The Painful Truth
Photo by Kinga Howard on Unsplash
This post originally appeared on Health Shift, Dr. Alice Burron’s Substack.
Did you know that chronic pain is the top reason adults seek medical care? According to the CDC, one out five adults is estimated to have chronic pain - that’s 50 million people in the U.S. Chronic pain contributes to an estimated $560 billion each year in medical costs, lost productivity, and disability programs. What is pain, and why do so many of us have it?
Pain is a sensation that let’s us know that our body needs extra care. It often starts as subtle discomfort, then moves to something more noticeable, and finally results in a decrease in our range of motion, or prevents us from moving because it’s trying to keep us from injuring the area even more. Pain is a way our body talks to us, and yet we many times tell it to be quiet. Pain is a symptom. Pain isn’t a cause.
Over the counter pain relievers are one way to stop the cry for help, and alcohol, cannabis, or other drugs are another. What if we actually stopped to listen to our body’s pain signal, and try different interventions to help treat the pain instead of masking pain?
Acupuncture, massage, mindfulness practice, lifestyle interventions that focus on weight loss and cardiovascular fitness, and meditation are just a few approaches to relieve pain. It sounds trite, but if we’re in pain, maybe we should lose weight, eat better, or manage our stress. Pain is caused by something, and in order to stop pain, the cause needs to be addressed.
No one with chronic pain can claim that they are a hopeless victim of pain until they intentionally try to overcome this health challenge, not just treat the symptom. Where do you start?
Give yourself two hours to explore various options to healing pain through the internet, asking people, and calling practitioners. Focus on complementary and lifestyle modalities first. Look for evidence that they are potentially helpful. Make sure they align with the level of risk you’re willing to take and your financial and time resources.
Find your top one to three choices, and begin implementing their approach. Log your progress, and give it six weeks. See if they work. I guarantee you’ll experience at least some relief. Feel good about yourself throughout the process because you are doing something to move you to better. You are a Health Navigator!
Let me know how it goes. I want to hear from you.
Even if your results are negligible, no problem - there are many other interventions to try. The beauty is in the process - you’re learning about yourself and your body along the way. Learning = growth.