It’s a common belief that aches and pains are just a normal part of living. Certainly as we age, we become more susceptible to discomfort as the wear and tear of life catches up to us.
Unhealthy habits take their toll over time. Changes in our muscles and connective tissue–tendons and ligaments–cause us to be less flexible and less strong. Mobility and balance can diminish. Muscle imbalances, unhealthy movement habits, past trauma and injuries–they can all lead to aches and pains, too.
The good news: you can have a significant impact on how you feel. You do not need to surrender to a life of increasing discomfort.
Pain As a Messenger
Pain is unpleasant for a reason: it alerts us to when something is amiss. It’s a messenger , and we need to pay attention to what it’s telling us. So a first step in dealing with pain is to listen. If you feel pain, what’s wrong? And how might you be able to return to a pain-free, or at least pain-reduced, state.
If you’re dealing with the remnants of a past injury, weaknesses, or lack of flexibility, find a physical therapist or personal trainer to help you work through what ails you. Try a Pilates or yoga class. Regaining and maintaining strength and mobility goes a long way in reducing aches and pains.
Moving around throughout the day can also reduce the achiness that can result from being sedentary for long periods of time. It’s one of the many immediate benefits of movement.
There are times, of course, when pains come and go and it’s difficult to determine why. For women in their 40s and 50s, achiness is a very common symptom of perimenopause. This often resolves itself once hormones eventually find the new equilibrium of post-menopause.
But for those pains that stick around for long periods of time, the ones that you just can’t shake and can’t address on your own, talk to your doctor and create a plan of action to address what’s going on.
Pain and achiness can take its toll on your mood and your general well-being, and even lead to depression. It can also become a reason you stop moving, which can serve to compound the problem.
Working toward being able to move well can be a powerful step in addressing pain. There's a common phrase, "motion is lotion": being able to move fluidly can help keep your body functioning well.
Alternative Therapies
There are many types of therapies you can try to address pain. As mentioned above, movement practices like yoga and Pilates are always a wonderful place to start, and they are something you can do yourself.
The powerful practice of Feldenkrais is very helpful for getting to the root of impaired movement habits. This gentle modality helps return the body to more fluid, efficient motion by retraining your neuromuscular system.
In the realm of hands-on therapy, dry needling, also called trigger point therapy, is an increasingly popular way to address deeply held muscular tension or trauma. Also, as previously mentioned, physical therapists and personal trainers can be great resources for getting you back to health. The best choice for you depends on your condition and the pains you're looking to address.
The Body–Mind Connection
Your emotional and psychological states have a direct impact on your physical body. Addressing pain in those parts of your life can have a profound impact on the pain you feel physically.
We have all experienced emotional or psychological difficulties. Addressing these challenges with a talk therapist or counselor can be very helpful in establishing a sense of calm and acceptance. Opening up to a friend or family member you trust can also be liberating.
Books like The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk and Healing Back Pain by John Sarno are two excellent sources for learning about the powerful connection between the mind and body.
Check In with Your Nervous System
Stress and anxiety can be big contributors to body aches and pains. They cause tension which can accumulate and result in immediate and chronic tightness. This can lead to all sorts of unpleasant situations: headaches, backaches, neck aches–so many aches!
If you’re curious to discover if stress or anxiety are having an impact on you, take note of the next time you’re stressed or anxious. How does that feel in your body? Are you clenching your jaw? Are you holding your abdomen rigidly? Do you experience tightness in your shoulders and neck?
These tensions in your body impact how you move, limiting free, easy motion. Consider, if you clench your jaw when you’re stressed: that impacts how you move your neck, which affects your shoulders, which affects your upper back, which has an impact on–well, you get it.
By bringing some attention to how you process stress and anxiety, you can begin to undo some of those habits, which for many of us become automatic. Again, if you discover that you clench your jaw when you’re stressed, check in periodically and remind yourself to release that tension.
You may be surprised to find that this is a much more regular habit than you realized. You may also be surprised by how much relief you can give yourself by consciously addressing this tension. Regular stress and anxiety habits can become so ingrained, we don’t even realize we are doing them.
When addressing this tension, it’s also helpful to create some movement around that area. Open and close your mouth, for instance; stretch your jaw. Gently move your neck, and breathe into the tension.
On that note, regular breathing practices and mediation can be very helpful for addressing stress and anxiety. As can walking in natural environments. Their effectiveness is due to the fact that they help down-regulate the nervous system: a powerful tool.
Creating Moments of Joy
Never to be underestimated is the impact of your mood on your physical being. While, yes, being in pain can depress your mood, leaving you feeling listless and short-tempered, the equation goes the other way, too. Joy, laughter, and happiness can help lift you up.
Life is full of difficulties; that we know. Carving out space for joy and relief are important. It can be as simple as enjoying a nice cup of tea or watching your favorite comedian for a few minutes. Maybe you like doing puzzles or dancing around your house to music. Whatever it is that brings you those “feel good” feelings, dive in. Those moments are an important part of easing discomfort, too.
A Future of Fewer Aches and Pains
Aches and pains will plague us all at some point. And for many people, chronic pain is a reality. But, the body is always changing. Making choices that contribute to alleviating pain can be so empowering. Even reducing pain can have a profound impact on your overall wellness.
Your journey to a future of fewer aches and pains begins now.
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