Understanding Chronic Pain: A Journey Through the Invisible Ailment

Chronic pain is a perplexing and often misunderstood condition that affects millions of people worldwide. Unlike acute pain, which serves as a vital warning signal of injury or illness, chronic pain persists for months or even years, continuing long after the initial cause has healed. This blog aims to shed light on the complexities of chronic pain, its impact on sufferers, and the available management strategies.

What is Chronic Pain?

Chronic pain is defined as pain that lasts for more than three to six months. It can stem from an injury, surgery, or an underlying health condition, but sometimes it appears without any apparent cause. This type of pain can be constant or intermittent, ranging from mild to debilitating. Common examples include back pain, arthritis, migraines, and neuropathic pain.

The Invisible Burden

One of the most challenging aspects of chronic pain is its invisibility. Unlike a broken bone or a visible wound, chronic pain is not outwardly apparent, leading to a lack of understanding and empathy from others. Sufferers often face skepticism, with their pain being dismissed or minimized by those around them, including healthcare professionals.

This invisibility also extends to its impact on daily life. Chronic pain can significantly affect one's physical and mental well-being, leading to fatigue, sleep disturbances, and decreased mobility. The emotional toll is equally severe, often resulting in anxiety, depression, and feelings of isolation.

The Science Behind Chronic Pain

Understanding chronic pain requires delving into the intricate workings of the nervous system. When we experience pain, sensory receptors send signals to the brain, which interprets these signals and triggers a pain response. In chronic pain, this process goes awry. The nervous system becomes hyperactive, continuously sending pain signals even in the absence of an injury or disease.

This phenomenon, known as central sensitization, is a key factor in chronic pain. It involves changes in the brain and spinal cord that amplify pain perception, making even non-painful stimuli feel painful. This altered pain processing can make managing chronic pain particularly challenging.

The Multifaceted Approach to Management

Managing chronic pain often requires a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, and what works for one person may not work for another. Here are some common strategies:

1. Medications

• Analgesics: Over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen and ibuprofen can help manage mild to moderate pain.

• Prescription Medications: For severe pain, doctors may prescribe opioids, though their use is limited due to the risk of addiction. Antidepressants and anticonvulsants are also used to treat certain types of chronic pain.

2. Physical Therapy

• Exercise: Tailored exercise programs can improve strength, flexibility, and overall physical function.

• Manual Therapy: Techniques such as massage and manipulation can alleviate pain and improve mobility.

3. Psychological Support

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT helps patients develop coping strategies and manage the emotional impact of chronic pain.

• Mindfulness and Meditation: These practices can reduce stress and improve pain management.

4. Alternative Therapies

• Acupuncture: This traditional Chinese medicine technique has been shown to provide relief for some chronic pain conditions.

• Chiropractic Care: Spinal adjustments and other treatments can benefit certain types of pain.

5. Lifestyle Modifications

• Diet: A balanced diet can reduce inflammation and improve overall health.

• Sleep: Improving sleep hygiene can alleviate pain and enhance well-being.

• Stress Management: Techniques such as yoga, tai chi, and deep breathing can help manage stress and reduce pain.

Living with Chronic Pain

Living with chronic pain requires resilience and adaptability. It often means making significant lifestyle adjustments and finding new ways to enjoy life despite the pain. Building a strong support network of family, friends, and healthcare providers is crucial. Support groups and online communities can also provide valuable understanding and encouragement.

Conclusion

Chronic pain is a complex and multifaceted condition that demands a comprehensive and compassionate approach to management. By increasing awareness and understanding, we can better support those who live with chronic pain and work towards more effective treatments and improved quality of life. If you or someone you know is struggling with chronic pain, remember that help is available, and there are many paths to finding relief and reclaiming a fulfilling life.

When You Just Don't Wanna

We’ve all been there.

An alarm clock ringing too early.

Complete physical and mental exhaustion after a long day.

That moment when you simply can’t bear the thought of getting your workout in.

Those are the moments that we typically cave.

