It’s A Long And Winding Road

Movement Based Therapies

Considering lost wages, medical treatment, medication, low productivity and legal charges, chronic pain is said to be the most expensive health problem in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 70 to 85 percent of the population suffer from some form of back condition at sometime in their lives. Cancer patients in intermediate or sever stages suffer pain. 47 million Americans have arthritis pain each year.

There are two different kinds of pain:

Acute pain ends after a particular condition is resolved and may be caused by tissue damage, inflammation, illness, injury or a recent surgical procedure.

Chronic pain continues to reek havoc for sufferers for a long period of time, sometimes even years.

Conventional medical treatment for pain may include over the counter medication such as NSAIDS, acetaminophen or aspirin. For those needing stronger relief prescriptions including narcotics and antidepressants may be ordered by their health care professional. Sometimes surgery is required to repair a problem that hasn’t responded to any other treatment. There are non-drug alternatives to treating pain. And, indeed, conventional physicians are starting to take a look and even prescribe some of these methods.

Muscle Based Therapies

The conditions helped by muscle based therapies are: joint pain, lower back pain and musculoskeletal pain. They work by strengthening supporting muscles, improving alignment and the release of endorphins. Muscle based therapies are:

* Physical therapy which works to strengthen areas of the body through resistance training.

* Yoga works through relaxation, meditation, breathing, stretching and balance to relieve pain. It is thought that it helps the brain’s pain center regulate the spinal cord’s pain gate controlled mechanism as well as release the bodies natural pain relievers.

* Pilates strengthens core muscles through a resistance training.

* Tai chi uses slow, fluid movement that improves body alignment, flexibility, strength, coordination, balance and stamina.

* Feidenkrais uses painless, gentle exercises to retrain the body to it’s proper alignment and movement.

In Pain Free, part 2we will discuss herbal and nutritional remedies for the relief of pain.

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