Play The Piano!
 

Sergei Rachmaninov (It may be Rachmaninoff) had Trigeminal Neuralgia (or tic douloureux). Frequently brought on by particular stimuli (e.g., hair brushing against the face), Sergei found he could calm the disease by playing the piano.

While I am certainly prone to an 'episode', I do find this to bring some comfort. I'm sure it is and will remain as being something more 'unknown' - so take it more as a suggestion than anything, or just a fun fact!

I think anything that creates joy will help relieve pain. For Rachmaninov, it was playing the piano. For me, when I am drawing, and get deeply into it, the pain fades some. I think everyone has their own joy that can help ease the pain. The hard part for me is picking up the pencils and getting started when I'm feeling really bad.

Jan