Demystifying Musculoskeletal Pain- Why does your body hurt and Who is your Healing Team?
Every day my patients come to me in pain. What takes me by surprise is the FEAR and lack of understanding/information associated with that pain. I forget that not everyone grew up with a dad who is a chiropractor. Not only did my dad teach me about my body, but I also grew up with the princibles of chiropractic as the tenets of my family. Namely, that the body has an innate intelligence and its ability to heal. And it is always healing through homeostasis.
Another strong theme my childhood sulture gifted me was the message that our bodies are our temples and need to be treated well, tended to. We were blessed to eat good food, go to Waldorf school, have healthy community, and spend much of our time outdoors breathing clean fresh air.
With this gift of education and awareness of the innate wisdom of my body, I naturally learned to attune to the needs of my body. To listen to my internal rhythms and maintain balance with my life. As I grew older, I knew I had a responsibility to help others feel empowered in their bodies.
When people come in to see me, most often they have not experienced the privilege of a childhood like mine (thanks mom and dad!). The majority of my clients were not taught that their bodies are temples. Most people learn to push their bodies way too far, in proper response to the stressful environments they were born into or found themselves in, during their past or present time. You are not alone if you do not know about the innate healing power in the design of your body. If you do not feel at home in your body. If you do not employ your body as an ally. Just remember, it is never too late to learn new ways of relating with ourselves. Our bodies can truly be our best teachers as our bodies never lie.
An important way to be able to feel at home in our bodies (and thus live an embodied life) if to learn more about how our bodies work and what causes pain.
From a musculoskeletal perspective there are two main causes of potential pain in the body:
Congenital (something you are born with, like extra vertebrae).
Acquired (something that happens to you, either an injury/accident or what we call "repetitive microtrauma”. Repetitive microtrauma is small injuries over a long period of time. Examples include sitting at a desk for 40 hours a week, poor posture, playing a musical instrument in a compromising position, etc.)
Both congenital and acquired issues do not necessarily result in pain.
Read that again. Both congenital and acquired issues do not necessarily result in pain.
Why not?
Because your body is designed to heal. If you keep what we call "intersegmental movement" in between each joint of your body, often pain is not there. If there is balance between the soft tissues and joints, often pain is not there. If your myofascial (connective tissue of the body) is gliding and sliding and not bunched up into scar tissue, you are not in pain.
What if you are in pain?
Seek help! Sadly, in this society, most people are taught to ignore their body's calls for help or simply do not have information about “alternative” forms of physical care. Or they cannot access this care due to location or financial issues. Our health insurance programs do not support health and funtion and many people simply cannot afford to seek better care. This is tragic.
If you do have access: chiropractic, massage, rolfing, physical therapy, acupuncture, and craniosacral therapy are wonderful aids in reconnecting us with our bodies. If you are experiencing pain and the often paralyzing fear associated with it, please find your healing team!
My goal is to empower my patients with more knowledge about the design of their bodies. To guide them to move through the fear of pain, and help create strategies to mitigate or overcome their struggles.
In the countless hours I spent as a youth watching my dad in his chiropractic clinic, I will never forget a moment that truly affirmed the power of the human body and I hope it can inspire you too!
One day at the office this old cowboy came in with the swagger that demonstrated his long horse riding life. The man sat down in complete defeat and sadness as he explained that his right hip had been hurting him so severely that he was unable to ride his horse.
A trip to the doctor only deepened the sense of defeat; The doctor said, "you are getting old. Take ibuprofen and rest." This cowboy’s entire way of life was threatened in that diagnosis. And he felt like he was getting old and it was all downhill from there.
My dad grinned, but then asked in a serious tone, "if you are just getting old, why doesn't your left hip hurt?"
He then went on to palpate (diagnostic touch) the man's spine and hips and feel for that intersegmental mobility. He found it blocked in the man's right pelvis (causing the hip to have to move extra, which is what usually causes pain) and he adjusted the man to restore proper balance to the pelvis.
Not only did this cowboy feel better, he had a new lease on life. A new framework of wellness and connection to his body. My dad explained that it is not aging, it is an imbalance that causes pain and dysfunction and that the body always seeks to heal, sometimes it just needs help.
Chiropractic, massage, stretching exercises, diet changes - whatever is needed to get the dysfunction out and inflammation down. The body does the rest.
The cowboy was completely changed after the treatment and was empowered to regain the life he loved. The fear had dissipated, allowing his vitality to be restored.
This is the power of having more information and a healing team! A supportive community who truly believes that your body can heal and that they have the tools to help your body regain its innate homeostasis. A team that encourages you to learn about your own body and helps you open more pathways to expanded health.
Healing teams orientate you to LIFE, support your healing and encouraging the celebration of the incredible gift that is your human body.
In vitality,
Heather