| shawnsmith |
Posted - 02/08/2007 : 08:55:27
HEALTH: Mind and body can be cause of aches and pains
28 November 2006
Norwich Bulletin
http://www.gannett.com
During the past few months, I have talked to more friends who have back pain and have noticed a greater number of people calling our wellness center seeking relief from back pain. I began remembering my own experience with a back injury, more than 10 years ago, while lifting a heavy patient with a team of three other nurses. It took more than a month of physical therapy, chiropractic treatments and home exercise to relieve the acute symptoms. At the time, it seemed like a purely physical experience that just unfortunately had happened to me.
More than 400 years ago, philosopher and mathematician Rene Descartes said the mind and body were totally separate and should be studied separately. His theory shaped the practice of medicine in our country and still influences the practice of mainstream medicine today.
There is, however, a growing recognition the mind, emotions and spirit can influence disease and injury as well as the healing process. There is still a great deal that is not understood about how our thoughts can translate into physical symptoms. When we are angry or fearful we can feel our heart beating faster, when we are deeply sad we know the feeling of heaviness in our chest or when overly stressed we may feel headache or stomach pain. These are examples of the mind-body connection.
This is not a conscious process; the connection of the body with our emotions, mind and spirit doesn't mean the physical pain or illness isn't real. Being willing to explore the connection of the mind and body can be a big step toward empowering us to be an active part of our recovery.
As a culture, we tend to be passive and expect our doctors to somehow make our symptoms go away. We all agree we are hurt, but seldom do we take the time to ask ourselves why. This is an important opportunity to understand what may contribute to the cause of our injury.
Two questions may be helpful: Why this part of my body? Why now?
In my case, looking back, I was experiencing some major life changes, was anxious about the changes and needed more support than I realized. Interestingly, the lower back in mind-body medicine represents the seat of security and support related to family and relationships.
In seeking treatment some people will have complete relief from back pain with surgery or by using a combination of chiropractic care, yoga, massage, tai chi, healing touch, reiki or therapy.
A friend who had tried many approaches to relieve her intermittent bouts with acute back pain was given the book, "Healing Back Pain, The Mind-Body Connection" by Dr. John Sarno, a professor and attending physician at the New York University Medical Center.
Sarno, who has been a pioneer in the treatment of back pain, believes when difficult emotions begin to come up our mind subconsciously may decide the feelings are too uncomfortable to handle. The underlying tension may then trigger the painful episode or contribute to our vulnerability to an injury. Sarno believes the resulting preoccupation with the severe back, neck or other body pain is serving to completely distract us from the underlying emotions. He calls this tension myositis syndrome. An important part of his treatment approach includes the simple acknowledgement there may be an emotional component to the back pain.
If you have back pain:
•Get medically evaluated to rule out any urgent surgical need.
•Gather all the information you can and explore conventional and complementary treatments.
•Look for the root cause. Consider when and why the pain started. Use mind-body approaches such as Sarno's if appropriate for you. (healingbackpain.com)
•Choose what makes the most sense for you. People know on a level deeper than the mind just what they need to be well again.
Amy Dunion, a registered nurse and massage therapist, is Coordinator of The William W. Backus Hospital's Center for Healthcare Integration. This column should not replace advice or instruction from your personal physician. E-mail Dunion and all of the Healthy Living columnists at healthyliving@wwbh.org
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