Chronic Pain

A word about Chronic Pain.

It seems that today the most important thing for us physically these days (when we are not losing weight) is being pain free.

Billions of dollars are spent every year to eliminate pain from all of it's causes.

Got a headache? Take Excedrin.

Got a back ache? Physiotherapy or Pilates or Yoga will fix that up.

Painful divorce? Our Therapists will talk you through it.

Something is wrong with you today if, with all this help available, you are still in pain. Doesn't it seem that way?

I am entrenched in one side of this issue. I have chronic pain. I say chronic because it has been around since a 2002 car accident and it is showing no sign of letting up. I have done the exercises, seen the specialists, even taken the pills. So what do I do with this new friend of mine?

In the back of my mind there is this little voice saying "There is a solution, keep looking, try harder" and I really believe that voice. The problem has been, what do I do while I am searching / waiting for this solution?

The pain is stronger sometimes than others, something that is called a pain cycle. As I am writing this now it is in one of the most difficult phases. It is a frustrating, gnawing, withering type of pain. Not so much that I couldn't deal with it for an hour or even a day. But having the history that I have with it, some darkness can start to fall over my thoughts as it works away at me. It has been after me now in this phase for about 48 hours. I know it will start to lower to about half in a week or so. But there is never that release from it. Just less demanding of attention.

I can understand the frustration of other pain sufferers. Those who must toil away with no light at the end of the tunnel.

The important part of conquering pain is feeling like you have some control over it. Some influence. You would never know to look at me that I am in this pain unless you observed me for some time, since I have no choice but to soldier on.

The sad thing is, I know there are many many people in exactly this same situation. People who have to pay the bills, make dinner, take out the garbage, clean the floor, sometimes work on top of all of that.

The walking wounded a lawyer said as he told me there was no case for the automobile accident that started this pain.

Most people don't like to talk about their pain, mostly because none of us really want to hear about it. And you get tired of restating the same things over and over. But on the other side of the coin you need to have some way to discuss the frustrations with someone who will listen.

I plan to write some more about this topic in the coming weeks as a prelude to our upcoming workshop. And it has been too long since I added something to this Blog.