When we give ourselves permission to say “tomorrow.”

And the cycle repeats.

To make it even worse, it’s also usually the scenario that involves making quick, convenient, and often less than healthy food choices.

This cycle causes consistent weight gain, poor health, and months or years of shame and frustration.

It leads us down a road that can be incredibly hard for people to return from.

So, I want to tell you what will make all the difference when you have that experience of just NOT wanting to…

It’s doing it anyway.

Because hitting snooze and sleeping in or driving to the gym vs home after work is all a choice.

The key to serious success in most areas of life is feeling resistance and pushing through it anyway.

Because pretty much everything that’s going to give you life-changing results is hard work.

If it was supposed to be easy, everyone would be healthy, strong, fit, successful, in the perfect marriage, etc.

So, the next time that resistance pops up for you, OWN your choice, feel the resistance, and do it anyway.

The Hateful Eight

Dr. Cate Shanahan has been extremely vocal, especially since the pandemic hit about the havoc seed oils are wreaking on the human body.

She’s one of the topic metabolic experts in the world, and she knows a thing or two about how the human body functions.

Before processed food was a thing less than 100 years ago, fat made up a huge portion of the human diet.

But it was natural fats that do our bodies good – from animals and plants.

Since the low-fat crazes in the 1980s, we’ve been gradually eliminating naturally occurring fats from foods and replacing them with unnatural, toxic, chemical-laden oils and sugars.

Dr. Shanahan calls these oils specifically “The Hateful Eight,” and she recommends avoiding them at all costs to reduce toxicity and inflammation in the body, and thereby, reduce your risk of metabolic diseases like diabetes.

And she even believes cutting these oils will enable to you to combat the coronavirus with much more ease.

The problem is that these oils are in TONS of prepackaged foods from salad dressing to bread to processed foods to foods prepared in restaurants.

Whether you attempt to avoid these oils entirely or simply start taking a closer look at labels to reduce your consumption, I wanted to provide this quick list for you today from her website drcate.com to increase your awareness and enable you to make informed decisions for yourself.

These oils are:

1. Soy oil

2. Sunflower oil

3. Safflower oil

4. Canola oil

5. Corn oil

6. Cottonseed oil

7. Hydrogenated oil

8. Refined palm oil

Are these oils as harmful as many of the experts believe? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Everything Is A Choice

Our choices every day grow us or slowly take us down.

I don’t believe that there are any neutral choices in life, really.And too often, over time we make enough of those small and seemingly insignificant choices that take us down.

We put off getting fit and healthy.We’ll quit the job that’s sucking our soul when the time is right.

We’ll leave that miserable relationship when the timing is *perfect*.

We have so many stories that we tell ourselves, but they’re all lies and it comes down to this…

IT’S EASIER TO BELIEVE OUR OWN LIES. Because when we believe the lies we stay small.

We don’t take risk. We stay in our comfort zones.

We appease our egos. And that’s FAR easier than the discomfort of growth and change.

So, if you are reading this and there’s more you want for yourself in any area of life, act now.Not later. Not tomorrow. Literally right now otherwise it’ll likely never happen.

And you’ll look back at the end of the year or next year or five years or ten…and just wish…

Wish the choices were different.

Wonder and yearn for what could’ve been if you’d made that scary decision.

But I promise you this, the more risk you take and the more scarier decisions you lean into, the easier they become.

More abundance comes into your life.

There’s more ease and less anxiety around big, life-changing decisions.

Simply, you create a fulfilling life and unwavering trust in yourself. And to me, that’s priceless.

So, what are you holding back on right now? What tough, uncomfortable decision do you need to make to move your business and/or life forward?

Are you listening?

No one likes the experience of feeling negative emotions.  Whether it’s stress, uneasiness, unhappiness, or disappointment – it just feels bad.

 And it’s supposed to.

 You see, negative emotions serve a purpose in our lives.  They are a CALL TO ACTION.

