| "Pain is an experience produced by a body and mind | | | | possible. Work up the muscle groups in your body |
| trying to interpret sensation and determine whether | | | | (calves, thighs, buttocks, etc.) squeezing the muscles |
| a threat is present." | | | | on inhale and letting go as much as possible on |
| Neil Pearson, MSc (RHBS) BscPT, BA, BPHE, "Yoga | | | | exhale. By the time you tighten and release your jaw, |
| for People in Pain" International Journal of Yoga | | | | your whole body will be much calmer. |
| Therapy, Vol 18 (2008) | | | | Relieving the entire pattern of trigger points is also |
| As a warning signal, pain is helpful. It usually indicates | | | | necessary, which requires a combination of warming |
| injury and encourages change to promote healing and | | | | the muscles, pressing the points, and stretching. Many |
| prevent further harm. Unfortunately, pain messages | | | | times you can do this yourself. It's important, |
| can outlive their useful purpose and take on a life of | | | | however, to get every point or the pattern can |
| their own. | | | | return. Massage therapists who specialize in trigger |
| Fifty million Americans live with chronic pain and an | | | | point therapy can help. The most extreme cases |
| additional 25 million have acute pain from an illness or | | | | might need trigger point injections (usually injected |
| injury according to Kathryn Weiner, PhD, the Director | | | | with an analgesic called lidocaine), which can be |
| of the American Academy of Pain Management. More | | | | administered by a physician or physical therapist. |
| important than statistics is the fact that hurting | | | | Pain Cycle Scenario #4 - Pain and Depression |
| prevents people from enjoying life. If not stopped in | | | | People with chronic pain are at higher risk of |
| its early phases, pain can create a cycle that lingers | | | | developing mood and anxiety disorders and people |
| and eventually becomes chronic. Therefore, it's | | | | who are depressed are more sensitive to pain |
| important to relieve pain as soon as possible. | | | | sensations, as the brain pathways that process pain |
| Pain may be alerting you to one of the following five | | | | and mood are related. Depression or anxiety and pain |
| cycles, which can be resolved. | | | | can become a vicious cycle as stress increases pain |
| Pain Cycle Scenario #1 - Inflammation Gone Wild | | | | and pain increases stress. |
| Inflammation is a natural part of the acute healing | | | | The progressive relaxation exercise noted above can |
| process. Blood flow increases to injured areas of the | | | | be used, as well as other activities you find to be |
| body in order to bring nutrition and carry away | | | | restful. Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, a form |
| damaged cells. When the inflammatory process | | | | of meditation, has been found to be extremely |
| doesn't turn off, internal swelling puts pressure on | | | | effective in increasing the ability to relax and the |
| sensitive tissues and creates more pain and | | | | ability for patients to cope with their symptoms |
| prolonged injury. | | | | including pain. |
| You can control inflammation naturally with RICE: | | | | Exercise produces endorphins that reduce the |
| Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. Notice the first | | | | perception of pain and increase the feeling of well |
| criterion is rest, which means the body needs a | | | | being. Walking is one of the most common and |
| break from all stressful activities. Ice, compression | | | | helpful, but any enjoyable exercise such as biking or |
| and elevation take time, but it's worth it to spend 15 | | | | dancing will help combat a pain and anxiety |
| minutes icing with the body part elevated three to | | | | depression cycle. |
| four times a day. | | | | Slow breathing is also effective. Researchers at the |
| Diet is also a factor. Hydrogenated oils, saturated | | | | Barrow Neurological Institute in Arizona found that |
| fats, and sugar contribute to inflammation. Omega-3 | | | | study participants who tried to slow the breath rate |
| oils and dark, leafy, green vegetables counteract | | | | to half could diminish pain and improve their mood. |
| those effects. | | | | One way to slow your breath is to exhale through |
| If natural remedies aren't enough, there are always | | | | pursed lips, like a whisper. Another technique is to |
| over-the-counter anti-inflammatories such as | | | | count the inhale and exhale and increase the count of |
| ibuprofen and naproxen. Note that acetaminophen | | | | each (especially the exhale) slowly and incrementally. |
| does not reduce inflammation. Some people resist | | | | Medication is another option if natural remedies aren't |
