In our last connection, I shared a TED talk by an awesome neurobiologist by the name of Lorimer Moseley. If you missed it, you can find the entertaining 15 minute chat here.

Moseley explains how pain is complicated. Pain is more than just the highly uncomfortable sensations you feel when a hammer hits your finger. In fact, the brain creates the specific magnitude of pain with tons of input that include whether you’ve experienced anything remotely similar in the past, your biomechanics, your given state of stress on a particular day (including everything from amount of rest in your system, to easily digestible food to your comfort with your finances), and far beyond. Yes, most all of your inner emotions and outer environment combine to determine the the amplitude of pain that you experience in a given incident. It is extremely complex with so many contributing pieces.

And therein lies the simplicity as well.

Pain results from a combination of many pieces and, in the same manner, the intensity of pain can potentially be decreased by changing the nature of any one of those pieces. With attention to more and more of those pieces over time, chronic pain can shift.

It is complicated, no doubt. Your pain is very real and very complicated. And it can be addressed bit by bit. Step by step. With patience and honesty throughout the facets of your life, chronic pain can decrease and quality of life can vastly increase. I have experienced it myself with chronic migraines. I have seen it in others with chronic back, shoulder and hip pain. Change is possible.

If you’re curious to learn more, take a read through this awesome short resource, Understanding Persistent Pain (also created by Moseley’s team) that hits on the complexity of pain and how one can begin to think about it in approachable component pieces. And if you want to dive deeper on your own, there is an App from his team called Protectometer that can further help to deconstruct your pain inputs. How very cool is that?

The support is truly endless when we’re ready to embrace real change: a different way of seeing ourselves, moving our bodies, and being in our lives. Healing is an awesome path to walk. Come along with me if you’d like.

Be well,
Rachel