Do pets help distract pain?

Treatments, Rehabilitation, and Recovery
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Shep
Posts: 18
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2009 2:54 am

Do pets help distract pain?

Post by Shep »

I considered getting a dog or cat to help me distract myself from the nerve pain. Anyone feel a house pet relieves any of this?

There has been studies that animals and clowns help distract pain in children.

And I am not buying any clown......;)
schmoe90
Posts: 24
Joined: Mon Nov 17, 2008 9:00 pm

Re: Do pets help distract pain?

Post by schmoe90 »

Any sort of distraction seems to help. Do you want my dog? :)
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marieke
Posts: 1627
Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2005 6:00 pm
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: LOBPI
no external rotation against gravity, can only go to 90 degree fwd flexion, no hand-to-mouth
1 surgery at age 14 (latissimus dorsi transfer). In 2004, at age 28 I was struck with Transverse Myelitis which paralyzed me from the chest down. I recovered movement to my right leg, but need a KAFO to walk on my left leg. I became an RN in 2008.
Location: Montreal, Qc, Canada
Contact:

Re: Do pets help distract pain?

Post by marieke »

I have 5 cats and I can tell you when I am hurting or down and one of my cats comes to sleep with me or cuddle on the couch I forget about everything that's bugging me (pain included).

Dogs can help, by getting you out and about when you walk them. I have no dog, but would like one!

Marieke 33, LOBPI
Marieke Dufresne RN
34, LOBPI
http://nurse-to-be08.blogspot.com
s8n
Posts: 223
Joined: Wed Jun 04, 2008 11:51 am

Re: Do pets help distract pain?

Post by s8n »

i have a dwarf bunny named "mazinbunnyfoofers" i let him run around all the time. he keeps me company and makes me laugh till i cry. he is my best friend and it makes me forget about the pain when we play or he lays on my lap and watches tv with me.
daniel
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brandonsmom
Posts: 1401
Joined: Mon Nov 22, 2004 4:43 pm

Re: Do pets help distract pain?

Post by brandonsmom »

Daniel
Love the name of your pet bunny !! Too Cute
chimley
Posts: 40
Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2008 1:40 pm
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: I am the wife of Rick, LTBPI. On 6/30/2008, our lives were forever changed. Rick was in a severe auto accident and sustained multiple injuries: broken jaw and facial bones, mild traumatic brain injury, L1 fracture, 4th cranial nerve palsy and LTBPI. With regard to the LTBPI, Rick has had an ulner nerve transfer (January 2009). We are now considering next steps in his treatment, perhaps some muscle transfers. Pain continues to be the worst thing about his injury. We are told that the pain goes away within five years or people have learned to deal with it. Meanwhile, we pray....and wait.
Location: Michigan

Re: Do pets help distract pain?

Post by chimley »

We have two dogs, Sam, a lab/husky mix and Rufus, a Shih-Tzu mix. I am thankful that we have them both. We got Rufus a couple weeks before Rick's accident. It was hard training him at first because we were at the hospital so much, but having a lap dog, in addition to Sam has been a Godsend.

They keep Rick company during the day while the kids and I are at school and working. I worry much less, too, knowing they are there to look after him. They have a keen sense of when Rick's pain is worse and will cuddle up to him!
Mare
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Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2003 5:30 pm

Re: Do pets help distract pain?

Post by Mare »

If your new to the whole pet thing try low maintance get a fish when my son had surgery in Texas and every room had a bowl with a gold fish in it and yes it distracted him he would just lay there and watch the fish swim back and forth it was calming. Mare
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