• Your pain is real. No one can tell you pain is in your head, because pain is always a subjective and personal experience. If someone is dismissive of your symptoms, they do not understand pain.

• Pain is Protecting you! Many of us assume that when we are in pain there must be some injury, inflammation, tight muscle or knots to blame. Tissue factors contribute but often, our nervous systems are preventing injury by being hyper-vigilant.

• Pain is Biopsychosocial. Did you know your emotions, social environment, sleep, fitness level, as well as your belief systems can all make the body more susceptible to pain?

So what? If so many things contribute to pain, this means there are many ways to reduce it!

Healing from pain starts with…

Reflection & acknowledgement of our own unique triggers.

• BIOLOGICAL: e.g. Did I run longer than usual? Am I getting over a cold? Have I been sleeping lately?

• PSYCHOLOGICAL: e.g. An increase in your workload or conflict with your boss? Depression, anxiety or grief

• SOCIAL: e.g. Am I struggling to make ends meet? Am I the victim of systemic racism or prejudice?

Resources

All of these stressors contribute to how much pain we experience from one day to the next. If this is confusing, please utilize the resources below to develop a deeper understanding of how multifactorial our pain system is.

Books:

It Doesn’t Have to Hurt: Your Smart Guide to a Pain-Free Life by Dr. Sanjay Gupta (neurosurgeon)

Tell Me Where it Hurts by Rachel Zoffness, PhD (psychologist and pain researcher)

The Explain Pain Handbook: Protectometer by David Butler & Lorimer Moseley

Websites, Blogs, Online Resources:

The Healthskills Blog, Bronnie Lennox, PhD, MSc, Occupational Therapist, Educator

Recovery Strategies Workbook, Greg Lehman, PT, Chiropractor, Strength & Conditioning Coach