Dear LPG,

I know that I am getting older and I think that I am very lucky to still be around and ready to look my ninth decade in the eye. When I think back I have had a really good life, and when I look forward there is still a lot that I want to do with the rest of it.  I hope that, so far, I have been describing the feelings of many LPG readers who are 85+. 

But I bet that we also have something else in common and that is chronic pain that comes with age.  If you are anything like me, by now you have spent a good fifteen or so years telling your doctor about what is happening in your back and other parts of your body.   I am sorry that I have to warn younger readers of what is usually to come.

At first it just niggles and there is usually some medication that helps and the dosage rises or an alternative brings relief for a while, but if those treatments stop being effective, we have a choice and that is to let the pain get to us or find a way of managing it. 

If you are anything like me, over the years you have tried pain management courses, vibration therapy, heat pads, ice packs stretching exercises and acupuncture, and I hope that a combination of them have helped. 

I know that I have done my best to not let it take over my life and, although the daily pain is always there, I have tried to learn to live with it, but  if there is anything that can help I am always willing to have a go.

With this in mind I, revisited the issue with the help of YouTube recently and I found something I heard of ages ago, but which I have never tried, and wondered if it might help some of those older fellow readers I mentioned earlier.

I know that, when I imagine myself trying to meditate, I can’t help thinking how stupid I would look if I could be seen having a go, but there are advantages if you take it seriously, and please understand that you will not get optimum results the first time you try it.  Perseverance is needed if you are to get something out of it. Silly as I think I look, I have been at it for about a month and I am not sure if it is working because I believe it helps or if there is some scientific reasoning behind it, but I have to say I feel better for it.

There is the added advantage that meditating is something you can do on your own, it will have no adverse effect on any medication you are taking and even if you don’t feel a reduction in pain at first, if you get into it on a regular base, it can be quite relaxing.

I urge any reader who has a degree of chronic pain but thinks it is not for them, to have a go.  

GA, Mottingham.

LPG would take the time to advise readers who want to try this that, until you find out just how susceptible you are to meditation, it might be a good idea to have someone with you.  We suggest that you choose someone that will join you in meditation, so that you can watch over each other while feeling a bit silly together.

GA offers a few facts learned from Google about meditation, pain management and warns that some of it might contain bits you will want to fast forward…

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GA also offers a couple of meditations that might be suitable for beginners…

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