As a colleague witnessing someone in pain, It can be very difficult knowing when to help, when not to, when to offer sympathy, when not to, when to suggest ‘it may be better if you stopped doing that and rest’ and when to let your colleague just get on with it.  

Low back pain is very common, and most people have it at some point in their lives. It affects people of all ages and all socio-economic statuses. It is the leading cause of disability worldwide and the number of people affected is increasing.

When you are feeling unwell it is far more challenging to eat well.  Having the energy or inclination to spend time preparing food can seem daunting.  Many people find that they lose their normal appetite and enjoyment of food and eating can become a chore.  Some people also feel less like eating if they are low in mood or concerned about their health.

How many times do we hear the words ‘it’s all about balance’.  ‘Balance is key’. ‘All things in moderation’.  Etc etc.? In fact, if we look at the definition of ‘balance’ we see that it’s ‘a situation in which different elements are equal or in the correct proportions’. Broadly speaking we may find that our lives are split into different areas: Self care, achievement, connecting with others and enjoyment. 

When you have an ongoing pain condition it can be such a struggle to talk to others about what its like to live with and what practical and emotional support they could give you.

It is easy to make assumptions about others based on their appearance or behaviours, but do we also make assumptions about ourselves when we feel fatigued? The first thought for most people experiencing fatigue is, “I must get some more sleep”.

8 tips to help you cope with pain

I feel privileged to be part of this team – not only because I am surrounded by a huge amount of expertise and experience, but because they’re a lovely bunch of people. For two days we spent the time getting to know each other better as well as experiencing the wonderful outdoors.

We are celebrating 10 years of supporting people with ME/CFS with a team event which synchronistically coincides with ME Awareness week. Here on our team members talks about how it is to attend this event with this condition.

Recovering from long covid can be a long haul for some and diet is very important means to aid recovery. However, advice can be conflicting. Here our specialist dietitian explores the anti-histamine diet and the Mediterranean diet and considers their benefits.

One of our team shares what its like getting back to work after burning out with post viral fatigue/Chronic fatigue syndrome and the challenges of living with an invisible disability.

Be alert to the signs of #burnout, says employment lawyer. This article looks at risks & tips for employers & employees spotting the signs and preventing issues taking hold. This was written by Generali following a webinar presented by us on ‘Preventing Fatigue and Burnout’.

Returning to work following a virus or a period of long term ill health can be a daunting prospect. In this article one of our team utilises a particular model and her personal experiences to explore how it’s possible to sustain working with the support and adjustments from an employer, with a long term condition such as fatigue.

Our specialist dietitian explores the value of vitamin C in a balanced diet in fighting infection and recovering from post-viral fatigue especially if caused by COVID-19.

In this blog our specialist fatigue clinician talks to three team members with pain and fatigue about how it is to have an invisible disability & the challenges this presents in relationships, how this can create misunderstandings socially and in the workplace.

A high percentage of clients we are seeing with Long Covid describe cognitive dysfunction as one of the main symptoms they are continuing to experience. In this blog our Careers and Employment Consultant and our Executive Manager/Occupational Therapist explore what it means to be debilitated like this and how to manage it especially in relation to returning or sustaining work.

As part of our 10-year anniversary as a rehabilitation provider in the field of fatigue and pain, creating unexpected vitality and healthy futures for over 750 clients to date, we wanted to share our suggestions for improving vitality this winter.

Grounding techniques can help us to self-regulate when we are feeling overwhelmed with strong emotions, unwanted thoughts or memories or when we feel disconnected.

Long-Covid and diet… our specialist Dietician offers her reflections on this hotly debated topic.

We recently ran a partnership webinar for health professionals alongside Affinity Health at work where we shared our expertise on the complexities of supporting those with post-covid-19 syndrome/long covid with returning to work. This blog is a summary of this event with some strategies utilising recent case stories and research findings on the collaborative approach that’s needed.