6 Things You Should Know About Pain

6 Things to know about pain

1. Pain is a SYMPTOM. But it is NOT an “X marks the spot,” TREAT HERE kind of symptoms.

a. Yes we want to treat where you feel it, but we don’t want to chase it.

b. Pain doesn’t tell you where the problem is; it simply tells you there is a problem.

2. Pain is a warning sign. Could be a reminder not to move that way again or bad things will follow.

3. Pain can come from repetitive movements over time. It can come from a single movement that was poorly set up. Poor posture, and not just when your sitting, is a huge reason people get themselves into pain.

4. Muscles can refer pain. Trigger points or “knots” in muscles can actually cause pain elsewhere in the body not directly where the pain is felt. For example: muscles in your neck can cause symptoms of pain felt under the shoulder blade or down the arm into the wrist and fingers.

5. Organs can refer pain. The most known example comes from the heart, in the case of a heart attack. Pain can be felt in the neck, shoulders, jaw and back rather than in the chest where the injury has occurred.

6. Medical conditions and medication can cause pain symptoms in many forms, fibromyalgia being one example.

Pain is a neural perception registered by the brain. It can come in many forms like sharp and shooting, dull and aching, and pins and needles to name a few. ‘Pain almost always has a physical cause. Ignoring it or blaming it on yourself will get you no relief’ (Stu McGill). Change the neural perception by taking charge of your pain. Seek others to help you but realize doctors and therapists are catalysts to help you help yourself. There is no magic pill. There is only you taking charge of your situation.

As always, the choice is yours.