The International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP), defines pain as ‘an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage.’

 

So, what exactly is chronic pain?

In general, it’s described as pain that lasts longer than twelve weeks.
Normal, acute pain alerts us to possible injury and is usually short-term.
Physically there can be many indicators including tense muscles, limited mobility, lack of energy and changes in appetite.
Emotionally, it can result in depression, anger, and anxiety; and if trauma was the original cause, a fear of re-injury.

 

Common sources:

• Low back pain.
• Arthritis.
• Headache.
• Neurogenic pain (pain due to nerve damage).

Initially, chronic pain may be caused by injury or an ongoing illness. However, there are cases where a cause is not apparent.

 

How do we treat chronic pain?

In the past, treatment for chronic pain was weeks of bed rest. Now, we know that this doesn’t help, and can actually be detrimental. Lying in bed for long periods of time can cause stiffness, muscles and bones become weaker, sleep patterns may be affected and it can have adverse effects on your mental wellbeing (www.nhs.uk).

 

Good Health Centre’s approach …

•  Fascia release.
• Deep tissue massage.
• Manipulation.
• Breathing techniques.
• Acupuncture.
• Healthy lifestyle advice.

As always we use an integrative approach …

Pain is subjective. Two people may have the exact same cause of pain, but may not feel the same degree of pain; and sometimes a person may feel pain without an apparent physical cause.

Let’s look at a common example …

Two patients seek help for back pain originating from a bulging disc:

• Patient 1 is given manipulative treatment and as a result is now symptom-free.
• Patient 2 hasn’t responded as quickly as we would like to the same treatment.

In this instance, our osteopath would want to establish WHY this is the case. Are there other factors involved? Does the patient need a new mattress? Do we need to look at other areas of the body? Has the patient recently suffered a bereavement adding an emotional factor to the pain?

Our osteopaths believe it is vital to look at the whole person in order to create the best treatment plan possible.

At good health centre, we don’t treat the condition, we treat the person with the condition.

If you would like to be seen by one of our osteopaths or acupuncturists, or if you have any further questions, then please get in touch with us. You can call us on 0113 237 1173 or email info@goodhealthcentre.co.uk, and we will get back to you promptly.

References:
https://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Pain/Pages/Gettingphysical.aspx
https://www.iasp-pain.org/