thing I learned in a specialized therapy was the importance of including positive distractions to help you not think about chronic pains. Having hours of a break with cuddling serving as a positive distraction can help temporarily relieve some pain.

I believe cuddling can also help over time to retrain parts of the body and the mind that touch doesn’t have to equal pain. If you go through years of therapy in a given area, you can associate touch there with treatments. Treatments can be helpful, but at time may not be pleasant, so your body can begin anticipating pain from being touched. Cuddling can work on helping restore positive touch.

hoping4snugs

@TR23 Thank you for post. That was far more eloquent than I can manage.

@CuddlesByGracie I'm sorry you have intense pain like but thank you for sharing some of your coping techniques.

CuddlesByGracie

Thank you @hoping4snugs and likewise I'm sorry your arthritis causes you to suffer, and I'm glad you've found that cuddling provides some relief 🤗

CuddleHugs01234

For me, yes, cuddling helps with physical pain. When I don’t get enough, I can tell. Cuddling also makes me happy. I love it overall.