The perception of pain is very complex with much individual variance.  Whilst pain is a signal to warn us of damage or danger it can also become chronic in nature and completely affect our quality of life unnecessarily. Understanding how pain perception works and what you can do to manage it holistically can help you feel in control of any pain symptoms you encounter in your life.

Pain Perception

Pain is much more than just a signal or response to an injury. The sensation of pain is influenced by many different systems in the body making your sensations more or less sensitive. It’s why pain management can at times be difficult and frustrating. Factors influencing pain include;

• Mood and emotional state
• General health
• Inflammation or imbalances in the body
• Previous injuries
• Past experiences with pain
• Beliefs about pain and our perception of control
• Level of fatigue
• Social support
• Age, gender, and genetics even play a roll

Better Pain Management

Chronic pain is defined as consistently experiencing discomfort more than 6 weeks that affects your activities of daily living. Experiencing chronic pain can be emotionally draining and may lead to avoidance behaviours preventing you from performing exercise, household chores or even work. If left unchecked long enough chronic pain may even lead to permanent disability. 

There are many great holistic options for either preventing or managing unnecessary pain and suffering.

• Optimal spine alignment for good nerve flow and signals
• Regular exercise, stretching, and movement
• Proper nutritional status
• Sleep quality and quantity
• Stress and anxiety management
• Social and family support

Chiropractic care and pain management

The majority of pain management options listed above are maximised when spine alignment is first addressed. When spine misalignment goes undiagnosed, it affects the body’s ability to communicate (via nerve flow) and can make you hypersensitive to pain signals and inflammatory responses. Poor spine alignment is best addressed with the help of a chiropractor. Chiropractors are experts in re-establishing spine balance by recognising misalignment and poor movement patterns and helping correct them.

At Life Chiropractic Centre we use a variety of techniques to improve spinal function and alignment. Restoring spine alignment is always the first step in building sustainable health and preventing unnecessary pain and/or injury.

Not only will chiropractic care help you manage your pain, it will boost your quality of life and minimise the need for harsh treatments like medication and surgery.