Pain Awareness Month

Here we are at September again (where did the summer go?) and National Pain Awareness Month. Those of us who have chronic pain are always aware, but this designation gives organizations devoted to helping those struggling with pain an opportunity to provide information, meetings, and conferences in a focused way.

In the last few months, I have had another flurry of a specific complaint in those who have sought natural pain relief from SCENAR: low back pain. Treatments with SCENAR have been largely successful in reducing or eliminating this complaint, and part of the treatment is to advise clients on things they can do to help themselves heal and prevent further episodes. In researching low back pain (the internet is full of resources) there is one site I would like to recommend: The National Pain Foundation. They have an online manual about back pain, what causes it, how it can be managed, and common myths about it. Of all the web resources I’ve seen, this is most concise and comprehensive.

In 1983, I injured my back while working as the circulation manager of a local newspaper. I went through physical therapy and attended a “Back School” held by that office. From that experience I took away three tidbits of information that helped me enormously in managing my weakened back as it healed and grew stronger over the next several years. I have not found these techniques anywhere on the web, so wanted to add them to the awareness of things you can do to help yourself, should you have an injury or suffer with recurring back pain episodes.

1) Think about and change the way you get into and out of a car. My physical therapist was convinced that how we get into and out of a car is the number one behavior that predisposes us to back pain. Most of us get into a car by putting our right foot in first and then in a somewhat controlled fall, land ourselves in the seat. Then we bring in the left leg. That landing of our bodies in the car’s seat produces powerful sideways distorting forces on the vertebrae of the low back. We don’t notice it generally, but it happens nonetheless, and can set us up for later back issues. The best way to get into a car is to sit in the car’s seat first and then bring our legs into the car one at a time as we turn our bodies to face forward. Those who have “bad backs” are usually aware of this, as throwing oneself into a car when the back is sore can produce pain. But, the rest of us go our merry way, without awareness, until our backs begin to complain about the abuse.

2) A simple way to relax and de-stress your low back. During my physical therapy process, I was taught to do the following relaxation technique once a day before bed, and during the day if my back felt “weak” or was hurting:

This positioning requires that you lay on the floor face down, much like you do on a massage table. In order to provide a way for you to have your face down on the floor in that position, take a towel folded into quarters and place it under your chest. Then take a small hand towel and roll it up and place it under your forehead so that your face clears the floor and you can breathe. Also, roll up another bath towel and put it under your ankles. This may take some experimenting, but when you get it right you should be able to lay face down on the floor comfortably. When positioned, focus on actively relaxing the muscles in your low back. Feel them relax. Breathe slowly and deeply, and imagine breathing through that area, breathing in through the area and breathing out through the area. Since working with SCENAR I have realized that this activity helps you consciously direct the neuropeptides, including endorphins (the body’s pain killers) that are produced by the deep breathing, to the area. Lie in this position until your back feels relaxed and comfortable. Get up by rolling to your side, pushing up to a sitting position with your hands, rolling up on one knee, and with the help of a chair or other stable piece of furniture, bring the other leg under you to stand up.

3) Getting up from a prone position. Getting up from a prone position is a common way we stress our backs. Especially after a night’s sleep, the muscles need to be slowly revived rather than jerked to attention. In the morning when you awaken, gently stretch your body (people commonly do this unconsciously). Scoot closer to the edge of the bed and roll to your side that faces the edge. Rest there a minute and imagine this process before doing it: place your right arm upwards and your left hand palm down on the bed at chest level in front of you. Begin pushing yourself up with your left hand while bringing your right arm up to rest on its elbow and then to its palm. At the same time put your legs slightly over the edge of the bed. As you push up, your feet will naturally lower to the floor. Getting out of bed in this way protects the low back.

Pain is an important message from the body that we need to become aware of our behaviors that are not working for it and change them. As the body ages, its needs change, and pain tells us how we can amend the ways we use it so as to more effectively address its changing needs. Pain increases our body awareness and consciousness. If seen not with fear, but with a compassionate attitude and desire to work with this miraculous temple we live in, pain can help us learn to adjust our behaviors and create healthier lifestyles in general.

1 Comment

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  By Candy Pitcher, September 2, 2010 @ 4:08 pm

  It IS Pain Awareness Month and I encourage you and all your readers to join the Virtual March through the American Pain Foundation – http://www.APFActionNetwork.org. We can conquer pain together! Candy, APF Action Network Leader, North Carolina

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