Chronic Pain
If you’ve been in pain for more than 3 months, this article is for you…
written by Paul Harrison May 2022
No one wants pain… right? Well, this is not necessarily true, gym-goers aren’t happy unless they’re in pain the day following a gym session, so what’s the difference between this pain and someone else with an aching back, the pain experience is the same?
The difference here is choice and understanding, one feels in control of their pain and knows why it’s happening and believes that the pain is helping them to become stronger and the other does not.
Is pain bad for you? absolutely not !! pain can mean many things from the bodies inflammatory healing response, to letting you know there is about to be an injury or that an injury has already occurred… but also pain is the body’s protective function, telling you to retreat, rest, and be mindful.
There is a condition that occurs in chronic pain (pain that persists over 3 months) in which pain signals are increased so highly to the point that normal movement or touch creates a huge pain reaction without any cause, this is a protective mechanism that is designed to keep you safe, however, the result can be that a person can be in such pain that they cant live a normal life, this condition is called central sensitization.
In some of these cases, the pain can persist long after the physical injury has resolved, and in these instances, the individuals state of mind plays a key role in overcoming this condition. Emotions, memories, beliefs about pain and expectations of treatment can combine to influence how much pain is experienced.
In treating chronic pain, it is important to have a strong social support network and research has suggested that a multi-disciplinary approach to treatment that addresses mind, body and spirit may have the best outcome such as.
- Mind
- Counselling
- Hypnotherapy
- Cognitive behavioural therapy /coaching
- Stress management
- Body
- Osteopathy
- Exercises
- Electrical stimulation therapies
- Nutrition advice
- Medications
- Spirit
- Massage
- Acupuncture
- Aroma therapy
It’s important to find the combination that works for you and to create a treatment plan that works for all your needs.
As osteopaths, we are able to address the body’s needs, by helping function and reducing mechanical stress, prescribing exercises, and giving nutritional advice.
We are also lucky to have at the clinic an array of great therapies and a network of local health professionals that can help with this.
