What Your Doctor Didn't Know - 7 Back Pain Traps
By: Christine Sutherland
I'm going to share just one technique that this research has led to, but before that you really need to know the pain traps that could keep you stuck with the pain. Take action on every one of these so you can increase your chances of success.
Please don't underestimate these: there's been enough research now that we absolutely know that every one of them is crucial to understand and escape from.
Back Pain Trap 1
Withdrawing from people. I know that when you've got pain the last thing you might feel like doing is mixing with people. In the acute stage of your pain, when the injury was still fresh, that was a good idea, but it's the last thing you should do when your pain is long-term. It's absolutely vital that you mix with people, and that you don't let anything stand in the way of that, including your pain.
Back Pain Trap 2
Not being active enough. Of course you need to rest and recover when an injury is fresh, but that's the last thing you should do with long-term pain. Activity is crucial for mental and physical health - your body needs it! But don't worry if you pain specialist has criticized you for not "pushing" through the pain. That's a dumb statement to make because it can sensitize you instead of helping. You need to have a base amount of activity that is pretty much OK, and then consistently increase how hard and how long you do it.
Your intention should be to keep increasing the activity, without increasing the flaring any more than it is already. If you get a flare, you back off for maybe a day (or whatever it takes), then you get right back on track.
Back Pain Trap 3
Not being as independent as you possibly can. When you're dependent on others more than you need to be, you suffer (whether you know it or not) from higher stress levels. These stress levels sensitise your nervous system and increase your pain. So take a good look at what you allow others to do for you and think of ways around that. Also take a good look at your conversation with you're with family or friends. Are you saying the same things over and over each time you see them? Don't let them get in a rut either!
Back Pain Trap 4
Not having interests or hobbies. I hinted in trap 3 that it's important to get your focus off yourself, and hobbies and interests are a great way to do that. I should explain that this has nothing to do with being selfish, or having self pity. No, no-one could blame you even if you did feel that way! This is about that nervous system again, and the crucial need to get your attention outside of your body! Some patients tell us that they just don't have any interests, but our answer is "Get one!". Do you want to get better? Choose an interest or hobby. You're not going to be stuck with it for life - you can ditch it later. But right now you need it.
Just as you need interests, you must stay alert and aware to what's happening in your community and in the larger world around you. Listen to talk-back radio. Read newspapers and magazines. And remember to ask opinions of friends and family. Be engaged with the world around you.
Back Pain Trap 5
Tolerating feelings of depression, anger, embarrassment or anxiety. These feelings put a lot of pressure on your nervous system and make it more reactive, leading to more pain. There are some really quite miraculous ways to switch these awful feelings off and give your nervous system a break!
Back Pain Trap 6
Poor sleep. There's not enough space here to go into what good sleep actually is, so please do yourself a giant favour and get a book on "sleep hygiene" from your library so you understand all the things that interfere with healthy sleep. Good sleep aids healing, calms the nervous sytem, increases the metabolic rate, and makes you feel great!
Back Pain Trap 7
Inadequate nutrition. If you're overweight, or underweight, or tired a lot, chances are your nutrition needs an overhaul.
When you think about these things, they're quite obvious aren't they? But how many of them has your doctor spoken to you about in detail? I urge you to pay very close attention to the detail of these issues and move right away from those 7 traps as fast as you can!
Here is Your Last Chance to Test a Pain Reliever
What I'm about to share with you might look pretty odd at first, and that's because it's designed to thoroughly mess up the pain signals. This seemingly crazy technique, detailed in the book "The Pain Train - Time to Get Off" is part of a program that's helped over 85% of people eliminate or dramatically reduce their pain.
Anything that "mixes up" pain signals has got to be at least a bit confusing, and I think you'll agree that this crazy-looking technique achieves that very successfully. But don't be fooled, this technique is getting rapid recognition from doctors all over the world. Here's a short taste.
Although you might have several areas of pain, or even just one area that is quite big, I want you to make a choice to focus on an area that is a maximum of one centimeter (or one inch - it doesn't matter), and only that area. Give that pain a rating out of 10 for how strong it is. Now, while you're still focussed on just that spot, start tapping or pinching on your head, face, arms and chest (you can even include your legs and feet if that's convenient), and at the same time imagine that you're eating your favorite food, that you're sucking on a lemon, that you're licking sugar. You are giving yourself physical sensations as well as other sensory input, at the same time as you're focusing on that one spot.
Keep that up for a few minutes, then with your focus still on that exact spot, take a really deep breath through your nose, and powerfully blow through your mouth until your lungs feel really empty.
Now check that pain again in that precise spot. Most people will find that it's no longer the same, and that it has decreased, changed, moved, or gone altogether. You will probably get that pain back, but over a few days or weeks, you'll find it comes back less and less, until it doesn't return at all, ever.
Long-term back pain is possibly the most misunderstood problem that you could have, and that's why your doctor or physio hasn't been able to help you. Except for one lone Australian researcher, whose work you're about to be introduced to, most doctors are chasing "red herrings".
C A Sutherland is an Australian clinician who trains
health professionals and clients to eliminate
back pain. If you have
back or neck pain that isn't
responding to treatment, this new method is worth checking out.
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