Sometimes we get lessons about how our bodies work in unexpected ways. I try learn something about health from every health challenge that I have experienced throughout my life. Recently, I received another lesson. Last week I slipped and had one of those falls that was positioned just right to break something. I fractured the transverse processes of my L3 and L4 vertebrae...OUCH!!!
I have had way too much time to think over the past week because being a practicing chiropractor with a broken back doesn't work so well; thank goodness our office also has Dr. Johnson to care for patients in my absence. This trauma brings up the most important teaching point as far as the healthcare profession of chiropractic is concerned...It doesn't matter how you feel, what is important is how you function!!!!
Sure it sucks to be in pain but I am in pain because my body is HEALTHY and it is healing and letting me know all the things I should/shouldn't be doing while I am healing. Every single time I place my body in a position that will stress the healing process I get a signal/SHARP PAIN! Every time I feel good but do too much I get a longer signal/ACHY BURNING PAIN! Sure I wish the pain was gone but pain is a signal that your body uses to keep you from continuing to hurt yourself.
The acute pain I have is different than that of most people that I care for. When there is acute severe pain from something like a sudden trauma then treating the pain with drugs can be a tremendous blessing. If I had the same injury 200 years ago, before the use of pain medication, I would probably go insane. So for now I am using just enough medication to allow me to be a bit more comfortable yet not so much that I drown out the signals that my INNATE INTELLIGENCE is sending me.
Most new people that come to my office aren't in acute pain. They are dealing with some sort of chronic symptom that may have recently escalated. Their innate is trying to guide them and teach them that something they are doing in their daily life is hurting them and they need to address the cause of that symptom. Just like I am doing right now, avoiding things that hurt, people need to realize that they need to listen to what their bodies are telling them in order to heal.
So here is the lesson! We utilize Chiropractic care, Nutrition, and Applied Kinesiology to remove the cause of your pain...not to reduce your pain. Pain reduction is the practice of medicine and sometimes it is necessary. If your goal is to be truly healthy you need to understand WHY your pain/symptom is there and work on removing the stress in your life that is causing your body to give you that signal.
Want to know HOW to remove that signal? Find a great chiropractor/nutritionist/applied kinesiologist and let them teach you.
Please feel free to reply with any questions!
