6 factors to consider if you have pain in your body
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Pain: It grabs you in inopportune moments; sits you down; demands a pause. Pain is humbling. It makes you ask for help.
In 2005, I started my chiropractic practice. My life was listening to people in pain. I worked at a sports chiropractic office in downtown Long Beach.
Though I saw a lot of athletes and weekend warriors, I also saw everyday folks. They were simply trying to stay at of harms way but would experience a pain trigger from picking up a pencil, a sneeze, or lifting a box out of a car.
Today, I still see lots of folks in physical discomfort but my treatment modality is now acupuncture. What’s consistent is that there are just a handful of ways pain comes on in the body. However, my conversation around pain management has evolved in that now I talk a lot about lifestyle management.
Today, I’m sharing 6 key life style factors that you should consider to prevent and deal with pain.
First, let’s look at pain triggers…
Common causes of pain:
Improper posture
Bending over and picking up items (small or large)
Injury
Repetitive overuse
Stress
Inflammation in the body
Illness
Most of us who have experienced pain can connect to one of these, right?
When addressing pain it’s important to review 6 key factors to prevent or handle a flare up:
Work station ergonomics
Proper pillow and mattress support
Bending with knees when picking up items
Changing up from the same repetitive tasks
Getting in some belly laughter to break up the intensity of stress
Anti-inflammatory diet
Bottled up emotions
Managing illness with consistency
We often get in the habit of looking for the fastest “pain relief” which is important, but we also need to look at the big picture.
From a mind-body perspective I like to ask what the pain represents? What does it get in the way of? What does it remind you of?
I always say that the body communicates with us through symptoms and we have to decipher and HONOR it’s language. In our society, we’re so used to masking pain and putting band aids over it that we never deal with the root issue.
What I’ve learned over time is that to truly manage pain you have to sit with why it’s shown up and listen to the message it has come to bring?
Remember to be patient with yourself and enlist a solid, supportive wellness team when you’re dealing with root issues. In addition to an acupuncturist and chiropractor you may want to also have your therapist, massage therapist and other wellness providers work with you on this issue.
I hope this has been helpful for you…. Until next time!
Blessings….