 When you feel those negative emotions coming up, carefully evaluate what they are occurring around.  What is causing you to feel that way?

 Negative emotions are there to drive you do something differently in life.  If you sit in your negative emotions and do nothing, they will linger.  If you take action toward changing the situation, you can exchange the negative feelings for positive ones.

 Let’s look at an example.

 People often come to Full Circle Fitness with negative emotions around their bodies.  They avoid mirrors, having their partners see them unclothed, or they feel a general need to cover up.  There can be shame, disappointment, self-doubt, or an array of other negative emotions.

 If nothing is done to change that body image, do you think those negative emotions will go away?  Of course not!

 But if that person takes action…if they come to us, engage in our awesomely positive and supportive community, change their eating, and ultimately, change their bodies, will those negative emotions change?  You bet!

 You can see it clearly when you look at before and after photos of people who have transformed their bodies.  You can see the obvious unhappiness in the before photo and the pride and confidence in the after photo – such an incredible thing to observe!

 Of course, negative emotions appear around every area of our lives.  The key is tuning into them, understanding that they are calling you to action, identifying the action you need to take to change the negative emotions, and finally, taking action!

So, I challenge you today to tap into those negative feelings you’re experiencing in any area of life.  What call to action are they giving you?

If you’re open to sharing, I would love to know.

Should You Watch The Scale?

We see it here at Full Circle Fitness all the time.  

 Someone has just joined us or is coming in for a reassessment and there’s the dreaded look when we ask them to step on the scale.  

 For so many people, that number has determined their mood, happiness levels, and even their personal value or worth for many years.

 We actually preach detachment from the scale, but at the same time, it’s important to have numbers by which to track progress, and the scale is one of those numbers that gives us data.

 One question that comes up a lot is why more weight isn’t lost when people are eating right and working out hard.

 Don’t get me wrong – when someone is significantly overweight, the scale should and will change drastically with the implementation of new and healthier habits.

 But for many people, the scale is slow to move.  It can be frustrating! But here’s why…

 It’s a simple matter of density.  No, muscle doesn’t weigh more than fat because a pound of fat and a pound of muscle will always weight the same.

 It just so happens that muscle takes up a lot less space.  In fact, fat can take up THREE times more space than muscle of the same weight!

 We’ve seen clients gain 5 pounds while dropping two dress sizes, and they’re STOKED about that!

 Many factors can also play into what the scale says on any given day, including hydration levels, muscle glycogen levels, stress levels, and for women, time of the month.

 So, if you’re feeling married to the number on the scale, be sure to take other body measurements, track clothing sizes, notice your strength gains, become aware of your energy levels after workouts, realize how daily mundane tasks are becoming easier,  etc. because weight is not the only measure of success!

The Answer No One Wants To Hear

I believe that one of the reasons that the health/fitness/diet industry is bringing in more BILLIONS by the year is because people are searching for an answer that doesn’t exist.

The answer that’s easy.

The answer that tells them they don’t really have to change or give up a lot of what they love.

I’m here to tell you…

If you want a different result than what you’ve been getting, there’s no way around changing your patterns and behavior.

And that’s the tough stuff that keeps people stuck for years and decades.

Soooo much of that answer people don’t want to hear comes down to one thing: YOUR NUTRITION.

Want to lose overall body fat? Nutrition.

Want to reduce cellulite? Nutrition.

Want to improve your medical numbers? Nutrition.

Of course, exercise matters too, but nutrition plays the biggest part.

You know this to be true in your heart and in your past experience.

But making and sticking to the actual changes required is one of the hardest challenges people take on in the western world.

Because food is everywhere, temptation is all around us, junk food is made to be addictive, and so much of our social activity revolves around food…and usually not healthy food.

Food is fun. We express love and rewards in food. We help people through grief with food.

The list goes on and on.

If you want real change that lasts forever, believe me when I say that the answer is your food.

It’s just that no one wants to hear it. 

So, they keep searching, seeking…

For the magical, easier answer that just doesn’t exist.

