When you’re in pain, it seems like every little thing you do makes it worse. Even things you never knew cause pain have now become pain generators. It’s like “That movement never used to hurt” but there you are, curled up in a ball in the middle of the grocery store all because they put the twinkies on the top shelf. It’s so important to remember, when we’re in pain, seemingly innocent activities can drive our pain and make us feel helpless, or even twinkiless.
We need to keep in mind that everyone’s pain experience is different. How we experience pain can be thought of in terms of how full our “pain bucket” gets throughout the day. Think of everything that causes pain throughout the course of a day as a drop in the bucket. For some people, one factor may pour more water into the bucket than others. Things that fill our pain bucket include stress, poor diet, poor movement quality, the way we think about pain and our prior experience with pain, and repetitive strain/stress on the low back and re-injury. So how do we empty this bucket? We address the underlying causes that are filling the bucket:
- Get movin! Remove any repetitive stress and mechanical triggers causing your pain.
- Avoid sitting for long periods of time. Get up and move around, even a short walk, for at least 3-5 minutes for every one hour spent sitting.
- Relieve the stress! Effective stress management techniques are a must when emptying your pain bucket.
- One app I recommend to all my patients looking to better manage their stress is HeadSpace. Its a free download and is a great tool to get you on your way to a more stress-free day. Also, keep in mind, de-stressing techniques (like mindfulness and meditation) need to be practiced weekly, at least 10 minutes per day, to gain the benefits. If you’re thinking “I’ll never have a spare 10 minutes to dedicate to de-stressing,” you probably need an hour!
- Put the fire out! Decrease inflammation in the body by eating a healthier, anti-inflammatory diet. High levels of inflammation can make the pain you experience much worse than it must be. Remember, you have the power to decrease your pain by choosing what you put on your plate.
- Eating things like sugar, flour, candy, cookies, dairy, and corn contribute to inflammation in the body. Making healthier choices like whole fruits, vegetables (especially the green leafy’s), nuts, lean meats, lots of water (60% of your bodyweight in ounces per day) all help to decrease inflammation in the body, further emptying your pain bucket.
- Grab some good ZZZ’s- the body heals while you sleep. Without proper sleep, healing from injury can be prolonged.
- A good idea is to avoid too much blue light in the from phones, computers, tablets, and television. Your best bet is to pick up a good book, helping to calm the mind and relax the body before falling asleep.
- Build a bigger bucket. Increasing your muscular endurance and stamina through a consistent exercise routine helps to create a larger bucket, making it harder fill.
It’s important to keep in mind that the level of water in your bucket will be higher or lower with everything you do in your daily routine. The goal is to empty your bucket and avoid filling it. By addressing the factors in your life that contribute water to your bucket, you can avoid pain and decrease the likelihood of future painful episodes.