So let's talk about how stress can take a physical tole on a body and I know from personal experience. Ever since about high school my mouth would break out in cankers...inside my lips, all over my tongue and down my throat. At times it had gotten so bad that I couldn't eat (not always a bad thing), talk (always a bad thing) or swallow very easily. However, as I've gotten older I realize when I'm hitting my max point for stress and start over medicating with Vitamin B and L-Lysine. Also I bump up my workouts to give me some sort of outlet.
I do remember though my senior year it got so bad that my mom was taking me to oral surgeons and all sorts of specialists. One doctor had me breaking open tetracycline capsules into luke warm water and doing sort of a mouth wash and then SWALLOWing. Let me tell you...it was like drinking the nasty stuff you've ever tasted...ever! Then another doctor prescribed this thick pasty syrup that deadened my mouth so I could at least try and eat...that was unpleasant, but didn't have much a taste so it was tolerable.
In my adult life the most pain I remember being in was right before I was going to be teaching 16 classes at the scrapbook convention in Arlington, Texas about 12+ years ago. I was excited to teach, but it was my first big event with the manufacturer I was working with and the stress got the better of me. My tongue was on fire because of the pain and I could barely smile without tears. I'd talk/teach all day long and smile so no one knew. I'd suffer through dinner with my co-workers, barely able to swallow and then go back to my room in tears each night. So glad I'm over that...and believe me teaching does not stress me out anymore!
But sometimes the pressures of home, church, work...life in general do work really hard on a person. So how do you better manage stress?? Not sure, always working on that and sometimes (like now) when I'm not feeling very well it's much harder to head off before it gets worse. I can tell those stinking little cankers are trying to make an appearance this weekend...but I will NOT let them win. Regretfully the only cure is typically SLEEP...and who has time to sleep!!
5 comments:
I've been getting those nasty little buggers since HS too...guess HS is the start of stress in your life eh. The other night I was at a breaking point, a lot had happen one week and then bam! the final blow...my old instinct was to head for the ice cream but instead I grabbed the ipod and told hubby I was walking to the store to get a baked chicken for dinner...it felt good to get out of the house and it felt great to walk. I finished the week walking 2 miles every day...a serious feat for me. I felt alot less stressed during my day :) Hugs
I get bad canker sores as well...I remember vividly the one that was a size of a nickel on the side of my mouth along with one in the front. Horrible things...that I know. I don't get them too often any more. I'm swimming now 3 times a week for an hour each time and I love it. Hopefully that will help with stress...
Check webmd.com for info on using maalox and liquid benadryl to ease your misery from the canker sores.
p.s. I really enjoy your blog.
Canker sores can also be caused by a sensitivity or allergy to something. My mom gets them from eating or using anything with mint in it, including toothpaste. My DH is severely allergic to MSG and the allergy started with canker sores. DH does get some relief swishing with the Maalox, and if it is a sensitivity or allergy the benadryl should help. Good luck in avoiding future canker sore breakouts.
My goodness... I've never even heard of a canker sore until now, sounds positively awful.
Lori, sometimes your body is the best advertisement for letting you know that you need to stop and take a moment to evaluate what's going on around you and within you. Thinking of you!
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