What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, according to Friedrich Nietzsche – although he probably wasn’t thinking about the ageing process when he penned this famous statement. Nobody would claim that living with chronic back pain or neck pain, anxiety, migraines or diabetes makes you stronger.
Pain Relief and Chronic Pain in the UK
The trend is clear in most places: average life expectancy is going up, in part thanks to better health care offerings. However, studies also shows an increase in chronic disease and pain. We are able to survive diseases that previously killed us, but we live longer with non-fatal diseases.
“Almost half the adult population is living with chronic pain,” the Daily Mail reports. A major new review suggests that around 28 million adults in the UK are affected by some type of chronic pain (pain that lasts for more than three months).
The World Health Organisation defines pain as “an unpleasant sensory or emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage or described in terms of such damage”.
Pain does not just affect the body. It also affects how people feel mentally and emotionally. We can experience many losses because of pain, for example jobs, relationships, finances and home life, which sometimes leads to loss of confidence and low self-esteem.
Thought patterns can become negative, low and full of frustration. Pain can take over, disrupting sleep, making tempers short and memory and concentration poor. Such feelings can also affect you’ ability to cope with pain and even the levels of pain experienced.
Many people have persistent physical complaints, such as dizziness or pain, that don’t appear to be symptoms of a medical condition.
They are sometimes known as “medically unexplained symptoms” when they last for more than a few weeks, but doctors can’t find a problem with the body that may be the cause. Medically unexplained symptoms are common, accounting for up to 45% of all GP appointments and half of all new visits to hospital clinics in the UK.
This doesn’t mean the symptoms are faked or “all in the head” – they’re real and can affect your ability to function properly.
Many people with medically unexplained symptoms, such as tiredness, pain and heart palpitations, also have depression or anxiety.
People must take responsibility for own health, says Matt Hancock
The Health Secretary called for people to adopt healthier lifestyles. Prevention is also about ensuring that people take greater responsibility for managing their own health. It’s about people choosing to look after themselves better, staying active and stopping smoking. Making better choices by limiting alcohol, sugar, salt and fat.”
Many people simply put up with the relentless pains that never seem to show up on scans. Most of my clients have been prescribed endless tablets to manage their various discomforts, but they just grin and bear it as the doctors and the medication isn’t really helping. I have been very successful in helping many people.
Through an adaptive approach of Bodywork techniques, modern day Shiatsu styles, Thai Massage, Indian Head Massage, Kinesiology, Acupressure, Chakra Balancing, Reiki, NLP Holistic Hypnotherapy, my clients have benefited from a high success rate in pain relief – all without a single pill. Doesn’t that sound better?
Aside from its calming and stress-relieving properties, Integrative therapy also provides intensive cleansing effect by flushing out toxins from the body. The application of deep and gentle pressure on the limbs and trunk helps loosen built up toxins and transports them in appropriate pathways to be neutralised and eliminated from the body.
Allowing the body’s built-in recuperative powers to function efficiently and the body to revitalise the balance itself.
Tui Na Traditional Chinese Massage
During recent months I have been studying and practicing Tui Na, or tuina. It’s a therapeutic form of massage and has been used in China for more than 4,000 years. Defined as “the ancient healing art of fingers and strength,” tui na (pronounced “twee nah”) has been gaining international attention for its safe and effective treatment for a wide variety of conditions. Tui na massage therapy is used for giving special treatments to people of all ages, from infancy to old age, including pain relief.
The greatest advantage of tui na is that it focuses on maintaining overall balance with both physical and mental health. Anyone who prefers to find a natural solution to the use of drugs or a chemical-based treatment can adopt this effective massage technique to alleviate their pain. Tui na massage therapy is now becoming a more common therapy method due to its focus on specific problems rather than providing a general treatment.
Using fingers, hands, elbows, knees to apply pressure to a specific body location. This complementary and alternative Chinese massage makes use of a variety of techniques along different energy channels of the body to establish harmonious flow of qi throughout the body and bringing it back to balance. By applying pressure to meridians, acupoints, and groups of muscles and nerves, tui na removes blockages and works deeply with the positive energy of the body.
A typical session of tui na massage may vary from thirty minutes to ninety minutes. The session timings may vary depending on the patient’s needs and condition. The best part of the therapy is that it relaxes as well as energises the client. The main benefit of tui na massage is that it focuses on the specific problem, whether it is an acute or a chronic pain associated with the joints, muscles or a skeletal system. This technique is very beneficial in reducing the pain of neck, shoulders, hips, back, arms, highs, legs and ankle disorders. It is a very effective therapy for arthritis, pain, sciatica and muscle spasms.
Other benefits of this massage therapy include alleviation of the stress related disorders like insomnia, constipation, headaches and other disorders related to digestive, respiratory and reproductive systems.
On completion of my studies which incorporates Chinese anatomy and physiology, tui na theory and a rigorous practical examination, I will be integrating these techniques within my holistic practice.
“When you can’t remember why you’re hurt, that’s when you’re healed.” Jane Fonda
I would love to help you on this journey.
As always, I hope this helps. Feel free to share this with your family, friends and colleagues.