How to change chronic back pain: A series (Part 1)

Chronic back pain can be debilitating, there’s no other way to say it. It can affect your entire life- stop you from doing activities you enjoy; alter your social life and your relationships; and affect your mental health, among many other things.

Usually, it involves years of suffering, frustration, anger, hopelessness, fear, and more. Nearly everyone I work with who suffers from chronic back pain, tells me that all they want is for the pain to stop. I understand. But changing pain that has been rearing its’ ugly head for a long period of time, is a significant goal. It’s not going to happen overnight. It’s important to understand what you’re aiming at in order to experience any change.

SUMMITING THE MOUNTAIN:

I want you to think of your chronic back pain (or any chronic pain for that matter), like summiting a huge mountain.
The ultimate goal is to summit the mountain (changing pain)- which comes way later, at the end right? You can’t approach it like it’s going to happen soon. Just like if you did a couple of weeks of training to summit a massive mountain, you’re not likely going to achieve the goal. You need to put in the training and the repetition, over and over and over. You need to start thinking about all the little things you need to do on a daily basis that are in service of that goal. And they’re going to probably span all aspects of your life. Just like climbing a mountain requires physical, mental, nutritional, emotional, and social support, so does chronic back pain. It is the process of repeating simple, health-related behaviors over and over without any expectation for quick changes, that will ultimately get you closer to your goal.

PLANNING YOUR JOURNEY:

To take the first step, you need a plan. Just like your summit, it would need significant planning to make sure everything runs smoothly. Planning your journey may not be an easy thing to undertake on your own. You need support. Aim to find a healthcare professional who takes time to help you on your journey; acknowledges your pain; listens to your fears and concerns; shares your goal of long-term change over immediate symptom relief; empowers you to move your body in any way you are able. Seeing someone who is able to help you might be the start of your journey to changing your chronic pain.

TAKING YOUR FIRST STEP:

I know the beginning of a journey can be overwhelming and scary. Taking the first step is always the hardest part. But in order to see any change, you have to take the first step. If you think about summiting a mountain, what are some of the things you might do to prepare yourself for the task? You might increase your endurance training; strengthen your lungs to prepare for the altitude; improve your diet and eat more wholesome foods; consume less alcohol; and go to bed earlier to be more energized for training. All of these individual tasks performed with consistency are ultimately going to get you to the top of the mountain.

So in order to change chronic pain, you need to ask yourself- what can I do on a daily basis to get me to the top of the mountain? To understand this, you need to take a good look at your overall health and aim to figure out what health habits could possibly be contributing to chronic pain in the first place. This may seem overwhelming initially, especially if there are many things you would like to change. My advice- focus on one single thing that you can change in your daily life that would contribute to improving your health. It doesn’t need to be anything fancy or over-complicated. Something as simple as drinking more water. Simple changes can make a significant difference. This can be your first step. And slowly but surely you start adding more health-related changes to your daily life.

Remember, it’s a journey. Take things slowly, be kind to yourself, and believe that you can make a change.