Some Typical Scenarios

More often than I would like, I see patients who are clearly suffering from some sort of trauma, severe stress, or depression. I have had many mature mothers crying over adult children or grandchildren, who are either stressing them out, or outright ignoring them. Appointments are cancelled as a result of unreliable relatives, who are spoken down to, or spoken to in a highly inappropriate manner whilst in my room.

Other scenarios include: the wife or girlfriend who clearly is not allowed to generally articulate themselves;  the wife that treats the husband like he is stupid; the mother who acts like the adult child is still a baby;  the elderly patients whose family speak as though they are incapable of understanding basic things. Sometimes the foot pains clearly are nothing, compared to the pain in the heart, from losing a relative, or feeling alone. At times, it is the physical pain, that brings on the severe depression, and sense of hopelessness.

I see it all…I hear it all…I feel for many…I deal with some…I advise some…I try! There are times I just want to put the relative out of the room; honestly, cause they are grossly disrespectful  to the person they are there with; sometimes I ignore them; other times, I tell them I need to get from my actual patient, what is going on. The question I have been asking myself recently is, are we as health professionals doing enough? Are we seeking to direct patients appropriately, if there are signs of abuse, or mental health issues?

Chronic Pain and Mental Health

Studies have shown that chronic pain might not only be caused by physical injury, but also by stress and emotional issues. In particular, people who have experienced trauma and suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), are often at a higher risk to develop chronic pain.

Chronic pain is defined as prolonged physical pain that lasts for longer than the natural healing process should allow. This pain might stem from injuries, inflammation, or neuralgias and neuropathies (disorders of the nerves), but some people suffer in the absence of any of these conditions. Chronic pain can weaken one’s ability to move with ease; hinder normal functioning; while the search for relief can lead to pain medication addictions, which compound the problem. Chronic pain is also often accompanied by feelings of hopelessness, depression, and anxiety.

Many people are already familiar with the fact that emotional stress can lead to stomach aches; irritable bowel syndrome; and headaches; but might not know that it can also cause other physical complaints, and even chronic pain. One logical reason for this: studies have found that the more anxious and stressed people are, the more tense and constricted their muscles are, over time causing the muscles to become fatigued and inefficient. In this case as well, if little or no physical activity in done, then you make things worse for the body.

More subtly, one might develop psychosomatic or stress-related symptoms, because of unresolved emotional issues. These are not new discoveries; researchers have studied the mind/body interrelationship for several decades because of the importance of this link. Experts have noticed that experiencing a traumatic event can have an impact on the development of pain. In fact, approximately 15-30% of patients with chronic pain also have PTSD.

The Effects of Trauma

During a traumatic event, the nervous system goes into survival mode (the sympathetic nervous system), and sometimes has difficulty reverting back into its normal, relaxed mode again (the parasympathetic nervous system). If the nervous system stays in survival mode, stress hormones such as cortisol are constantly released, causing an increase in blood pressure and blood sugar, which can in turn reduce the immune system’s ability to heal. Physical symptoms start to manifest when the body is in constant distress.

If someone has experienced a trauma prior to their current injury or trauma, old memories can potentially be triggered, exacerbating the effects of the newer trauma. Research has shown that, under ordinary conditions, many traumatised people, including rape victims, battered women and abused children, have a fairly good psychosocial adjustment. However, they do not respond to stress the way other people do. Under pressure, they may feel (or act) as if they were traumatised all over again.

Dealing with Trauma Related Problems

Often, physical pain functions to warn a person that there is still emotional work to be done, and it can also be a sign of unresolved trauma in the nervous system. Even if one has grieved and processed the emotional impact of a trauma, the nervous system might still unwittingly be in survival mode. Since trauma has been found to have a strong correlation to chronic pain, a combination of psychotherapy and physical therapy would be the most logical pain management option for stress and chronic pain relief.

Tackling the physical aspect of chronic pain involves focusing on alignment in the body, as well as posture that supports organised alignment. Beginning a daily programme of walking, can help to mobilise the muscles, and is the best way to stimulate the lymph system to do its job, and oxygenate injured muscles.

Although one might not be aware of the lingering effect of the trauma, or believe that the traumatic event has been put behind you, the body could be clinging to unresolved issues. Relevant psychotherapy can help to resolve the physical problems.

 

Your feet mirror your general health . . . cherish them!