Pain is not fun. It is not convenient. However, it does serve a purpose. Fortunately or unfortunately it is one of the signals of the body that people listen to the most. It is not an indicator of health but it is a flashing light that makes us stop and take inventory.
Even though I am a chiropractor, I fuel my body with nutrition that supports my health and I exercise regularly, I recently have had the experience of dealing with pain. Pain that I have not experienced in years. The same pain that was the reason I sought chiropractic care twelve years ago. The pain showed up at a very inopportune time, (doesn’t it always?!) I was training for a 5k, competing in a group “Get Fit Challenge which included a pre and post fitness assessment as well as pre and post body measurement sponsored by Stroller Strides – Highlands” and take care of our 18.5 lb baby boy which involves lots of picking up, holding and carrying.
The pain has given me the opportunity to reflect on some things that needed reflection. These include:
- The power of the chiropractic adjustment. I don’t know where I would be today without this beautiful healing art.
- The importance of slowing down and resting.
- Stretching post work out is a critical component of the workout.
- The connection of the emotional body and the physical body. Every physical feeling has an emotional component behind it. Take a minute the next time you are at Well Beings and peruse the book You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay.
- Healing is a process and all processes take time.
What I did to heal
A lot of our society looks for that one thing that will “fix” them or make them better. What I have found is healing involves a team with different tools. That team and tools are different for everyone. It’s your job to figure out what works for you.
I chose the following to support my body’s natural ability to heal:
- I got my nervous system checked and adjusted daily and then every other day for several weeks. Jacob and I typically check and adjust each other one time per week. With the flare up it was important to increase the frequency of adjustments to help balance my nervous system.
- I increased my hydration.
- I dialed my activity down a notch. This was really difficult for me to do because I was towards the end of my competition and race day was upon me. I was training six days a week, not sleeping super well and my body clearly needed a rest. I had the choice to listen to the signs and respond accordingly or ignore them and promote further injury. At the end of the day, the decisions around my health are my choice and my responsibility. Which is true for all of us.
- I received massage.
- I took a homeopathic remedy related to nerve pain to support healing from the inside out.
- I changed my thought patterns and practiced affirmations that supported healing.
- I did my best to enjoy the downtime vs. be angry about the inconvenience of it.
I wrote this article to let you know that Jacob and I know where you are coming from when you walk in our door at Well Beings. Jacob as my chiropractor and husband, knows what it is like to live with someone who is experiencing discomfort and how it impacts the activities of daily living. Not only do we have a professional understanding of the mechanisms of pain and how to help people with it but we have very real personal experience with what it takes to bring someone back to health and optimal performance. We appreciate you and your healing process. Thank you for trusting us to help you in that process.
