For The Love of Skiing - How to Reduce Chronic Pain
Do you suffer from pain? As a lifelong skier, I have had my fair share of injuries -- from just simple sore muscles that a hot tub will fix to those that take me out for a season. Some injuries have been more accentuated in my life than others. These impactful injuries have not always correlated with the severity of the injury.
Why is that?
I have also seen in my clinic that not all injuries are equal. And what dictates a greater debilitation is not always related to the severity of pathology. What I mean to say here is that I have seen patients with an X-ray that shows severe osteoarthritis with little pain, as well as patients with an X-ray with mild to moderate osteoarthritis and a patient's active life, is thwarted. Two people never experience the same level of pain. And that is why I approach each patient individually and do not dismiss their pain based on the image findings.
Why isn't chronic pain linear and simple to quantify?
There are three variables that influence how a person perceives pain. We experience pain from physical injury. Pain intensity is controlled partially by how the brain perceives the injury. And lastly, there is the social or cultural factor that influences how we expect and accept the pain we are in.
The most simplified and straightforward model of chronic pain is the mechanical component. This is the type of pain that can be measured - through a physical exam or imaging. And this pain matches what is found in the exam. Most of us can easily accept our pain when it accurately matches the image in front of us.
When the pain level doesn't match the mechanical findings is where the complexity of the mind begins. As a naturopathic doctor, I have seen firsthand the effects of stress on my patients. I have seen high-stress situations reduce outcomes and keep patients in higher states of pain.
Alternatively, I have also seen the placebo effect in action. Jo Marchant in Cure: A Journey into the Science of Mind Over Body, wrote, "People who are ill often improve regardless of the treatment they receive. But neuroscientists are discovering that in some conditions, including pain, placebos create biological effects similar to those caused by drugs." It is such that our thoughts and expectation of healing can shape the reality in which we live. Said in other words, if you think you are going to get better, you will.
Lastly, there is the social component. We all see it in how children are raised. Boys are often told to toughen up whereas girls are soothed more readily at the onset of an injury. There are cultural differences at play here too. Some cultures push through pain whereas others are more ready to succumb to it. I'd even say there is a ski culture where die-hard skiers are known to keep pushing through barriers of pain to continue to experience the joy of the slopes. Or even in the weekend warrior scenario — as soon as you lock into your skis, your pain points diminish.
The amazingly complex part of pain is that all of the variables play on each other. Where if your mind's perception of pain is dampened, it can decrease how much pain you are in due to a degenerated condition. Alternatively, if your stress levels are up, your pain can be accentuated without any change in the mechanics.
With all this said, here are some stress reduction tips to help you live with pain.
Learn to Meditate or Deep Breathe.
These are age-old techniques to help ease your pain. Focusing on your breath is a great relaxation technique and can quickly reduce your stress.
Control what you can in your life.
You may not be able to quickly change the mechanical stress but you can find other areas in your life to manage to effectively reduce your overall stress. For example, skiing has always been a stress reliever for me and helps to relieve pain points in my body. I often remind my patients to do something that they love every day - no matter how little or big this may be. This action helps to improve your overall outlook on life.
Exercise within your limits.
Chronic pain can be dampened by enhancing endorphins in your body. These brain chemicals improve your mood while also blocking pain signals. Exercise has an added benefit of improving your body's physique by helping to prevent further injury and pain.
Prioritize sleep.
Whatever it takes to make sure you are getting a good night sleep will always help your healing and pain points. Sleep can be disrupted by alcohol, unresolved emotions and leftover tasks that hang over you through the night.