| taking any pills. However, if you are caught in an | | | | successful enough. Certain pain conditions respond to |
| inflammatory pain cycle, you will be tempted to take | | | | anti-depressants or a combination of anti-depressants |
| even stronger pain relievers unless you get | | | | and analgesics. Physicians who are experienced in |
| inflammation under control. (Note that your physician | | | | treating patients with chronic pain, such as |
| can prescribe even stronger anti-inflammatories.) | | | | physiatrists or rheumatologists, have the best |
| If all else fails, cortisone injections can be used to | | | | knowledge to determine if this will work for you. |
| dramatically reduce swelling in a particular area. | | | | Pain Cycle Scenario #5 - Amplified Pain Messages |
| However, this option is used after others have failed. | | | | Some of the latest research is finding that pain |
| Pain Cycle Scenario #2 - Unconscious Repetitive | | | | receptors can become oversensitive and produce |
| Injury | | | | pain signals out of proportion to the actual condition |
| Sometimes pain tells us that we have a bad habit | | | | of the body. In this case, the message is a bit like |
| which causes internal injury. The habits are so | | | | Peter crying wolf. |
| ingrained that we aren't conscious of ourselves or the | | | | Neal Pearson in the article noted in the opening |
| negative effects. It may start with tension in the | | | | paragraph puts it so well. "The body and nervous |
| neck and shoulders and then send pain into the arms | | | | system may amplify the signals to get attention. Pain |
| and hands. Poor posture in front of a computer or in | | | | could then intensify without further tissue damage, |
| a car is often the culprit. Other posture habits create | | | | the experience of pain could spread to new areas, |
| different injuries. Low back pain is commonly the | | | | previously non-painful movement might become |
| result of sitting back on the pelvis. | | | | painful." |
| An assessment of your posture and movement | | | | "New Culprits in Chronic Pain" in the November 2009 |
| patterns can determine if your pain is the result of an | | | | issue of Scientific American details how the sensing |
| ineffective movement pattern. Structural integration | | | | neurons can become overly excited and create pain |
| practitioners are trained to spot these patterns as | | | | without a stimulus. In this case the body-mind is |
| are physiatrists and physical therapists who treat the | | | | misinterpreting sensation, but that doesn't change the |
| body holistically. Once diagnosed, the challenge is to | | | | amount of pain felt. In some cases the pain gets |
| stop the behaviors that create injury and develop | | | | worse and worse. |
| new, better habits for movement. But you can't | | | | Researchers are developing new medicines to affect |
| even start the process without becoming aware of | | | | the sensing neurons and combat pain in a different |
| the harmful patterns. | | | | way. That doesn't mean that current natural methods |
| Pain Cycle Scenario #3 - Cascade of Trigger Points | | | | won't work. Alternative health care like acupuncture |
| Tension is a natural reaction to pain. Muscular tension | | | | and yoga therapy can affect the nervous system to |
| adds strain to already overloaded or weakened | | | | restore a more accurate internal sense of sensation, |
| muscles, which increases pain. Trigger points are small | | | | called proprioception. |
| sections muscles that are stuck in contraction and | | | | Finding the Right Solution |
| send pain to the surrounding or a distant area. If | | | | It's also possible that pain cycles are the result of |
| trigger points persist, new pain points will develop in | | | | more than one cause, for example inflammation and |
| surrounding muscles which can become a web of | | | | depression or unconscious habits and tension. As a |
| agony that is hard to unravel - not to mention the | | | | result it can take a bit of trial and error to find a |
| tension that increases every step of the way. | | | | combination of approaches that work for your |
| One solution is to decrease tension with relaxation | | | | particular situation. |
| techniques to reduce stress in the muscles. | | | | A journal can help you recognize and track your |
| Progressive relaxation is one of the easiest | | | | cycles and document what techniques that are most |
| techniques to try on your own and can be done in as | | | | helpful. With practice, you can decode the |
| little as 15 minutes. Lie in a quiet place and tune into | | | | incomprehensible messages of your pain and find |
| your breath. Tighten the muscles in your toes as you | | | | some relief. |
| inhale and as you exhale relax them as much as | | | | |