PAIN

Pain in the head, pain in the joints, pain from injury, pain in the ar**...maybe we need to talk about the last one in a separate blog! 

Why do we have pain? What is the purpose?

It's not just annoying or inconvenient.  Pain is our bodies way of bringing awareness to certain areas so we can nurture them and protect them. Pain is important but our response to it can either help or hinder it.  

15yrs ago I was unglamourously knocked off my bike (the pedal type) by a great big bus in London. Sadly not a double decker! The pain was intense and my understanding very low. A friend of my mother's suggested I 'embrace the pain and enjoy it'! Back then it was all a little to 50 Shades for me but I get it now! 

I'm not suggesting that excruciating pain is 'OK' or that we should all 'shut up and put up'. Not at all! There are ways of dealing with pain in a physical and mental level that don't involve conventional pain killers. Conventional pain killers have a place but right alongside other modalities that allow us to cope with the pain. The less conventional pain killers we need to take the better! Seminars on chronic pain management often refer to meditation and mental strategies to cope with the pain as it is well understood that pain killers come with a host of unwanted side effects and can seriously effect other organs (usually liver and kidneys). 

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While the ultimate goal may seemingly be to alleviate the pain maybe we need to re-think that  and consider 'How can we better cope with the pain as we heal?'. 

What next?

Homeopathy

Pain is a massive area in Homeopathy. There are literally thousands of remedies indicated for all types of pain in all types of places...chronic pain must be dealt with by a trained Homeopath. If you want results with chronic pain make an appointment!

Homeopathy may help with the physical pain as well as your ability to cope with it. Once the mind is settled we can cope with pain a lot better. 

Here's a few acute remedies I ALWAYS have in the house! This is a taste of what is available. There are so many more...
Arnica: for bumps and bruises this is my go to. It may also address the shock of the fall. Often these injuries lead the victim to pushing help away saying 'I'm fine, there's nothing wrong.'
Chamomilla: the bomb for teething pain! Grumpy kids that can't be pleased (or grumpy pre-menstrual women). 
Cantharis: for the pain of minor burns (including sunburn) this may be just what you need. 
Rhus tox: may be what that rolled ankle needs if you find they are stiff in the morning and better for a bit of gentle movement. Another cranky remedy. Pain makes us crotchety! 
Belladonna: had a day at the beach and now have a thumping headache? Belladonna to the rescue! And a big glass of water! You won't be up for company and you'll be a little glassy eyed. Any movement of the bed will have you snapping at the person responsible and yelling for the blinds to be closed. 

The remedies listed above are traditionally used in Homeopathic medicine to support the body to move through the symptoms listed next to them. Please see your doctor if the pain persists or becomes worse. 

Bowen Therapy

,As with Homeopathy this is a modality that works on both the body and mind. Physical relief combined with the action on your nervous system means relief! 

The small but meaningful movements over the muscle, fascia, tendons and ligaments bring the mind's awareness to those areas. In turn, it is able to set about working on that area to bring it as close as possible to its factory setting.  

As the Bowen brings the body down out of 'fight or flight' and into 'rest and repair' mode the body benefits physically and mentally. The mind quiets and true healing begins. 

Bowen...beautiful...restful...painless

Nutrition

Ahhhhh...you didn't see that coming did you?
Good nutrition is the corner stone of everything! Pop as many pills as you like but if you aren't feeding your body the right foods you are working against it. 
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Awesome foods to eat:
oily fish: Excellent anti-inflammatory food! Wonderful for the joints as well. Full of Omega 3. You can't go wrong.
pepitas and linseeds: great source of plant based omega 3 which are anti-inflammatory
walnuts: more omega 3's
avocado: packed full of good fats to keep inflammation at bay.
lots of fresh veg: load up on fresh fruit and veg. Fantastic anti-oxidants that means less inflammation meaning less pain.

The basic inflammatory foods are:
Sugar: get rid of sugar and watch the pain ebb. This is a big one so pay attention! Sugar contributes to systemic inflammation in the body. Get rid of it and see what happens. 
Coffee:Sorry, This needs to go. Yes I get it...it's your only vice...you only have 1 or 2 cups a day but that is enough to contribute to the pain. 
Alcohol: Yes, yes. As for coffee. Not much is too much. Skip it and you may not need the coffee. Also contains sugar. 
Gluten: Who'd I lose? Bread, pasta, sauce thickeners etc are all contributing to inflammation which = pain so ditch it and feel the benefits. Combined with sugar this stuff is addictive.
Dairy: You can do this! No coffee means no milk in it. Pop some seeds in your salad instead of cheese. The decrease in pain is worth it!

Disclaimer: Homeopathy is a traditional medicine.The TGA considers Homeopathy a low risk medicine. It may be used in conjunction with other medicines. For any ongoing chronic condition, it is important to be assessed or examined by your healthcare professional or specialist. Information given here is in no way intended to take the place of advice from your chosen healthcare professional or specialist. Any examples given from the authors life do not indicate that the remedy in question will work for everyone in every instance. They are used solely to illustrate the use the medicine in a practical situation.
Always seek medical advice in emergencies.
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