A New Approach to Pain

As the healthcare community learns more about the unique experience of pain, we are shifting our understanding from a place of relative simplicity to a place of profound complexity. Our old models of pain paired the pain experience with tissue damage - you cut your finger which results in pain, and once that cut heals the pain is gone. This simplistic approach may be acceptable in acute injuries, but this model does not capture some very blatant examples. Take phantom limb pain for example, the condition that happens when people lose an arm or leg and yet still feel sensations of touching or pain in that limb. The individual’s tissues have literally been removed, but the pain persists. Another example: have you ever accidentally found a scrape or bruise on your body, and did not know it was there? Tissue damage had occurred, but your brain did not perceive pain.

Our medical field has moved away from this model, and has instead adopted the biopsychosocial approach. This includes the bio - your body, your tissues, your nerves, how all these things work together - but also incorporates your psychology - how you perceive your pain, what beliefs you have about pain, how much attention to give to your pain - and your social component - what your parents taught you about pain, what your society tells you about pain. All of these components give us a better understanding of the human pain experience, and implies that every single pain experience has both a physical and emotional component.

How can you use this approach to understand your pain? Well, there are multiple factors in our life that we have control over that effect our pain! Have you ever noticed when you feel more stress or anxiety, you may experience more pain? Conversely, has there ever been a time when you were relaxed, or distracted, and completely forgot that you had pain? Things like our stress or anxiety levels, our mood, or even where our attention is being focused can change our pain levels. There are even simple things you could be doing on a daily basis to change your pain experience. Things like sleep hygiene, mindfulness or relaxation practices, nutrition or lifestyle changes, and even cognitive strategies could be utilized to great effect in your pain management plan. Dr. Maddie is extremely knowledgeable in many of these areas, so please ask her what you could be doing outside of her office to supplement her chiropractic care. Even one or two changes throughout your day can make a HUGE difference in changing your long term pain experience.

Written by Ian Leavitt