Back pain?......it'll go away

I'd like you to meet a new guest blogger. Rosalinda Huck is a massage therapist in the Chicago suburb of Schaumburg.  Origninally from California, Rosie was a recreational therapist working with disabled individuals before she chose to pursue her certification in massage therapy.  I have very high standards for massage therapy and can tell you with no hesitation if you are in the Chicago area and looking for an excellent massage therapist, Rosie is the real deal.  She offers many styles including LomiLomi, a Hawaiian form of massage that is absolutely wonderful to experience. Very wavelike movements.  Just delicious. 

As an advocate of an integrated and balanced lifestyle, it is my pleasure to include Rosie as a guest blogger so we can give that body of yours some attention.  For more on Rosie and her services, please visit LomiLomiHands.

It'll go away.

You may have uttered these words to yourself at some point. 

The human lifespan increases with each passing century.  Theoretically, the longer we live, the more time we have to experience life's offerings.  But, this is NOT an excuse to neglect our precious bodies along the way! 

I am not afraid to admit that my body is not the same as it was 10 years ago.  At that point in my life I was in my early 20's.  I had A LOT more energy then and was able to pack more punch into my day!  I worked 3 jobs, went to the gym at least 4 days a week and was also dabbling in the martial arts... and I thought nothing of it.  Until one day when the simple act of walking just wasn't so simple anymore.

I was working in the recreation field at the time.  About 7 years ago I was one of four core cooridnators at a special event in downtown San Jose, CA.  I had to walk down the street from the main event to check on some of my staff, when all of a sudden I felt a strange twinge and pop, then pain coming from the right side of my lower back all the way down my right leg.  It turned into a continuous tingling, yet

painful sensation and I began to limp slightly.  I had no idea what it was, and of course like many of us, I ignored it and thought, "it will go away" and kept on walking.  But as the day progressed, it became difficult to walk, and I could not lift any of the heavy boxes of equipment and food that I was in charge of.  At the urging of my supervisor, I went to see a doctor in the middle of this week-long event, where I was instructed to wear a brace, take vicodin, and basically not move whatsoever.  Against my better (and stubborn) judgment, I returned to work and my supervisor forbade me to do anything labor-intensive.  (Difficult to do, mind you, when working in such a hands-on field AND at the type of event where so many people relied on me to be everywhere at once!).  Nonetheless, I figured I would have to cope with the limitations and wait until the event was over to focus on my back problems.  Yeah, back problems at the ripe old age of 24!

Though I have much respect for western medicine, it just didn't work for me in this situation.  I refused to take vicodin, was given conflicting instructions by the physical therapist NOT to wear the back brace, and I went through several weeks of PT, which didn't seem to help my back.  I decided to take a different route.

A good friend of mine referred me to a chiropractor.  I had never been to one, and at that point my knowledge was limited regarding  alternative medicine or healing.  Painful though it was, and regardless of the out-of-pocket cost, this chiropractor was able to manipulate the lumbar vertebrae and corresponding muscles back into place.  Thanks to a combination of continued treatment,  prescribed exercises, and suggested changes in my daily activities, I was soon able to walk normally and participate in work and activities pain-free.  Talk about a HUGE wake-up call...I was only 24 and had faced excruciating back problems!  I realized I  neglected taking PROPER care of my body, not because I didn't want to, but because I didn't realize what all the built-up, physical stress was doing to it.

The truth is, we abuse our bodies daily and regularly to the point where one day we finally realize we're in a lot of pain!  We're not kind to our bodies at all, yet our bodies do nothing but give and give and give to us.  We don't eat properly, don't get enough exercise, and don't get the type of quality sleep we need.  We load ourselves up with caffeine and expect ourselves to keep going so we can accomplish more.  We ignore aches and pains, thinking they will go away, and continue to do the very repeated actions that caused those aches and pains in the first place!  We simply pop a pill to alleviate the pain and discomfort and push on with our daily agendas, only to pop another pill later in the day.  Abuse them as we might, our bodies only try to compensate for all the stress we put ourselves through.

