Shining the Light On Pain and Remedies of Hope
Published on Your Health Magazine
These hands have touched thousands of clients in pain these last 35 years as a massage therapist. Walking out in a different state than they came in, it is inspiring as I try to be on the cutting edge of holistic modalities for those dealing with the whole gamut of pain.
Types of pain:
Acute – cuts, burns, surgery, dental surgery, birthing a child
Chronic – can affect quality of life, and persist for over 6 months, as a result of cancer, fibromyalgia, or diabetes
Neuropathic – from nerve damage, with sharp pain, stabbing, or burning. Some causes can be radiation, stroke, chemotherapy, cancer or diabetes
Nociceptive – trauma to bodily tissue, hitting an elbow, stubbing toe, usually to skin, joints, bones or tendons
During my medical intake review of a new client, I ask their pain levels, plus emotional, and work stress from 1-10 with 10 the highest. The higher the number, the worse their life balance may be, that equally affects the health of muscles, joints, the mind, plus possible struggling relationships. The grip that chronic pain has on a client can’t be understated, as my goal is to help lessen it with massage therapy techniques, essential oils, heat/ice, energy work, phototherapy patches, prayer, and stretching.
Timeless Holistic Modalities
Acupuncture – known for pain relief, this helps restore qi or energy flow to injured tissue and help clear out dampness from the trauma to facilitate healing. (Harvard Health Publishing: Relieving Pain with Acupuncture)
Phototherapy Pain Patches – light therapy that uses the body’s heat to emit wavelengths of light, through this non-transdermal patch on skin placed on acupuncture meridians, to open the flow of energy and be a catalyst for pain relief. Simple, safe, non-drug application. (Lifewave Light Therapy)
Massage Therapy – ancient civilizations around the globe found natural healing via massage for healing, pain relief and deep relaxation. Today, massage is prescribed by physicians and chiropractors for improving circulation, flexibility, and lessening pain. (Pain Management Best Practices)
Chiropractic – manipulation of the body’s spinal alignment to relieve pain and improve function to facilitate healing. From the American College of Physicians Low Back Pain Guideline, the positive research offers this as one alternative to pain medications along with heat, massage and acupuncture! (Harvard Health Publishing: Chiropractic care for pain relief)
Grounding Mat/Sheets – if walking/contacting the earth (grass, sand) is not possible, www.earthing.com has a plethora of mats, sheets to sleep on, sandals, their book Earthing, all to become grounded, to the earth’s electrons. Simply plug it into the single grounding plug of your outlet, and begin feeling pain relief from less inflammation.
