If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve searched google for seemingly everything to help get rid of your persistent pain. Maybe you even found this article on google. You’ve been promised quick fixes and simple answers to make your pain go away, and none of them have worked. You’re still in pain, and it’s still taking away from all the things that make you, you. We’re going to dive into 3 ways to actually start addressing your persistent pain, so that you’re no longer ending up on google searching desperately for answers. Here we go…
SOMETHING HAS TO CHANGE
Pain is our brain and body’s way of telling us that something needs to change. We can’t keep doing the same thing we’ve always done and expect pain to improve. Going and getting a massage and keeping the rest of your life the same doesn’t count as change. We’re talking about a real, sustainable change, that’s probably going to feel a little scary at first. A quick fix isn’t going to cut it. It took time for your pain to get to where it is now, so it’s going to take time and effort for you to get out of it. This leads us to our next point…
TAKE INVENTORY OF YOUR SUPPORT SYSTEM
Are the people in your support network actually rooting for you? Do your doctors, your massage therapist, your chiropractor, your PT, your trainer have your best interest in mind? What is the narrative you’re being told by the people around you? Turning 30, 40, or 50 isn’t an excuse to just live your days out in pain. You need people around you who are there to support you, to help you become the best version of yourself, and to encourage you that this is going to get better. But it’s not going to get better if you do nothing.
GRADED EXPOSURE
You’re probably pretty scared of certain activities. That might be bending over, squatting, or sitting in a certain way. If we avoid those movements forever though, we’re just going to end up doing less and less. So it’s clear that you need to be able to do those movements, but you need to find the right starting place for you. That looks like finding the most non-threatening version of that activity, and doing a little bit of it. Over time, you’ll do more of it, and you’ll gradually progress towards doing the previously threatening versions you were once fearful of. This is called graded exposure, and it’s one of the largest keys to addressing your pain.
Our team specializes in treating chronic pain with a holistic approach. Our clients travel the roadmap at More Than Movement, starting with 1-on-1 physical therapy and ending with Move and Perform.
There is a way. There are no promises it will be easy, but it will definitely be worth it.
