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Long story had multiple weber fractures a couple of years ago (undiagnosed at the time my fault just walked it off) now got a very lumpy ankle bone and Arthritis. Fine during the day and then at night it aches enough to stop me sleeping. Amitriptyline doesn't work, co codamol doesn't work, can't take Nasids... anyone got a magic fix Tens, weed, scotch???
I have a cheap Chinese tens machine for my ankle. I am not convinced it actually stops any pain but it puts a different feeling into the foot and ankle. More of a tingling than the brain aching hurt of deep bone pain.
I thin it was about £20 from Amazon so probably worth a punt. It might help you, good luck.
The other thing I do when I can't sleep due to the pain is a sort of meditation I guess. I made it up myself when first stuck in bed for 6 months. At the time I was also on lots of different pills, most the ones you mention plus Tramadol, Temazepam, Naproxen etc so the origins of the idea are a bit fuzzy and don't make great sense when I write them down, but it does work for me quite well.
Lie as comfortably as you can on your back with your arms and legs just resting and relaxed. Imagine a metal ball, about the size of a marble is resting on your chest at the base of the rib cage. It is a nice, warm ball. Now really focus on that part of your body and try to imagine the feeling of warmth from the ball.
Slowly the ball sinks painlessly into your chest, keep focussing on the feeling of a warm ball, and use your mind to roll the ball inside your body towards your shoulder. Focus on the feeling in your shoulder, a warm and pain easing feeling. Now move the ball down your arms very slowly feeling the warm spot where it is. As it rolls through any sore points you can feel them getting warmed and the pain goes as the ball rolls past.
Roll the ball slowly back up your arm and then down your leg towards your ankle. Focus on the ball, the warm soothing feeling as it rolls slowly through the body. It takes the pain aways from the areas it rolls through. Let it roll through the ankle. It will still feel painful but focus just on the point where the ball is as it rolls down to your toes and than back up through the ankle. Always just focus on the warm area around the ball, no other part of your body, Keep the ball rolling slowly and smoothly back up the leg, down the other leg, up through the other arm and back to your chest.
I think it works by making your brain focus really hard on the warm area where the ball is, trying to feel the warmth, so it kind of ignores the real pain. I also find it works a lot better when you start with a limb where there isn't much pain. If I try to go straight to the ankle, it never seems that effective.
It might all be hocus pocus psych babble but it works for me
I will take hocus pocus at this point....
My ankles are both pretty bad from football. I've never had the pain you describe, but I used to find them very sore to walk on when I woke up or if after i'd been sitting down for a long time. Then at some point I quit sugar and after a while (more than a month I think) I noticed that my ankle pain had all but disappeared. Whether it was just chance, or it was a result of the change of diet I don't know, but even though i'm not as strict about sugar now they're rarely sore now.