To Pain or Not To Pain... is that the question?

As a chiropractor I often find myself in conversations on pain. Specifically, answering questions on how to make it go away. The pain in question is typically an alarm - indicating some thing is wrong in the body. In the process of turning off this alarm I commonly find a weakness that is causal to the pain. The interesting twist is that often - almost always with structure - I have to introduce my patient to a different kind of pain to keep the original pain from returning. But this is not limited to structural health.

Nutrition - the goal: to ingest foods that increase and support the replacement/growth of tissues & cells and provide fuel to run - create energy - for the many systems that run the human body/mind. For success in this I must avoid overeating and substituting good foods with those of little nutritional value. I have found this challenging, uncomfortable and, yes, even painful. (discipline can be painful) But the ability to embrace this discomfort & pain will determine my success in nutrition.

Exercise - the goal: to create and maintain tone, strength, balance and function. To achieve success here I must 'push the envelope' - huff and puff and endure controlled pain. The level of discomfort and pain I use in 'pushing' a workout, often, determines the level of success in that exercise.

Relationships - the goal: involvement in relationships that nurture development/growth. My observation - people often come together in a shared interest but grow together in differences. Looking for a soulmate - find someone you can fight with where compassion, consideration and compromise survive - even grow. It is the way I deal with the discomfort and pain in relationships that, usually, determines my success in those relationship.

Structure - the goal: to dictate function. The unique characteristics of my body - specifically the 'weak links' - will be the ceiling for functional capability. In no place in the human frame is this more evident than my spine. (what? I'm a chiropractor what did you expect me to say). In my work in biomechanics, I often repeat 'you must go to the bad place and work with the bad thing' to my patients. The ability to understand and apply this is what enables someone to take something weak and make it stronger. In this effort the ability to work within well understood parameters of healing associated with discomfort & pain is the determining factor of success in restoring and maintaining structural stability.

It is human nature to move toward comfort and away from pain. Advances in modern life in the U.S. have fed into this - to the point that too many of us eat for comfort, exercise sporadically, allow differences in perspective to separate us, and view structural weaknesses as points of avoidance. To grow in each area you must first see/know the shortcomings of pursuing only comfort & avoiding pain. Then set about to working with them - not avoiding them.

The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials.

~ Chinese Proverb ~