How your thought process can alter your pain perception

Many colleagues would agree that pain is the most common reason why people will come and seek out your help. That statement has a lot more variability than you would think. I would like to say that we all wish that everything could be a quick fix but in most cases that isn’t the case because our bodies are such masters of adaptation.

We are wired to avoid pain and your body does everything it can to guard ourselves from dangerous situations. Beyond the physicality, each person is unique in their perception of pain. It can be very subjective as per their tolerance. Looking at a Visual Pain Analog Scale, from 0 to 10, 0 means you don’t feel any pain at all and 10 means the maximum amount of pain that you have ever felt. So what one person may feel is a 2 out of 10 another may say that is an 8.

Lately, I’ve been having a lot of patients come in with some chronic aches and pains and we have talked a lot about how your thought process can influence your health and well-being. This particular article post by the Canadian Chiropractic Association sheds a little bit more light on some of the potential cognitive barriers that can hinder your recovery.

“This is just how I am and I have to deal with it.” People get stuck in the chronicity of it all because they think that’s their normal. That being said, you should listen to your body. I tell my patients all the time that they are their best advocate. No one can tell you how you should feel. Health professionals can give you their recommendations and expertise from an objective standpoint. Our job is to inform you and educate you and give you treatment options.

There are many aspects of dealing with issues that manifest through your health so seek out various health professionals that can address and are experts in those areas. A multi-disciplinary team approach is an ideal one and can be the most optimum.

By: Dr. Teesha Geevarghese (B.Sc., D.C.) Chiropractor

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