When you are experiencing pain, the first word that comes to mind is often ‘why.’ It’s an important question. When you know why you have pain, the problem becomes much easier to solve! However, answering pain questions can be challenging. This is mainly because your body is complex and there are a lot of variables at play.
Solving the Mystery
As your chiropractor, one of my main goals is to help you solve the mysteries associated with your pain. We of course start with a discussion of what you are experiencing. Then to discover the root of the problem, I use orthopaedic, neurological, and hands-on examination. One important thing to note is that the pain you feel can be deceiving.
Here are some examples of how your pain is only part of the story:
Pain in the shoulder, arm, and/or hand can actually be caused by a neck problem.
Pain in the thigh and/or shin can actually come from a meniscus problem in the knee.
Pain in the heel and/or calf can be caused by plantar fascitis in the foot.
The complicated nature of pain is a key reason for why I use a holistic approach. I examine the entire body instead of just where you feel pain. This is done during every visit before I begin chiropractic care.
Each visit focuses on caring for your problem areas, not just where you feel pain.
But Why?
Understandably, you are likely still wondering why your pain began. There are many possibilities due to the many variables. Here are common sources of pain for you to consider:
Poor posture. Most notably: lots of sitting, especially without adequate breaks. Pain from poor posture is most often experienced in the neck, shoulders, and back. Get straightened out with our posture blog.
Poor sleep. A poor sleeping position, mattress, and/or pillow will cause you pain. This pain is usually experienced in the neck and back. For pain-free zzz’s, check our blogs on mattresses and pillows.
Poor shoes. Most shoes on the market are not the best choice for your body. Poor shoes very easily cause foot, knee, hip, and back pain. Our shoe blog will help you get off on the right foot.
Poor activity. This can mean too little or too much activity. A sedentary life can result in pain almost anywhere. On the other hand, activity that is too aggressive or too frequent can also lead to pain. The ideal approach is to be active for at least 20 minutes most days with a mixture of both challenging and recovery activity. One example: strength training 2-3x per week with walking/cycling/yoga on the other days. The trick is to find activities you enjoy (and ideally people you enjoy doing it with).
Poor nutrition. Certain foods (referred to as pro-inflammatory) can cause or increase pain. Enjoying more whole foods and less processed foods will help you feel surprisingly better (see an easy visual here). Good hydration is also key!
Injury. Naturally most people know when an injury is the cause of their pain. I frequently help with car/bike accidents, sport injuries, disc herniations, and repetitive use strains.
Pregnancy. As the ligaments around the uterus stretch, pain can easily be experienced in the pelvis and back. Other aches and pains are common due to the rapid changes and destabalization of the core. We share several ways that chiropractic care helps in our pregnancy blog.
Disease. Pain is experienced when a disease damages tissues, organs, and/or the nervous system. Some examples include auto-immune diseases (like rheumatoid arthritis, IBS, or lupus), cancer, fibromyalgia, and neuropathy. Hormone disorders can also lead to pain.
Poor mental health. Poor mental health or poor stress management can increase the production of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones can cause a variety of physical symptoms, one of which is muscle tension. It is never too late to learn and implement stress management skills, nourish your relationships, and seek lasting peace. (I have found peace in my faith.)
As you can see, Wesley from The Princess Bride was quite wise when he said “Life is pain!” I am here to help. Let’s help you recover and heal as we solve the pain mystery together. See you on the table!