What happens to our bodies when we are in pain? The feeling of pain comes from a series of messages that zip through our nervous systems. In the case of when you hurt yourself, the injury turns on pain sensors in that area to send a message in the form of an electrical signal, which travels from nerve to nerve until it reaches your brain. The brain then processes that signal and sends out a message back, that you hurt. The signal stops, usually when the cause of the pain is resolved – reparation of a wound or torn muscle. But unfortunately, when it comes to chronic pain, the nerve signals keep firing even after you’ve healed.
Around 6 million people in Canada (19% of the population) report a form of chronic pain. Chronic pain is described as any pain that lasts for 3 to 6 months or more. Chronic pain can have real effects on your day-to-day life and mental health
Irrespective of the characteristic of the pain, all pain arises from inflammation and the inflammatory response. Inflammation is your body’s way of protecting your tissues and helping them heal from a wound, injury, infection or other disease. A short-term inflammatory response is beneficial. Our blood capillaries will expand, increasing blood flow to bring immune cells such as neutrophils and monocytes, antibodies, protein and other fluids to the injury site, to help with a speedy recovery. It still might be painful but it’s the bodies natural way of healing. For example, if you cut your skin, it may turn red, swell, and hurt for a few days as that inflammation is bringing those vital healing properties to the site of injury.
But if inflammation lasts too long, it can damage healthy tissues. This is called chronic (long-term) inflammation. Chronic infections, certain autoimmune disorders, and other diseases can cause harmful chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation can also happen if your tissues are repeatedly injured or irritated, for example from smoking or chemicals in the environment. There is a test that can show whether you have inflammation in the body and how much, called the CRP test (c-reactive protein). But the test can’t show what’s causing the inflammation or which part of your body is inflamed. CRP is a protein that your liver makes. Normally, you have low levels of c-reactive protein in your blood. Your liver releases more CRP into your bloodstream if you have inflammation in your body.
Chronic pain is usually treated through analgesics, especially opioids, as the primary pharmaceutical treatment methods for chronic pain. However, prescription opioid misuse and abuse has become increasingly prevalent and concerning, with some serious side effects. Because chronic pain is, in part, thought to be the result of oxidative stress and inflammation, clinical research has indicated links between these conditions and diet and exercise. Thus, a healthy lifestyle prescription with dietary interventions and specific exercise are particularly promising therapeutic treatments for chronic pain. Diet in numerous studies suggests that diet has a noticeable effect on pain as far down as the cellular level. Clinical data suggests that antioxidant-rich, low-carbohydrate and Mediterranean diets all have especially promising dietary interventions in the effect they had on oxidative stress and inflammation. Exercise also showed positive effects on the lowering of CPR (C-reactive protein)
Do you or someone you know suffer from chronic pain and are looking for other holistic ways either alongside or independent of medicine, let DEEM Health help. Check out Tasleem’s testimony and others to come on our FB and Instagram pages.
https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/guide/understanding-pain-management-chronic-pain
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/82-003-x/2018003/article/54921-eng.htm
https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/c-reactive-protein-test/about/pac-20385228
https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/c-reactive-protein-crp-test/
Contact us at info info@deemhealth.ca, follow us on Facebook and Instagram “DEEM Health” or see our website www.deemhealth.ca or give us a call at 250-819-0123
*If this article or any past articles leaves you with questions, the want to be a better you, the courage to take the first step to a happier you, than please contact me at:
Mikkie Pollon (Nettles), Certified Personal Trainer/Holistic & Sports Nutritionist
Follow DEEM Health on Facebook, www.deemhealth.ca or contact info@deemhealth.ca
