I was just in a meeting with my team, and we were discussing how damaging back and neck labels can be. The result is people not receiving the right treatment for their pain.
We had a really great discussion on this and I’d love to share some key points that we came up with.
So…
Time and time again we have clients coming in that have been labelled with chronic neck & back pain.
This is important to discuss because..
if you don’t learn how misleading these labels can be, then you accept your pain. You don’t get the treatment that you deserve and you’re left feeling vulnerable in these areas.
I don’t want this path for you AT ALL!
I want you to have a clear understanding of where your body is at. You can build confidence in your capabilities, gain strength, and have a clear mindset to propel you to stability in your neck/back that has been ailing you for a long time.
So here is what I want to share with you today:
My key advice to overcoming your neck/back label that you’ve been slapped with…
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Mindset rest:
First things first, if your mind is not willing than your body certainly won’t be coming along for the ride.
You need to believe that the chronic pain you’re experiencing can and should be changed. If you put in the work, have a clear and detailed plan to propel out of pain, that’s the first key step in overcoming the label.
You’ve had this pain for months, years even! Our minds are a powerful tool in overcoming challenges, harness it right and you’ll be one step closer to long term results.
This can be a real challenge, you may have been told that you need to “put up with” your problem and that there is no solution.
Typically to overcome chronic pain, a step by step plan is needed. Slowly build up the right muscles to support you more effectively, once this is achieved incredible results can follow.
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Accept the reality:
Chronic pain is by definition, reoccurring, right?
Building up strength is usually a core aspect of getting long term results and out of chronic pain.
Here’s the reality, it WILL take TIME.
Little wins can be celebrated along the journey, as the pain typically subsides before the work is over. It changes to become less severe, less frequent and easier to manage. This step will start happening when you move from a vicious cycle of weakness, no movement and poor support networks around your body to strength, regular movement and a can do attitude.
You have to accept that it will not be a short journey, it will be process and you’ll be tested along the way. The goals that you have and the push to be out of chronic pain long term needs to be your key motivator to stay on track.
All the little wins you have along the way should be celebrated!
You’re not stiff getting out of bed anymore? AMAZING! Well done!
You’re doing 5 more reps than last week? INCREDIBLE!
This is how success is built, small steps add up to big wins.
The outcome of your journey doesn’t rely just on the practitioner, but goes hand in hand with the dedication you bring to the program. I promise you’ll see results over time if you just keep at it.
3. Strength is key
Hands on techniques can be amazing at settling down pain and it certainly feels great!
The thing here is that although hands on can be great at giving short term pain relief and making you feel better.. It doesn’t give any long-term support in getting further in your rehab.
The aches and pains you’re experiencing are often due to a strength deficient in one or more areas of the body.
My final advice here is to STOP relying on the hands-on work to make you feel better all the time. You shouldn’t need to get a “tune up” every few months to get you through, this is common but shouldn’t be normalised.
Listen, I hope you found this helpful on how to overcome chronic pain labels!
