Why do I have pain and can’t get rid of it? What’s really causing my pain? How do I eliminate my pain?
These are questions that someone with chronic pain yearns to find an answer.
If you have been experiencing chronic pain, you probably have:
- Seen at least one doctor, chiropractor and/or physical therapist without much success
- Been prescribed medications that might have worked somewhat initially but not so much anymore
- Had imagining done which likely shows some sort of structural abnormality
- Been told to have surgery
- A lot of frustration
Let’s be honest, there are MANY reasons why pain occurs. At the most basic level, pain is an alarm signal being generated in your brain that something isn’t right in your body and thus you need to do something about it. What we often fail to realize is what exactly the message of pain is trying to convey and the accompanying remedy. This is particularly the case if you only perceive yourself as a physical being and don’t recognize that you are also an emotional, mental and spiritual entity as these aspects can drive (and often do) your physical experience. Let’s take a closer look at these different levels.
The Physical Level
From a physical perspective, you may not have found the right physical approach yet. In our experience, the following are the most effective physical modalities that can help someone get out of chronic pain. What they all ultimately aim to accomplish is getting you grounded, centered and authentically connected to your physical body.
- The Postural Restoration Institute (PRI) method. This approach is completely different from the traditional physical therapy paradigm. It regards the body as an inherently asymmetrical entity requiring an asymmetrical training approach. It focuses on restoring your diaphragm position and function which has powerful impacts on not only your breathing but your entire postural and nervous system. PRI also considers how your bite and other sensory systems (vision, hearing, ect) play a role in your patterning. We often see many clients who have tried traditional PT without success and start to finally make progress when they initiate PRI.
- Release of trauma stored in the physical body. It’s hard to go through life and not experience some sort of physical trauma. This includes anything from a sprained ankle to nearly dying. If trauma is not appropriately processed and released from the body it can become trapped resulting in altered sensory processing, leading to increased tension, torque and pain. There are a number of hands-on techniques such as Somatoemotional Release, Craniosacral Therapy, Masgutova Method, and the integration of tactile vibration, sound, light (example-cold laser therapy), and electric current (example-microcurrent) that can help release trauma from the body.
- Addressing underlying toxicity and systemic inflammation in the body using nutritional and detoxification strategies. In many cases, physical pain originating in joints, tendons, muscles and/or nerves may indeed have a postural or mechanical element but the presence of underlying inflammation in these tissues amplifies the pain. Furthermore, when toxins and pathogens get into connective tissues and nerves your muscles will react with increased tension creating a biomechanical or alignment issue. Therefore, the reason you may have a postural issue is due to underlying inflammation which is likely caused by:
- Known or unknown chronic infections (most of the time viral and/or bacteria but can also be fungal and/or parasitic)
- Underlying toxicity such as heavy metals, pesticides, plastics and MANY other possibilities
- Poor diet with too much sugar, fat, processed foods, artificial ingredients, dairy, gluten, alcohol, soy, corn, GMOs and numerous other potential culprits
The Emotional Level
With chronic pain there is almost always going to be some sort of emotional element involved. Research has proven the connection between our emotional state and pain experience. Simply having to endure chronic pain triggers emotions such as fear, anxiety, frustration, loss and sadness which the body will need to appropriately process. Often when you dig deeper into one’s history you will find significant emotional stressors and/or traumas underlying the current pain pattern. The physical pain is really a message that deeper healing needs to occur at the emotional level. This can be very difficult for many people to acknowledge because it can be quite painful to dig up the past. Because someone may not be ready to deal with their emotional baggage they will continue to search for physical reasons and cures for their pain without success.
We have found that techniques that create a bridge between the emotional and physical bodies are most effective at releasing emotional trauma from the body. We find guided imagery (including hypnotherapy), breathing, toning and specific movements can create the biggest healing moments in this domain.
The Mental Level
Intimately connected to your physical and emotional patterns are your underlying beliefs and perceptions about yourself and the world around you. These attitudes actually drive your emotional state. Most of the time, we are completely unaware when we are operating under self-limiting beliefs. When you don’t feel completely safe or secure or believe you are worthy you tend to make choices that don’t always support your well-being, allow you to take full responsibility for yourself or stay true to your honor. This can result in physical and emotional disruption and dysregulation. Therefore, part of the process in unlocking the root reasons for having pain often requires an exploration of your subconscious.
Working in the mental realm can draw on many different strategies to create shifts in perception. Guided imagery and hypnotherapy are excellent methods for gaining new conscious perspectives. Reflecting on Carolyn Myss’s archetypes allows one to peer into their subconscious patterns of self-sabotage, victim consciousness, personal honor and responsibility in their current state of being. Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) and affirmations can help reprogram the mind along with MANY other approaches. The most important ingredient is having the courage and openness to be able to witness yourself from new vantage points.
The Soul Level
Your soul is the most evolved, luminous and wisest version of you. We may also refer to it as your “higher self” or “higher consciousness.” It represents your intuition, vision and the essence of who you are. It is your source of pure unconditional love, safety and carries everything that you will ever need. When you are in alignment with your higher self you are in “flow.” You are able to rise and fall with the tides of life that come your way and successfully negotiate the ups and downs.
The path to unity with your higher self often involves removing the blockages created by patterns of dissonance within your physical, emotional and mental domains. Once those are cleared out you are able to tap into the limitless reservoir of unconditional love and trust within. You are able to truly believe you are safe, secure, worthy and eternal. This is the source for the deepest healing, transformation and miracles.
Resonate Health can help you take the guesswork out of your healing journey and provide you with a well defined path for you to shed and evolve from your experience with chronic pain. Our multi-dimensional Master Guide of healing tools, techniques, methods and lifestyle recommendations ensures that all your bases are covered and that you appropriately pace yourself along the way. Let Resonate Health be your guide to rewriting your health story!
