Issues in our tissues

The only antidote to mental suffering is physical pain.

~ Karl Marx

Sometimes we distract ourselves from painful emotions with physical pain. I have written about this in the past but find a need to repeat it today.

A growing body of research demonstrates that psychological trauma is a risk factor for developing chronic pain.

Feeling ashamed increases inflammation. Inflammation is the root cause of countless chronic conditions, including arthritis.

Think about the postures of fear, shame, or anger. Constriction and tension can be embodied as pain due to a lack of blood flow to vulnerable body tissue.

Pain is a great teacher

The world's greatest teacher is pain. The world's greatest university is life.

~ Matshona Dhliwayo 

Pain is a great teacher. It is a signal that something in our life needs to change. We can numb it or become curious about the lesson embedded in it.

What may appear as a physical ailment may originate from suppressed feelings and past hurts.

The body systems that process emotions (hormonal, nervous, immune) are intimately connected. Through the molecules they produce when processing emotion, these body systems create an imprint in our cells. 

In fact, some pain medications not only numb physical pain but also emotional pain, increasing the likelihood of addiction.

We store issues in our tissues and may even pass them on to our offspring.

An example often cited is that stressed pregnant women are more likely to give birth to asthmatic children.

And what is the treatment of choice for asthma? Medication that acts like cortisol, a stress hormone. Like heals like.

Environmental mismatch

Modern life offers marvels but has not been good for our physical and mental health.

~ Thomas Rutledge, Ph.D

Despite ergonomically designed workspaces, orthopaedic mattresses, massages, and physiotherapy, chronic pain is more common in developed countries.

In developing countries, where physically demanding labor is non-negotiable for survival, chronic pain is less evident. 

From Dr Ronald Siegel, a Harvard Medical School Professor, and Dr John E. Sarno, a Professor of Rehabilitation Medicine at New York University School of Medicine, I learned about the lack of correlation between structural findings (from scans and MRIs) and chronic pain.  

For example, the majority of people with bulging or herniated discs experience no pain whatsoever, and fake knee surgeries have alleviated pain through the power of thought - or the placebo effect.

Dr Siegel talks about the pain-fear-tension loop. Pain creates fear of disability, amplifies sensitivity, and tightens muscles. Resisting pain impairs its transience. We can become stuck in it. Dr Siegel teaches mindfulness to help overcome the resistance that fuels pain.

Dr John E. Sarno coined the acronym TMS for Tension Myositis (or Myoneural) Syndrome. In his books, he reveals that many painful conditions are rooted in repressed emotions and can be cured without drugs, physical therapies, or surgery.

Dr Sarno taught his patients to identify the emotional roots of their TMS. Then, he helped them to sever the connections between mental and physical pain. He believed that physical pain is a distraction that keeps us from exploring unresolved emotional trauma.

If you or a loved one is experiencing physical pain, I highly recommend you consider the following resources:

• Dr. Ron Siegel’s interview on chronic pain here or his books linked here.

• Dr John E. Sarno’s books, linked here.

  
  

Of course, one must rule out dangerous stuff before embarking on a mindfulness-based healing approach.

I have complete conviction that letting go of fear and resistance and allowing repressed, painful emotions to surface can heal pain instantaneously. It has happened to me, as I explained here.

What to do?

One word frees us of all the weight and pain in life. That word is love.

~ Sophocles

• Pay attention to your emotions.

• Listen to the body's cry for help.

• Emotions become embodied when suppressed. Emote them safely.

• Reframe trauma as an opportunity for growth and transformation.

• Forgive without condoning bad behaviour.  

• Replace painful emotions with feelings of joy and gratitude.

• Share the lessons you learned.

  
  

Physical pain often has an emotional underlying cause. Sometimes we have to let go of the past to heal.