To be free of persistent, or CHRONIC PAIN (which is pain lasting longer than 6-12 weeks) starts with the understanding that medical imaging (i.e. X-Ray, MRI, or Ultrasound) is not going to diagnose the cause of the pain.
Unlike ACUTE PAIN, where the pain can clearly be identified on a scan (e.g. a broken bone, a ligament tear or a dislocation), for CHRONIC PAIN, a scan can only identify ‘abnormalities’ in the area of the pain.
These ‘abnormalities’ are NOT the cause of persistent pain.
For more on this, see my article - The Real Cause of Pain.
By keeping the focus only on what has been identified on medical imaging can make overcoming pain difficult.
This goes for osteoarthritis and the many other chronic painful conditions.
Persistent pain is caused by a multitude of factors.
Which means ‘pain’ should be seen as a diagnosis in itself.
The many factors that cause pain include:
Persistent aggravating factors (think overuse injuries)
Weak or tight muscles
Poor movement
Past emotional traumas (even stemming as far back as childhood)
Current stress or worry
Being overweight/obese
Poor diet
Lack of sleep
Unhealthy habits
When these factors cause a significant amount of stress on the body (which happens more so as one gets older) pain will develop.
To see more on how complex pain can be - make sure you read my article Pain is More Than Meets The Eye.
To start overcoming pain, you need to work on ALL these factors.
To help you understand how to do this better, I’d like you to imagine yourself being a cup.
I know this sounds silly, but we’re going to do it anyway.
When you (now acting as a cup) are filled with many pain-inducing factors………….. Pain will result. (See diagram below).
Cup filled with pain causing factors.
All the factors combined are taking their toll on you. When it gets to the point where the mind and body can’t cope anymore, pain will occur in an area of weakness — your mind and body are telling you that things need to change.
To do that, you need to begin emptying your cup.
So you do!
Little by little, you begin making changes.
You also get professional help if needed and you speak to your doctor about your approach.
You know it’s not going to be an easy, quick or even comfortable road but you also understand that by doing this, not only will your pain ease, but your health will improve too.
You cut out or minimise anything you do consistently that could be aggravating your pain (for example overdoing some activities). By having a break, this will allow any underlying injuries to heal.
You start gradually increasing your exercise, working on strengthening weak areas and loosening areas of tightness. You also work towards getting your body in as good physical condition as possible.
You start eating healthier, cutting out foods that could have an inflammatory effect on your body and add more healthy food into your diet.
You start being much kinder to yourself, you stop worrying about the small things and stop trying to control that which you can’t control.
You start meditating daily or do something else that gives peace of mind (journaling, listening to music or whatever you find works for you) to help relieve stress and worry even more so.
It’s been challenging getting used to these new habits, but you feel your stress levels are decreasing.
You understand you may have some suppressed emotions or past traumas - so you decide to find someone who can help you process these past feelings. (This takes time, and past issues could go as far back as childhood).
You’re now involving yourself in more social events, planning exciting future activities and find yourself much happier.
You’re also spending more time outside, getting sunlight and utilising the restorative effect of sleep and make it a priority.
You feel yourself taking greater control of your life and are also feeling reductions in your pain.
Your cup is emptying!
You continue these techniques and have formed habits that are now part of your daily life.
With this continued approach your pain continues to decrease.
Eventually you have minimal to no pain.
Pain-Free, Happy cup
You’re a happy cup!
The above is a simplified version of what's required to be free of pain.
To find more about these techniques, read my article Overcoming Pain.
This approach takes time. Unfortunately, there are no quick, simple fixes for overcoming persistent pain.
Yes, there are ways to help with the pain for a short period, like pills, massage, injections, heat, ice, and so on. And these techniques do have their place.
But these techniques are not getting to the core (or the cause) of the pain. They are techniques for Managing Pain.
To overcome pain, for good, you must understand there is more to pain than what's seen on scans and adopt this new approach.
It is the way to truly be free of pain.
And the bonus is, it is also the way to a healthier you! :)
Are you dealing with any pain issue? What have you tried for your pain before? What do you think about this new way of thinking about pain?
If you need help with your pain, I have started online consults. If you want to determine what is causing your pain and begin overcoming it. Sign up for a CONSULTATION HERE.