So here’s the thing. Pain is not pleasant. It’s not nice. But it most certainly is necessary. However. And that’s a big HOWEVER… chronic pain is a whole other kettle of fish. Chronic pain is pointless. And if you’ve been living with it, I’m sure you’ll be saying, “Well, no s*** Sherlock.”
The reality is that, when pain becomes chronic, it is because the brain is perceiving the body is under threat in some way, shape or form. And even if the body tissue is no longer damaged, there is information coming into the brain that is still saying “Watch out! Alarm systems go!”
I talk in more depth about this in my feature “Chronic Pain: The whats, whys and hows” but there are a lot more resources out there that you can use if this is something you are struggling with.
From simply getting a better understanding of pain and how it works, to taking clear measurable steps to reduce at the very least and resolve at the very most, these are my top five resources to all things pain and how to change it.
Top Five Resources on Pain and How to Move Past It
A classic in the pain world, ‘Explain Pain‘ is written by two very well established pain specialists – David Butler and Lorimer Mosely. I cannot recommend this text highly enough. Lorimer and Moseley, bring the subject of pain to life in a clear way using humour to keep things light. With a big focus on why pain functions in the way that it does, you can start to develop an understanding of the brain and the body, and how you might be able to influence it.
