OWWWW, OUCH, Ahhhhh, usually means you’re in pain – the look on your face says it all and the sound that comes from within is indicative of the depth of pain. All in all, pain is truly no fun. Getting out of bed some mornings can really be a challenge from deep tissue pain, joint pain, headaches, or bruise-like pain. Then there’s the deeper pain, like chest pain that has everyone on high alert diving for the nearest phone to call 911. If your body could talk, what would you say? Pain is a communication tool letting you know that your attention is needed – like if you lean up against the kitchen counter next to the stove and it’s hot, you’ll feel pain and alert your brain to move your hand or body away from potential injury. While you may not always feel grateful to your body for yelling at you after a bee sting or sending the shooting pain from your back all the way down to your toes, it is quite successfully communicating with you telling you that something is not right. The big question is … are you listening? There are different types of pain, or categories if you like; there’s acute pain and chronic pain. Acute is like you’ve stubbed your toe – it’s quick, happens suddenly, and has a limited duration. You can see the damage caused to cells and your immune system working to contain the trauma as your toe swells and turns colours from the bruise, but if you can’t see the acute damage because it’s internal damage to an organ if you are in a car accident or break a bone if you fall off your bike; damage to bone, muscle, organs can hurt like hell leading to tears and emotional stress. Chronic pain lasts longer and for whatever reason can’t resolve itself and is resistant to medical treatment. Chronic pain can be exhausting leading to more physiological consequences like depression and anxiety and a life of extra stress that no one wants to live.
Lives can be forever changed from debilitating pain to injury that happened from accidents, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, nerve or neuropathic pain, muscular pain or joint pain, chest pain, back pain, postoperative pain, pain from cancer, headaches, and migraines – pain that I’ve suffered all my life, and pain from medical treatments like radiation. Acute pain that you feel in your throat, sinuses, or chest with a virus that takes over and has all your cells feeling like there’s a war going on inside your body can be scary at times, especially with all that is talked about during the pandemic. Then there’s the pain that you can’t see or touch; emotional and psychological pain from anxiety and depression, and emotional trauma. About 70% of people with chronic pain take medication, and after a while, that may not even work anymore. A friend just had hip surgery and oxycodone isn’t working for him and he’s beside himself. So while an incredibly broad subject to do a deep dive into, we have to start somewhere, and who better to start this topic with than Dr. Davis Brockenshire. This man sees pain every hour of every day with his patients as a Functional Medicine expert. Having started in chiropractic, his skills have evolved to look at the body and pain in particular from ALL angles. His unique approach is one that has crossed the border from Ontario into Michigan to have myself checked out and even taken my daughters for his muscle testing, treatment, and protocols that he teaches globally. Thankfully I get to call him a friend and I know that many of you have enjoyed our previous chats on episodes like What is booze doing to your body in episode 30, we did a deep dive into coffee in episode 53, men’s health in episode 79, NAFLD in episode 73, and the VERY popular vagus nerve part 1 and 2 episode 86 and 88. If you haven’t heard Dr. B speak, hold onto your hats and know that you’ll likely need to listen at least twice and let what he shares sink in, and the re-listen will go deeper. Welcome Dr. B.
The situation of becoming addicted to pain medication is a double whammy of unfortunate events, first having the pain needing the meds and then having to deal with the addiction piece makes for some life lessons, doesn’t it? It seems that there is no shortage of opportunities to understand ourselves better. I often suggest that clients look into Louise Hay’s Heal Your Life’s explanation of pain. While it can be controversial, what she says about Migraine certainly speaks to me: “Migraine headaches are created by people who want to be perfect and who create a lot of pressure on themselves. A lot of suppressed anger is involved…” it somehow gives an explanation that oddly feels empowering. Louise explains that Aches are a Longing for love. Longing to be held. Her take on addictions is running from the self. Fear. Not knowing how to love yourself. We know from DNA testing that there’s a genetic trait there with addiction, so here is the perfect collaboration that beautifully supports both science and a deeper understanding of how to deal with what Dr. B talked about earlier. We know it’s never one thing… coming at pain from all directions, while it might feel exhausting is in my experience the only way through.
Dr B’s supplement recommendations of Bio A Curcumin, Kid Boost, Omega Boost, and … are a great place to start. Some more food and eating recommendations will follow.
While this is only the start of a conversation, I hope it was a valuable one. You’ll find the supplement recommendations over on liannephillipson.com that’ll take you over to sproutright.com – I promise I’m looking into merging my two sites, but it’s taking some time!
Thank you so much for being along and know that sharing this could seriously change someone’s life, so wherever you listen, find that rate button – give it 5 stars and then share it far and wide – put it on your social media channels, or share from liannephillipson and sproutright channels. Share it in your newsletters if you have one to send out or share via email with your contacts. Seriously, let’s give someone who is in pain a chance and a way out. So with that said please remember to EAT THIS one mouthful at a time.
