Recurring pain is often seen as chronic pain. Chronic pain is often defined as any pain lasting more than 12 weeks, and can continue for months to years. (Opposed to acute pain that is a sensation that tells us of injury).
Chronic pain can come from a variety of reasons including injuries, inflammation and nerve disorders. Long term pain can also lead to emotional fatigue such as depression and anxiety.
Physical pain is linked to emotional pain, the body is interconnected and interlinked. It is important that we are aware of this and do not give attention to just one side of emotional or physical effects. Emotional stress can lead to stomach aches, IBS, and also headaches.
I developed allergies one year on after the accident and then a later year after that I developed intolerances. At the time I was not aware of the intense link between how I was coping with the chronic pain and trauma. It actually took me over a year to realise I was suffering from trauma and chronic pain as I suppressed in my emotions. I learnt a lot here that my physical body continued to suffer as I was not addressing the emotional. An important lesson.
A very interesting reason is also that anxious and stressed people are tensing their muscles, without realising continuously, and over time causing them to be to become exhausted resulting in fatigue and inefficient.
Physical symptoms start to manifest when the body is in constant distress.
A study shows that “Upwards of 90% of women with fibromyalgia syndrome report trauma in either their childhood or adulthood and 60% of those with arthritis report such a trauma history”.
Tips to help shift
- Try to focus your attention away from the pain, and instead direct this pain to a part of the body that is in comfort
- View pain as just a sensation, yes harder to do than to say but if you can start to really focus on the pain as a neutral sensation the reward will be immense
- Notice your pain on a scale of intensity to realise what feelings you actually are experiencing, it is easy for our mind to jump to the worst case scenario rather than focus on the sensation we are actually experiencing
- Try and stay in control of the experience of pain, not to let is override you, and if it does try to come back to the present moment and take control
- A daily dose of walking can help to mobilise muscles and stimulate the lymph system and therefore oxygenate muscles
- The International Association for the Study of Pain concluded that acupuncture is also effective in long-term chronic pain reductions related to musculoskeletal pain.
I hope this helped you get a little further understanding your recurring pain, get in touch for further information or to book your free 30-minute consultation.
