As we get fully into the holiday season, that has us thinking about gifts. While IC patients have all sorts of unique hobbies, likes and dislikes, there are some items that most IC patients would love to have show up in shining wrapping paper this holiday season!
#1 – The Gift Of Something Funny
Did you know that laughter can help minimize pain levels? It’s true. The brain processes pain levels by context. If pain is accompanied by tears, the pain is intensified by the brain. If pain is accompanied by laughter, the brain acts to reduce and/or minimize pain intensity. Thus, how about giving your IC’er the gift of laughter. Invite a group of family or friends to a monthly game night of Among Us! You’ll be laughing in no time trying to figure out who the villains are! Fifteen minutes of laughter a day is a must for any pain patient and a great source of distraction too,
#2 – A New PEA Supplement
With many medications now linked to serious side effects or simply unaffordable, there are some supplements that might bring some relief. Bladder Builder®, PEAORA® and the new ALOEPATH® are the first bladder health supplements that contains PEA which, in studies, has been shown to significantly reduce pain in IC patients. You can’t go wrong with a gift of Prelief®, which has helped thousands of IC’er eat more acidic foods.
#3 – A Bladder or Prostate Friendly Chair Cushion
Having somewhere soft and comfortable to sit during flares helps tremendously, especially when we are working from home. A chair cushion designed for bladder patients would be ideal for any IC patient. A soft waffle chair cushion is also great for sensitive IC pelvic floors and bladders.
#4 – A Streaming Service
If you’ve got to be down to rest during a flare, having something fun to watch can be a good distraction. Streaming services like Netflix or Acorn are great gift idea for IC patients. Even if she already has a Netflix account, she can apply the gift card to her current account.
#5- Comfy Clothes
We LOVE the fun, inspirational designs from The Natural Life. Their shirts, dresses, mugs all have inspirational sayings that are perfect for this moment in time.
If you’re cruising Amazon, look for soft clothing (cotton, rayon, spandex) with an elastic waist to lounge in, such as The Comfy Wearable Blanket, Champion Joggers, yoga pants, or other clothes that don’t fit tightly in the pelvis.
#6- A Lap Desk
IC patients sometimes need to spend a lot of time sitting somewhere comfy like the couch. A lap desk can come in handy for many things, including working on a laptop, doing a craft, painting nails and eating food. You can get a lap desk with a cushion underneath.
#7 – An IC Cookbook
Figuring out recipes can be a challenge for IC patients. An IC cookbook like the IC Chef Cookbook or Confident Choices: A Cookbook for IC and OAB have wonderful recipes and will be a great resource.
#8 – An IC Friendly White Hot Chocolate
In the cold days of winter, having something warm to drink by the fire brings comfort. Consider gifting some seasonally fun mixes such as Stephen’s gourmet white hot chocolate or Stephen’s gourmet pumpkin spice white hot chocolate.
#9 – A Gift Basket of IC Friendly Foods
From low acid coffees and herbal teas to yummy jams and carob bars, gift your IC friend with some treats to enjoy. We particularly like our bladder friendly Missy J’s candy!
#10 – Heat or Cold pads
Heat and/or cold can help alleviate IC and pelvic floor pain and discomfort. Consider these hot and cold packs that can be warmed or cooled. An electric heating pad can also be great for IC patients. Be sure to look for one with an automatic shut-off for safety.
#11 – Something to Read
Breaking Through Chronic Pelvic Pain: A Holistic Approach To Treatment
by Dr. Jerome Weiss is the PERFECT gift for every man or woman on your gift list who is struggling with pelvic pain, pelvic floor muscle injury, IC or any other chronic pelvic pain conditions! It is a master class in pelvic anatomy and will help patients solve the mystery of their pelvic pain. It’s not always in the bladder! If they’ve struggled for years and/or or not responding to bladder therapies, this book could point them in a different direction! It’s worth checking out.
#12 – Gift Certificates
Having a chronic health condition comes with extra costs, so sometimes fun things just aren’t in the budget. Gift cards for a meal delivery service (Grubhub, DoorDash, etc.) or restaurants that deliver are perfect.
#13 – A Membership to the IC Network
It’s important for patients to stay current with the latest information about IC treatments, diet, self-care, flare management and more! The IC Optimist patient magazine is a wonderful gift for an IC patient and will help empower them in their fight to find relief! Give them the gift of a Guardian, Champion or Hero Membership to the ICN!
#14 – A Gift Certificate to the ICN Shop
With everything from food to personal hygiene to books to supplements to DVDs, the ICN Shop is full of all sorts of stuff IC patients will use and love. If you’re still not sure what to buy, go with an ICN Shop Gift Certificate and let him or her pick!
