Pain is normal
(although it can act bizarrely)
Written by Mitchell Robinson
Have you ever quickly turned your neck and got some sharp pain? Or maybe you’ve bent down to pick something up and got pain in your lower back? Turns out these things are actually pretty normal. Do you have occasional urges to “crack” your neck or some other joint? Have you had bizarre pain in your back that lasted a few minutes to a couple days? Well, that’s normal too. Do you feel sore and tight in your traps (where your head meets your neck)? Yep, you guessed, that’s normal as well - everyone’s tender there. And a lot of the time nothing to be concerned about. It’s not weird to have pain sometimes. We should not expect to be pain free 100% of the time. An entirely pain-free life is not a reasonable expectation.
"With ongoing pain, your body can feel "wonky"..."
What can become a problem is how you react to your pain. Do you get really worried? Do you tell yourself that something serious is going on? Do you fixate on it? Do you begin thinking there’s serious underlying damage? Do you avoid everything and anything that causes you some pain? Do you tell yourself that you will always have this issue? These beliefs can all make your pain experience persist. These beliefs can make our normal aches and pains worse and amplify them!
That’s how pain persists. And when pain persists, it can start to behave bizarrely. It can move around, spread from one area to another, act inconsistently or feel worse for no apparent reason. With ongoing pain, your body can feel “wonky” and joints can feel “out of place” or as though they need to be “cracked”.
We're serious about helping you live life without pain. Right now, you can book in for a FREE initial assessment. No hidden funnies, weird pyramid schemes, or quackery. Just a great chance for you to see how physiotherapy can help you move again. In fact, we're so serious, we even offer half-price treatment should you chose to pursue your tailored therapy, right in the very same session. Press the button below to quickly make an online booking. It's no fuss and super-simple, we promise.
This is the strange thing about persistent pain. But now we can explain it. It’s only bizarre if you believe pain is just related to damage. Now we know better. It’s not about damage, it’s about sensitivity, our immune system, our nervous system and a whole bunch of other things!
If you’re struggling with pain and think you would benefit from seeing a physiotherapist who understands the latest evidence in pain science, talk to your GP. Sycamore Health has a speciality in pain management and non-medicated remedies, and would love to help you take control of your pain!
Next part in this series: What You Need To Know About Pain: Part 7