If you know you’re ready for change and you know you just need some guidance and accountability to make it happen, then contact us and let us show you how we can help.

We have the expertise in nutritional education that will allow you to finally get some results without completely sacrificing foods you enjoy. Let’s us help guide you through the challenging parts.

Let’s tackle this thing together.

A Love Challenge

Because February is the month of love, I want to offer a unique challenge to you.

First, I want you to write a list of the things you love about yourself.

About how you look…

About who you are…

About how you treat other people…

About what you’ve accomplished…

The list can be as long as you want it to be.

Side note: if you struggle with this, it’s even more important that you complete this exercise.

Once you’ve completed your list, I want you to stand in front of a mirror and read the list aloud, glancing into your own eyes so you can see and feel the truth of it all.

Deep breaths as you move through it without rushing.

Even feel free to close your eyes as you allow the emotion of those things you love about yourself to sweep through your body and amplify.

Do this every day for at least a week.

Feel free to add to the list at any time.

Until you do this exercise, you can’t imagine how powerful it will be.

So, will you trust me and do this?

I hope so.

Because loving yourself more is the key to making progress in so many other areas of life.

Let me know how this goes or what comes up for you once you’ve completed the exercise, ok?

I can’t wait to celebrate you. <3

When You Give It All Away

I can’t quite figure out when culturally we decided that giving all of ourselves away was the thing we had to do.

Whether you’re career-driven, a parent, or otherwise, the common thing is to give it all away – your time, your energy, and your attention – and leave nothing for yourself.

We believe it makes us good parents and spouses.

We believe it makes us the most dedicated workers.

But when all we do is help others and leave nothing for ourselves aside from an empty brain and a body completely drained of energy at the end of the day, no one really wins.

This isn’t to say you should shirk your obligations…that’s not realistic.

But reprioritizing your energy and attention is entirely doable.

Because the truth is that when you make the time for yourself to exercise, have alone time, and to eat well, everyone benefits.

You’re a BETTER parent and spouse.

You perform in your job BETTER.

You’re HAPPIER.

And when you’re happier, so is everyone else in your life.

Happiness is magnetic.

So is drained energy and stress.

The excuse is made far too often that we don’t have the time to do the things that fill us up.

But we all have 24 hours in a day – 24 hours is the great equalizer for humanity.

And you do get to choose (even if it feels like maybe you don’t).

So, what would fill your cup?

What would energize you and inspire you, resulting in being better for everyone else across all areas of life?

One of the things I find with my clients is that being part of the community I’ve built changes everything for them.

They’re finally able to commit to their fitness routine and eating healthier long-term.

Their energy rises. They smile more. They beam with confidence.

They become even more magnetic.

If this is something you know you need, click here or reply to this message right now so we can schedule a time to speak.

Everything is possible.

What do you want for yourself?

Ignore The Highlights Reel

Social media is an incredible platform that has brought humans from all over together and made the world a much smaller place.

It’s also a platform that has allowed people to build businesses, raise funds for charitable causes, and to spread social awareness…as well as many other things.

But the flip side of that is that social media has also created the perception that everyone’s life is more amazing than yours.

They’re more successful, have happier families, vacation more…

And what I’m here to remind you of today is the importance of ignoring the highlight reel.

When you see magical things happening for everyone else online, don’t fall into the trap of thinking that’s their reality 100% of the time.

With the explosion of social media, depression and anxiety have also dramatically increased.

It’s easier said than done, but comparing yourself to others is one of the most dangerous games to play…especially when you’re typically only getting the highlight reel.

My suggestion is to use the social media highlight reel to empower yourself rather than to compare yourself.

Is Susan crushing her New Year’s resolution in the gym while you’ve not gotten started yet?

Let Susan’s new-found dedication inspire you. Reach out to Susan and ask what she’s been doing. Even ask for her support and accountability.

Use the things that previously got you down or made you feel less-than for your greater good.

It’s not always an easy mindset shift to make, but it’s a powerful one.