Getting Out of Pain

The Sunday after Christmas I woke up feeling like I had been bent in half the wrong way. I was in pain, normally don’t have pain so it was loud. I had the day off and spent it doing self care. I did yoga, iced, foam rolled, rolled on a tennis ball, took a hot epsom salt bath, cupped myself, used my Thera Cane, put on arnica and CBD oil and fell asleep with a heating pad. The next morning it was even worse! It felt like I was being stabbed in the back. Literally.

I made an appointment for the chiropractor the next day and couldn’t get in for a massage for a couple more days. I spent all my free time the next few days continuing with the self care but I was still in almost constant pain. After the massage I felt kind of sick. I felt dehydrated. I drank a gallon of water and started to finally feel 80%.

It took a full week of self care for me to get 100% out of pain. It was a quite a lesson for me to realize how much work it can take, even when I thought I had been taking care of myself pretty well. One thing I had definitely let slip was receiving bodywork.

In massage school I received bodywork almost every day, sometimes more! I somatically learned how much it helps get and keep me out of pain. I recently saw an old friend/client and asked about the chronic pain in their elbow from work. After weekly massage they don't have it anymore and it hasn’t come back after years. Occasionally there can be a structural problem or other things but human bodies have an amazing capacity for healing.

If you are having pain get curious. How long have you had it? It may take that long to get out of it. What makes it feel worse? What makes it feel better. There are no magic pills. Become the authority of your body. Try different things and notice how you feel but finding bodywork that you like and feels good is very helpful. If you’re having acute pain get very regular bodywork. Once a week is not out of the ordinary, Bob Hope got a massage everyday and lived to be 100. Once it’s gone you can just do tune ups but bodywork builds on itself. It can really support your well being.

Here’s to a pain free 2021 to you!