Back pain – it’s something that 80% of us will have to deal with at one point or another. But why is back pain – or any kind of pain for that matter – just annoying to one person and excruciating to another? Our Fareham chiropractor believes that a person’s tolerance to pain can be as unique as the individual and is shaped by biological and psychological factors.
When it comes to feeling and processing pain, the body follows two steps. The first is the biological step which is when we start to feel pain or uncomfortable sensations coming on. These feelings tell our brains that something isn’t going quite right within our bodies. The second step involves processing how the brain perceives the pain. Do we ignore the sensations and carry on as normal or we do drop tools and focus on the area of our bodies that hurts?
Our Fareham chiropractor explains that pain is both a biochemical and neurological conduction of a nasty sensation and an emotional experience. Past negative experiences and trauma can influence a person’s ability to tolerate pain and people who suffer from chronic pain can even become hypersensitive to unpleasant stimuli.
Your pain threshold can also be influenced by your emotions, physical health and lifestyle. If you’re an athlete, for example, you will likely to be able to tolerate a higher level of pain than a person who doesn’t exercise. You may find it more difficult to tolerate pain if you smoke or if you’re obese. You can even become more sensitive to pain and unpleasant sensations if you suffer from depression or anxiety. And then there are certain biological factors, such as genetics, spinal cord damage and chronic diseases such as diabetes that may shape your threshold for pain.
But how you deal with those aches and niggles doesn’t have to be set in stone. There are alternative remedies – such as relaxation techniques – that can teach you how to focus your mind away from the pain. Meditation, distraction, and a positive attitude are effective tools that can help your brain to perceive a reduced amount of pain.
And the best part is that these techniques can be used together with pretty much any form of physical therapy, such as chiropractic care.
Our Experience Counts: 55 Years in Fareham
Serving the people of Fareham, and surrounding areas of Southampton, Portsmouth, Hampshire and the local areas of Whiteley, Hedge End, Locks Heath & Portchester
