8 Actions You Can Take to Deal With and Heal Chronic Pain

When dealing with and healing chronic pain, a top to bottom, inside to outside approach can have the best outcomes for you.

As we learned in the article “Chronic Pain, its ‘all in our head”, chronic pain is not necessarily a result of tissue damage but rather the brain’s response to a perceived threat.  This can come in the form of physical or psycho-emotional.

This means that a holistic, combined therapeutic approach has a far better chance of being successful at managing pain than a singular and at best, temporary approach like pharmaceutical pain killers.

Here are 8 ways you can begin the healing process get relief from chronic pain.

1. Body Work : this is any type of hands on body focused intervention that increases circulation, reduces physical stress and releases toxins and stagnant energy from the physical body.  It can include things like massage, acupuncture, trigger point therapy, etc. These can go a very long way to supporting your physical body with therapeutic touch.
2. Mind Sciences : This collection of mind plasticity tools are ESSENTIAL if you want to heal from chronic pain.  Mind sciences reprogram the brain for less pain by modifying the way you think, lowering your stress response, and helping you to adapt your lifestyle in ways that supports your mind, body and soul.  Learning Meditation, specifically mindfulness and visualisation, is a fundamental way to literally ‘change your mind’ about pain and give yourself a solid mental platform on which to stand as you embrace changes that will benefit your health.  Included in the mind sciences is Neurolinguistic Programming, EFT Tapping and Matrix Reimprinting.  These reframing techniques can uncover the hidden limiting belief systems that are affecting your pain levels, and help you to redesign the way you think to reduce and, yes, even eliminate pain! This is our speciality, see Kickstart Your Life and Kickstart Your Health programs.
3. Electrical Impulse Devices : Devices such as personal TENS or ENAR are extremely useful for pain relief in place of pharmaceutical medications.  Both these devices work using frequency to interfere with pain signals to the brain.  The ENAR is a biofeedback device so it can read your unique body signals and adapt its frequency input specifically to your needs and help to rewire neuropathways for less pain over time.  For information on how and where to purchase these, contact My Holistic Nurse
4. Herbs, Supplements and foods : It’s possible that your brain and body is crying out for nutrients to feed its cells.  Nutrients can influence brain chemicals such as serotonin and dopamine, low levels of which are implicated in pain response;  herbs such as Turmeric and Cinnamon are excellent natural anti-inflammatories; magnesium can help to soothe muscle cramping and spasm; Vitamin B can affect the brain chemistry and improve your mood thereby relieving pain.  There is so much to know in the field of nutritional medicine, but learning about and taking some of these top level ‘helpers’ can go a long way to dealing with and healing pain.  We find that working with a health professional to identify the best combination to work with your body, lifestyle and finances is very helpful to avoid unnecessary expense and to carefully target your supplementation. Email to ask us for our recommendations.
5. Low Level Light Therapy (LLLP) : This exciting new technology is used extensively in Europe and is just now reaching Australia.  LLLP improves peripheral circulation for greater nutrient transportation to cells and encouraging healing and regeneration at a local, and systemic level.  It also aids nerve transmission, reduces nerve excitability and relaxes muscle tension, reduces inflammation and swelling helping with conditions like tendonitis, arthritis and bursitis.  I personally use the Wellbeam for almost everything!
6. Movement : Our bodies are designed to move!  Sedentary lifestyle due to chronic conditions or the nature of our work can really exacerbate chronic pain.  Sometimes it’s not possible to move much, but simple stretches in bed or seated in a chair, gentle core exercises such as Tai Chi and Qi Gong can get circulation going, replenish nutrients and oxygen in the cells, avoid atrophy of muscles, induce ‘happy hormones’, move toxins out of the body and build your core strength and endurance.  If you’re getting back into movement after a while, start SMALL.  A walk to the letter box and back might be all you can manage to start with, but over time, this can be extended and improved upon.
7. Topical Creams and Tinctures : the skin is our largest organ, so it makes sense to apply topical creams or tinctures to the site of pain.  These work well for acute pain and tissue damage (don’t apply to broken skin) for muscular aches and pains, bruising and swelling.  After a fall, applying natural creams such as Arnica and Hypericum to the site will minimise physical trauma and aid more rapid tissue healing.  These are also available as pilules or tinctures for taking orally. They’re also totally safe for kids. Ask us about the best brands.
8. Energy Medicines : This includes alignment of our body’s electromagnetic systems including boosting ‘Chi’ or lifeforce energy.  Healing methods such as Healing Touch, Reiki, Spiritual Healing and other similar methods can lift your mood, shift ‘pain patterns’ held in your electromagnetic field, reduce stress levels which can increase inflammation and subsequently pain, and literally increase your lifeforce (measurable as volts in humans).  (see our energy supercharge sessions)

I have personally trialed, use and recommend every single one of these ways to deal with and heal my own chronic pain.  I now experience pain free days more often than not.  If I do find myself dealing with pain, I know what my pain triggers are and how to handle the fallout effectively and quickly!    If you're interested in how and where to get hold of any of these methods please contact me personally. I am passionate about passing on the love!. 

I'd love to hear from you... how do you manage your pain levels? have you found a technique or tool that works particularly well?  Feel free to share in the comments section below or visit our page directly on Facebook.