 How do we pinpoint pain? It is a tall task in some aspects because of how many different heads that it can rear along with how subjective it is. There are so many different versions of pain. Emotional pain, physical pain, acute pain, severe pain, chronic pain, the list goes on. One type of experienced pain can open up a can of worms and bring about many other types with it. It can be so intense and daunting at times that it can take over our lives and hinder our growth and potential. It can also be dormant and subtle but chip away at us for far too long creating unnecessary speed bumps.
The body work field and profession on the surface deals with physical pain coupled with chronic pain and acute pain specific to a certain area on someone’s body. Pain within the body usually has more of a back story than just “My low back hurts and I am not sure why”. Although this is a very simple statement there are usually multiple factors as to why this is. 1. Could be repetitive motions done in a manner that puts strain on the low back. 2. A quick jarring movement that, the person’s body is not accustomed to doing. 3. Not enough strength built in that area to protect the back and keep it sturdy. 4. Inflammation build up from poor diet or lifestyle could be a factor causing the low back to be compromised. As you can see there are so many background factors that need to be brought forth into the foreground. As a society in order to grow and expand our awareness on pain we need to really have to be honest about where it is coming from and not try to put too many bandaids on it. The more we can be honest about where the pain might be coming from the more we can heal on a multitude of levels. For instance someone with neck pain could be affected emotionally because it prohibits them from enjoying their life and doing the things they love with the people they love. Pain as far as we can tell usually has comorbidity. Pain relief in the physical body without the bandaid can really change people’s lives. As massage therapists we want to be able to guide your body and mind into an awareness building state. Being in a body brings many challenges and it is really important to understand that taking care of our bodies needs sounds simple but once that is done can be so profound and bring about amazing changes. This is the beginning to understand a specific pain that you might be dealing with and then be able to understand more of the backstory behind it. A positive way to look at pain is that it is essentially an opportunity. It is an opportunity to learn, grow, and persevere. The story that is created while healing from pain is immensely powerful and is worth it. The great thing about massage and body work is that it is intrinsically connected to all other forms of a holistic lifestyle and because of that pain is looked at through an all encompassing lens. Healing will come with a broad but focused and slightly objective look at the pain. This approach negates the band aid and starts the story of regaining your power.
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