Pain is an alarm system. It is a physical, psychological, and emotional system that keeps us safe.
It is extremely complex, because most bodily functions and systems are, and the simple way to look at it is as an alarm that you have programmed to help you from getting hurt.
The tricky part is learning to interpret the signals we get and help ourselves move away from threatening situations and take actions to stay healthy.
There are numerous stories that demonstrate the fact that pain is not purely physical. Soldiers with terrible wounds have little to no pain when they get off the battlefield because they feel safe and grateful to be alive. Construction workers who step on nails in high pain, only to see that the nail went between their toes and caused no harm.
The point is pain is not a signal that always means we are damaged or broken.
Our understanding of what’s going on, our emotions, and our overarching physical health play big roles.
Yes, you may have a specific tissue that is irritated in your shoulder, back, or hip. We want to address the specifics well and build a plan that helps you build confidence and strength in your body.
But we also want to address thoughts, beliefs, and expectations about pain and what it means while building a healthy ecosystem.
We would be in big trouble without pain. Often, we get trapped in symptoms, but the more we can understand that we are not always doing damage or broken, and take action to promote safety, strength, and health the better off we recover.
