Newsletter #6 – What is pain?
ByPAIN. Nobody wants it because it’s unpleasant. But it is an important component of life – it can protect us by sending off alarm bells within our body tissues and alerting us to danger.
Often when you experience persistent pain you might know you need to move and want to, but feel ‘trapped’ by pain. Often people fall into what is known as a ‘boom-bust cycle’, where if you have a good day you do everything and you’re feeling great. Then the next day hits and you pay for it!
Or you can fall into a cycle where you don’t move because you ‘know’ you might get in more pain or become more disabled. This is known as a fear-avoidance cycle. There are many fears you may or may not realise are lurking in the depths of your mind, making you behave, think and move a certain way. To face your pain fears, you need to be informed as much as possible about your body, by asking questions and you need to be brave.
How can I do this?
The key is gradual exposure of ‘normal’ input to your body, which may be in the form of movement and/or sensation. If you understand your pain and you know you will not damage your tissue, you can move.
Firstly decide on what activity you want to do more often. Then, work out your baseline of what you can do eg. 3 minutes of walking on a flat surface each day. Plan your progress eg. walking for 3 and a half minutes next week. Importantly, don’t let pain be your guide or think ‘no pain, no gain’. Instead, try this as your new motto….. understand and master your pain – don’t fear it!