Pain Management

Think about what that term really means and how we take for granted what the underlying message is, such as some of the following false, but common beliefs:

• Pain is something to have, then manage, usually with some type of pills.  
• Further, pain is just part of getting older, right?  If you have pain in your knees when you walk and your forty, you should just assume it’s because you’re no longer a spring chicken, then just suck it up and take some Advil.
• Pain will not be affected by anything you eat.  
• Exercise might make your pain worse, so if you’re feeling tight or stiff, you should probably lie still in bed, for fear of worsening things.

Please!

How about pain prevention, instead?

Pain is not a normal part of getting older (and keep in mind that the mention of the forty year old being old is a joke: I’m nearly forty and hardly feel it’s old!), pain is largely affected by what you eat, in particular if you eat a highly inflammatory type of diet and moving can actually facilitate healing.

But the bigger and most important issue is to get to the source and find out why you are having pain in the first place.  

This may entail the help of professionals, such as physical therapists, chiropractors, biomechanical specialists or whomever you like to include in your arsenal of those who can help.

Wouldn’t you rather sort out the culprit, set it straight and not have the pain in the first place?

Even if you’ve sustained a terrible accident or horrible illness, there’s never a reason to settle with being in pain each day.  Seek out any and all alternative practitioners, functional medicine docs and whomever you can find that will help free you from feeling afraid to move and trapped in your own body.

Don’t just down the ibuprofen and think it’s normal and ok.

It’s not.

Don’t manage your pain- prevent it form occurring in the first place!