The nervous system, for example, keeps up with our stressed-out lifestyle patterns by causing us to be in "fight or flight" mode ALL the time, as opposed to only when needed instinctually.  This in turn raises the blood pressure, which in turn causes hypertension.  So now we face heart problems!  Why?  Because our bodies don't  know any better...THEY ARE JUST TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH US!!!  Our bodies are trying to survive and adapt to what we regularly throw at them in the only way they know how.  And in the end it is a cycle destined for serious health risks!

Enter massage...

"I didn't know I had muscles there!".  I hear it often, when people come in expecting a deeply tranquil and relaxing massage, and realize part way through just how tight and tense their bodies really  are.  Of course, I want to provide a relaxing experience.  But I am also here to provide a THERAPEUTIC session, one that addresses your specific muscular issues.  Not all massage is going to be totally comfortable, but to get the results you need (and in the long-run, the results you probably want), it is necessary to do the type of work--the deeper work--that can help release the discomfort.  Sometimes it feels good, and sometimes it's a little painful.  Massage may not "cure" you, but it is a means to an end to your pain.  And, massage may not be the ONLY type of treatment you need.  Sometimes, massage can be best utilized as a complementary therapy to chiropractic care or other alternative method.  As a massage therapist, I cannot diagnose you, but I can suggest exercises to possibly help you strengthen and/or stretch the muscles that need it.  Your pain may or may not diminish in just one session.  After all, how long have you been feeling this pain?  Exactly.  It could take awhile.  But it's important to also understand that the responsibility is not completely mine...I can only do so much, after all.  I CAN help facilitate the healing process through massage, and yes, your discomfort can decrease  quite a bit.  But much of your physical comfort is directly up to you.  Are you willing to make changes in your daily life to avoid increasing your discomfort?  That's the bottom line.  Perhaps it's the way you sit at your desk, not having enough pillow support when you sleep, or not taking time to get out of the car and move and stretch if you drive long distances.  And as I mentioned above, you might need a combination of different types of treatment for awhile.  I saw my chiropractor twice a month for 6 months before I was pain-free.  I wanted to improve my physical health and I was scared of re-injury or something worse.  In that 6-month time frame I followed through with exercises and avoided activities that I knew would set me back, and I continued to see the chiropractor once a month for another 6 months after that until I didn't have to see him anymore.  Are you willing to take similar steps?  Are you invested enough in your health to stop abusing your body? 

Realistically, in today's world, it's hard to pay attention to our own needs.  I'm human and guilty of this, too!  But I continue to remind myself that I can't wait until the last minute to make those important changes.  It's definitely a conscious effort and your body will re-pay you with double the reward if you start being nice to it!

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Comments

[Cara Fletcher]

I am not sure that the back pain can go away so easily because I am suffering from it from maybe two years for now and I haven't found a cure yet.

[Belinda Shale]

A New Blog from The Patients Voice – about Back Pain

Dear Friends

Welcome to the newest blog from The Patients Voice. In this blog we are very keen to explore your thoughts and ideas about the experience of suffering from back pain.

We would therefore like to invite you to participate in the blog. Firstly by having a look at the blog and secondly by participating yourself. It is a great opportunity to share experiences and information about back pain.

To visit the blog please go to
http://www.thepatientsvoice.org/Back_Pain/Live_Blog_ver2.asp
Blogs are a wonderful way for patients and their carers to connect with each other. But not just that they are a great way to disseminate information with people who suffer from back pain.

You may also notice that our site has been re-designed so please feel free to have a look at other parts of the site. If you have any suggestions regarding the site please do feel free to email me about them.

Remember The Patients Voice is a great opportunity for you to share with others.

Best wishes

Belinda Shale
The Patients Voice
www.thepatientsvoice.org

[Back Pain Club]

Back pain is really killing me, is there any treatment that will make sure it heal completely ?