True healing takes time. As a chiropractor, it is important for each of my patients to understand this fact. As a whole, our society lives by two misconceptions when it comes to pain and health: first, the healing process is quick and easy; secondly once the pain is gone then the problem has been corrected. Today I will elaborate on the first misconception. In my next post, I will address the second.
The healing process is quick and easy. The thinking behind this misconception is ‘Fix me so I can keep going’ or ‘With my busy lifestyIe, I can’t afford to have pain.’ We have been trained by our society to think this way. My desire is to help educate my patients to help them understand how their body heals and why true healing takes time.
Our bodies are brilliantly designed. They are able to adapt to stress (both emotional and physical), but overtime that stress begins to have its effect. When I take an x-ray of a patient, many times it reveals an improper curvature of the spine that the patient did not know was there. I explain to the patient the improper curve did not happen overnight. It took time to develop. Now, doesn’t it make sense that if the problem took time to occur, then the healing process would also take time?
We all understand this process of healing taking time. If you have ever sprained your ankle, accidentally cut your arm, or torn your ACL, you understand this process all too well. These acute injuries require various amounts of time depending on the severity. What if the patient had been having chronic symptoms for years before coming to my office? What is the appropriate amount of time to allow for true healing for a chronic condition?
As a chiropractor, my job is to find out as much as possible about a specific injury or condition, through a thorough history, examination, and sometimes x-rays. Once all of this information is obtained, I can best tell my patients what care will be needed and how long it will take.
So, maybe we need to adjust our expectations when it comes to pain and our health. With the exception of a major accident, our problems have been there for a period of time. Therefore, results and true healing also take time.
In Part 2, we will discuss the second misconception people have about pain and their health. Which is, once the pain is gone, the problem has been corrected and health has been restored.
Live well today,
Dr. Christensen
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Thursday, April 8, 2010
'I thought it would go away'
“I thought it would go away.” These are six troublesome words many chiropractors hear from their patients. Why is pain so often ignored in hopes that it will just disappear? It could be our busy lifestyles, not knowing what to do, or maybe our health is just not a priority. Whatever the reason, waiting for the pain to get worse before taking action is common for many people.
The question is ‘Why’? Why do we put ourselves through more pain and suffering? Why don’t we listen to our bodies? Pain is a signal that something is going wrong. “Most adults are socialized into not considering their health until symptoms appear. Symptoms are a message from our body that there is a problem and that change is needed" (Barham-Floreani, 2009). We need to start being more attentive to the relief of and the prevention of symptoms.
Our bodies are brilliantly designed. So many simple and complex functions are performed automatically. For example, the nervous system controls the rate of our heart beat, when to take a breath, how to digest the food, when we need to go to bathroom….etc. It is amazing! Our bodies are able to adapt very well to the physical, environmental, and emotional stresses placed upon it. But, when those stresses become too much for our bodies to handle, outside help is necessary. So, what can you do about it?
The obvious answers are all healthy lifestyle habits recommended by every medical professional: a balanced diet, regular exercise, consistent rest and sleep. But could there be other lifestyle adjustments made that you have not considered?
A chiropractic check-up will reveal areas of the spine that are not moving properly. Malfunctions of the spine can compromise the surrounding nervous system structures (i.e. spinal nerves). This problem alone could be causing your pain and other symptoms, but that is a discussion for another time. A chiropractor would also educate about improving posture while driving and at work. Sleeping positions, pillows, and mattresses also matter, and your chiropractor can help you make necessary adjustments to relieve pain and optimize your health.
The question now is ‘What action will you take?’ Is your health a priority or are you waiting for your problems to go away? What if they don’t go away or what if they get worse? We all want a pain free, healthy lifestyle not only for ourselves but also for our friends and family. It is time to make a decision. It is time as Dr. Mercola, says to 'Take control of your health' (Mercola).
I would encourage each of you to consider the value of your health. If you or your friends and family decide to invest in your health now, Texas Chiropractic Wellness is here to help. Please call 806-771-4390 or visit texaschiropracticwellness.com to make an appointment. Enjoy the rest of your week and remember to live well today.
Dr. Christensen
Owner, Texas Chiropractic Wellness
www.texaschiropracticwellness.com
1. Barham-Floreani, Jennifer D.C., Well Adjusted Babies, Well Adjusted, South Melbourne, Australia, 2009.
2. www.mercola.com
The question is ‘Why’? Why do we put ourselves through more pain and suffering? Why don’t we listen to our bodies? Pain is a signal that something is going wrong. “Most adults are socialized into not considering their health until symptoms appear. Symptoms are a message from our body that there is a problem and that change is needed" (Barham-Floreani, 2009). We need to start being more attentive to the relief of and the prevention of symptoms.
Our bodies are brilliantly designed. So many simple and complex functions are performed automatically. For example, the nervous system controls the rate of our heart beat, when to take a breath, how to digest the food, when we need to go to bathroom….etc. It is amazing! Our bodies are able to adapt very well to the physical, environmental, and emotional stresses placed upon it. But, when those stresses become too much for our bodies to handle, outside help is necessary. So, what can you do about it?
The obvious answers are all healthy lifestyle habits recommended by every medical professional: a balanced diet, regular exercise, consistent rest and sleep. But could there be other lifestyle adjustments made that you have not considered?
A chiropractic check-up will reveal areas of the spine that are not moving properly. Malfunctions of the spine can compromise the surrounding nervous system structures (i.e. spinal nerves). This problem alone could be causing your pain and other symptoms, but that is a discussion for another time. A chiropractor would also educate about improving posture while driving and at work. Sleeping positions, pillows, and mattresses also matter, and your chiropractor can help you make necessary adjustments to relieve pain and optimize your health.
The question now is ‘What action will you take?’ Is your health a priority or are you waiting for your problems to go away? What if they don’t go away or what if they get worse? We all want a pain free, healthy lifestyle not only for ourselves but also for our friends and family. It is time to make a decision. It is time as Dr. Mercola, says to 'Take control of your health' (Mercola).
I would encourage each of you to consider the value of your health. If you or your friends and family decide to invest in your health now, Texas Chiropractic Wellness is here to help. Please call 806-771-4390 or visit texaschiropracticwellness.com to make an appointment. Enjoy the rest of your week and remember to live well today.
Dr. Christensen
Owner, Texas Chiropractic Wellness
www.texaschiropracticwellness.com
1. Barham-Floreani, Jennifer D.C., Well Adjusted Babies, Well Adjusted, South Melbourne, Australia, 2009.
2. www.mercola.com
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