The Mind/Body Connections To Lessen Pain

By Linda Penkala, Author, LMT

According to the CDC, chronic pain (lasting more than three months) impacts 50 million adults in the U.S. Pain is more prevalent in women than men, which, in my practice as a massage therapist, is seen regularly. The ramifications of dealing with the day-to-day symptoms in the body cause a heightened level of stress, anxiety, and fear. At this junction, the chemical onslaught of cortisol, adrenaline, and neurotransmitters work hard to do their job, but it plays out in excess, causing other bodily complications.

What if the mind/body connection can be enhanced to reprogram the signals from the brain to the body to cause a reset, with physical benefits? Such a program exists to end back pain and anxiety by calming the danger signals in the brain, according to Dr. Howard Schubiner. He is an expert in pain management and mind-body medicine and the author of Unlearn Your Pain, teaching how to rewire neural circuits in the brain to reverse pain. He states the real cause is Mind Body Syndrome, which results in fibromyalgia, migraines, neck and back pain, tension headaches, or pelvic pain. He accomplishes this through his Emotional Awareness and Expression Therapy to rewire the pain path, offering relief with less pain. https://unlearnyourpain.com/patient-pathways/.

In the field of therapeutic massage, there is a visceral shift in my clients’ pain after an hour of massage, which is seen in their faces, countenance afterward, and ability to breathe better, among other positive changes. The toll that chronic pain takes on the entire frame, soft tissue, and mental peace can’t be overlooked. During a massage, the parasympathetic nervous system is reengaged to lessen blood pressure, heart rate and soften pain.

Massage is being prescribed by increasing numbers of doctors, chiropractors, and counselors as a complementary therapy. The Mayo Clinic’s Integrative Medicine and Health director, Dr. Brent Bauer, states that the opioid epidemic showed the medical world the limits of pharmacy options, as many referring physicians now send patients to acupuncturists, massage therapists, and mind-body holistic therapists.

One simple, safe, and drug-free pain remedy shared with my clients is phototherapy patches that put nothing in the body. They are a non-transdermal quarter-size patch that reacts to the heat of your skin, and creates light on the acupressure meridians to open up flow for healing and pain relief: Lifewave Light Therapy).

The beautiful design of our body and mind working together to heal pain offers hope to the many who choose an effective non-drug creative path!