Understanding pain as the brain’s perception of danger, rather than solely an indicator of damage, prompts a shift in approach.
So how do we apply this? After all we can’t just say, “Stop being in pain; it’s all in your head.” I’m not sure about you, but that doesn’t work for me. Furthermore, if my doctor said that to me, I’d be upset. It’s a rather dismissive statement, don’t you think?
The fact is, that while pain IS an output of the brain (that opinion or warning signal we talked about); PAIN IS STILL VERY REAL! So, again that begs the question, how do we apply this knowledge?
Consider a recent incident, while tending to my indoor plants.
To ensure my plants get the right amount of water, I use a bottom watering technique. I remove the plant along with the inner pot, partially fill the outer pot with water, then soak the plant for a few minutes. Once fully absorbed I remove the inner pot (and plant) to drain over the sink, before replacing everything.
When I got to one of the larger plants, I had trouble separating the wet pots; so, I yanked on it while reaching over the sink. I jarred my shoulder as I felt something pop. I was in immediate pain!
My initial reaction was, “Oh crumb. Now what did I do? This was the same shoulder I had trouble with a few months back and it was only JUST starting to get stronger.”
In my temporary moment of panic the pain got worse. THAT was my clue. I hurt this shoulder before, and there was a bit of fear at play. This was helpful information.
Logically, I knew that it wasn’t likely I tore anything with that simple move. We are after all resilient beings. (Imagine people ripping their arms off at the slightest tug?) It did hurt, nevertheless.
I took a few breaths and tested some movement. Did it get worse when I moved my arm? NO. What movements COULD I do? Everything, except repeating the forward reach. I could also modify the reach and it didn’t hurt. I took a few more deep breaths, did a few gentle movements (not quite stretches) in all directions, and played with tiny shrugs, wiggles, and circles, as well as calming my thoughts.
Within a half hour the pain was easing. I wasn’t going to die, and I hadn’t broken anything. But I would be more cautious reaching over the sink. The next day the pain was gone.
While there’s always a possibility of an injury when something hurts, there’s just as much or more of a possibility that we simply received a warning. So, taking a positive attitude and doing some investigation can be helpful.
It goes without saying, if you’re not sure about doing this yourself or if you have obvious trauma; it is important to seek help from a professional.
Until next time… ~ breathe ~ move ~ unwind ~
