Why am I using the analogy of a spider web to describe long term chronic pain?
- A single strand of a spider web has more potential energy than an atomic bomb.
- The thread of the orb web spider is very elastic and can be stretched 30 – 40% before it breaks. Steel can be stretched only 8%.
- Virtually invisible; we see the web only because of the reflection of sunlight on the strand.
- These thin strands are capable of stopping a bee flying at full speed. A strand is not only strong but also very elastic. These properties make the material very tough.
- Spider silk, the material used to make the web strand, is the strongest of all natural and man-made fibers.
- Research centers study the microstructure of these strands, as they have the potential to be used in protective gear like bulletproof vests, and even artificial tendons.
- What is the strand made of? It is a protein named fibroin with a diameter of about 0.003 mm (0.00012 in). The diameter of a human hair is about 0.2 mm (0.008 in).
Here you can see a typical spider web structure illustrating the pattern of interconnectedness. The inherent strength comes from this cross linked design. Cross linking takes a long time to achieve.
We can see the interconnectedness of a spider web…..nothing is separate.
So true, by comparison, is the interconnectedness of chronic pain woven within a person’s life.
Chronic pain can persist for years and even decades after an initial injury. Over time, chronic pain will cross link, weaving an intricate and incredibly strong web snaring one’s quality of life. The constant sensation of pain will cross link, causing chronic anxiety, fear, depression, sleeplessness, low physical and psychological functioning, and impairment of social interaction, along with many other symptoms.
During my over two decades of coping with chronic pain, and experiencing how pain is interconnected to all components of my life, I saw mypainweb for the first time.
Click on mypainweb to see how pain interweaved within my life causing fundamental changes, which at times, created an unrecognizable foreign existence.
It is my hope that you will use mypainweb as a mapping tool as you cope with your Chronic Pain, or the Chronic Pain of a loved one..
mypainweb is an effective checklist for actions to take and problems to avoid.
mypainweb will show you how to organize your thinking to give you leverage against Chronic Pain, making more sense; less alien.
mypainweb has helped me smoothly navigate the mysterious and frightening aspects of Chronic Pain.
