By in Other Therapies

Getting in Touch with Those in Pain

I find it so helpful for people to understand their pain. There are so many myths around pain, be it lower back, neck or shoulder pain, arthritis, nerve pain and even headaches that I often find my patients are bogged down by the weight of what they believe is going on rather than the reality of their symptoms.

Context is so important when helping people in pain. When my patients understand why they hurt, it is far easier to understand why I am giving certain advice and why I chose that specific exercise.

Lifestyle has so much to do with society’s health issues today, whether that’s choice or circumstance, the way we live our lives directly impacts our health. Our habits around diet, sleep, exercise and activity, stress and anxiety all directly affect our health. Cardiovascular and physical health, gut health, mental health and immune health are so interlinked that when it goes wrong it can create a perfect storm of issues that can manifest in symptoms directly with the affected system and also affect other systems. How often do we hear about those people working hard and getting stressed leading up to a holiday and once they get their break they fall ill or those who recognise that constipation or diarrhoea go hand in hand with periods of stress and anxiety in their life?

Our systems are so interlinked via hormones and inflammation that deficiencies in one area have to affect others.

My approach is to look into all aspects of lifestyle and identify areas that need some attention. A gentle approach, that is not trying to overwhelm patients when they are already struggling. Practical ways of starting to make a difference, taking into account their personal preferences and creating hope that they can make the difference themselves. If I can help to generate hope that there is a way out of a vicious cycle of pain and dys-health then I often find the reaction to be really positive and that makes my job so rewarding and a privilege to be a part of.

Contact Matthew Oliver at The Body Matters to find out more on 01702 714968.

Louise
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