For those of us living with chronic pain, bed can be a refuge and a prison all at once. When we’re in pain, it’s often the first place we flee to, craving cozy blankets, soft pillows, and some time away from the world. But sometimes, too much time in bed is yet another source of our pain. In either case, bedside pain relief products are critical.
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Heat Therapy
Heat seems to be one of the tools that work best for my pain, so two of my most crucial bedside pain relief products are my heating pad and electric blanket. If I’m feeling up to getting out of bed or have someone willing to help, I also adore my collection of Warmies!
Topical Pain Relievers
It’s almost laughable how many topical pain relievers I have by my bed at any given moment. Here are some of my favorites:
Muscle Rub
I usually just get the generic form of Icy Hot from Walmart’s Equate brand, but it’s such an effective yet budget-friendly option! I try to always have a tube of this muscle rub in my collection of bedside pain topicals, and at least one backup elsewhere in the house. Alternatively, I’ve used actual Icy Hot and Bengay in its place!
Absorbine Jr.
I’ve been using Absorbine since I was a kid, so this one brings a double whammy of both pain relief and nostalgic comfort. The classic liquid Absorbine Jr. is my go-to but I’ve had luck with their patches, too. I used to like their cream option when that was available, too!
Fibro Cream
When I first discovered Topricin fibro cream, I think I was mostly just excited to find a product specifically meant for fibromyalgia. Since, though, I’ve found it really does help—to the point that I actually ordered a giant pack of sample packets when the actual tubes were unavailable. They make that much of a difference!
Tiger Balm
I especially find myself reaching for Tiger Balm when I’m dealing with sinus pain, but it’s great for migraine attacks and just general pain, too. It may be a placebo effect but I swear the orange one actually works better—that being said, they do have a clear option if you’re worried about staining your clothes or sheets!
Magnesium Spray
I first discovered this option in the documentary Unrest and it truly does work very well! I do have to use magnesium spray sparingly as I tend to itch terribly—like so much of chronic illness, it’s a bit of a trade-off
Migrastil Roller
When a migraine hits, I’m looking for every possible source of relief, including this Migrastil rollerball. I know essential oils can seem like a dismissive suggestion in many cases but can genuinely recommend this one from personal experience!
Soothing Neck & Shoulder Cream
Another must-have from the Migrastil line! If you hold a lot of tension in your neck and shoulders (whether from chronic migraine or just life in general), this soothing neck and shoulder cream is a great find.
Magnesium Cream
I suspect I might be Basic Vigor (the brand behind Migrastil)’s biggest fan. I haven’t had this lavender magnesium cream in my collection for long but I’ve really liked it so far! It doesn’t seem to irritate my skin as much as the magnesium spray either.
Diclofenac Gel
Full disclosure: I regularly seem to forget that this one exists! But, when I do remember to pull my generic Voltaren from the back of the drawer, I’m always happy I did.
Aspercreme Lidocaine Roller
This one was a total impulse by but I love it so much! When you’re feeling crappy, it’s normal for stress levels to rise. That means the lavender in this lidocaine roll-on bedside pain relief essential is especially helpful!
Massagers
In a perfect world, I’d have regular massage therapy appointments on my calendar all the time. But until I enter that tax bracket, I depend on a collection of massage tools for at least a little relief! A few of the bedside pain relief options in this sub-category: a massage gone, my Eco Tools multi-stone massager, and a classic gua she for TMJ and migraine pains. Two bonus massagers: my renpho eye massager and foot massager!
Gadgets
Technology can feel like the bane of my existence some times but, when it comes to pain relief, I’m eternally grateful for tech gadgets like my TENS unit, Cefaly, and Livia device. The TENS unit uses a bit of an electrical current to provide stimulation to reduce pain signals, and it seems to help a bit with my fibromyalgia pain, specifically. Cefaly and Livia work similarly but are specialized devices; Cefaly for migraine and Livia for menstrual pain.
Compression Wear
Between my hypermobility, fibro, dysautonomia, and general pain, compression garments are absolutely essential. I especially depend on my Grace & Able compression gloves, Fabletics leggings, and compression gloves from brands like Wellow! I keep at least a pair of gloves and pair of socks in my basket of bedside pain relief products at all times. But I’ve also used corsets and shapewear as on-the-go compression, and have my eye on the Jelliebend!
Medications
Of course, actual pain relievers are important parts of any pain relief kit, whether you have a prescription, stock up on OTC essentials, or prefer holistic options. In my case, I don’t have an acute prescription pain medicine, so my bedside pill case includes some OTC dual action and severe sinus headache pills. You can, of course, substitute your own preferred meds here!
Acupressure
This is another portion of my bedside pain relief tools that I all too often forget about, but it really does help when I break it out again! I have a basic acupressure mat and pillow set as well as a smaller plastic mat meant for you to stand on. A similar concept comes into play with the aculief tool for migraine relief, too!
What are the most effective bedside pain relief products in your toolkit? Let us know in the comments!
