Over the past few centuries, our understanding of pain has evolved to include new contributing factors. Pain is an individualistic experience, however it is also considered a biopsychosocial experience.

Biological Factors

The biological component is simply your body. The organs or tissues, such as ligaments, muscles and/or nerves could be deranged and damaged, thus sending signals to the brain which in turn interprets those signal and decides whether to signal pain or not. We should not ignore the fact that the psychological factor can also affect the biological component of the pain model. States of depression and anxiety can manifest itself in the body, causing tension, spasm and tightness in areas such as the traps, the neck and the jaw.

Psychological Factors

Psychological factors, such as stress, anxiety and depression, can actually worsen the experience you have with pain. Recent studies show that patients who have a negative psychological condition prior to surgery, such as hip replacement, were prone to a longer period of pain during recovery.

Social Factors

Social factors, such as our work environment, family, or lifestyle, can also influence our perception of pain. Many of our patients report that their pain intensifies when they are at work, or when they are involved in an argument with a significant other. When exposed to a negative social environment, pain intensifies; science contributes this to the brain perceiving the environment as hostile and resorting to a flight and fight mechanism acting as a sense of protection.

Mind Over Matter

These factors contribute to our pain, because pain is perceived at the brain level. One of the most interesting phenomenon of pain is that it is not necessarily an experience at the site of the pain. For example, you might have a herniated disc, but you will not be aware of it until your brain decides to signal that the tissue is harmful, at which point you will feel the pain in your back.

Scientific findings have proven that there are individuals with disc degeneration, herniated discs, rotator cuff tears, bulging discs, etc.  who are completely asymptomatic. This reinforces my previous statement, that the pain is an experience at the brain level affected not only by the tissue but also by your mood and your perception of your environment. If the brain decides to signal that, for example, the disc bulge is harmful, then it is at that point that you will feel the pain which is a form of protection to alert us that there is a need for modification.

At Integrated Health Solutions, an affordable chiropractic clinic, we educate our patients on the cause of their pain. We explain to them that pain is not necessarily a direct correlation in the harm of the tissue, but instead the pain is simply a signal for the need of modification. When patients understand that the pain is not creating more damage to the injury, we actually find they experience a reduction in pain.

At our Indianapolis Chiropractic clinic, we strive to educate our patients on the different factors that affect pain, in hopes of expediting their healing. Through this education, in most cases, the patients are able to reduce the external factors that negatively affect their pain experience, whether it is psychological or environmental, by doing so, it helps us obtain our goals in fewer visits.

If you’ve been dealing with pain, and would like to learn more about the factors that may be contributing to it, contact our office today at 317.449.2020.

About Integrated Health Solutions

Dr. Charbel Harb is a licensed chiropractic physician and the Medical Director of Integrated Health Solutions. Our core belief is that each patient who walks through the doors is a person, not just a medical record or chart. Our greatest pleasure is bringing joy to our patients and helping them to fully embrace life, allowing them to enjoy each day: active, healthy and pain free.

The post What You Should Know About Pain appeared first on Integrated Health Solutions.

Treatment of Injuries Caused by Car Accidents

At Integrated Health Solutions, a large percentage of our patients have experienced some sort of trauma, whether it is from a sports injury or involvement in a motor vehicle accident. When it comes to injuries sustained from accidents, it is from our experience and patient feedback, that an individual does not always feel the pain immediately.  Many of our patients have reported that they did not feel any pain until a few weeks after the accident. This is because our body has an immense ability to keep us from sensing pain.  However, the soft tissues have been affected since the time of the trauma.

Many people who experience physical trauma believe that the pain will eventually go away on its own. We have had patients come to us six months, and even a few years, after their accident, who have unfortunately realized the pain is now a chronic problem and are desperate to feel better. Because of this, we suggest anyone involved in a car accident pay attention to any of their symptoms, some of which may include, but are not limited to: blurred vision, dizziness, clenching of the jaw, pain in the shoulders, neck and back, and headaches.  If you experience any of these symptoms, we encourage you to seek professional help.

Many times, we see patients who have gone to the emergency room after their accident, which is excellent for an initial triage however the main concern of the emergency room is to make sure you do not have any life threatening injuries or fractures. Some patients may be given medication to help with their pain, but please keep in mind that the medicine is doing just that, it’s helping you deal with the pain, not treating the source of it.

We encourage our patients to consider rehab to help reactivate the soft tissue that was damaged in the accident. Different kinds of soft tissue therapies help loosen up the adhesion and fibrotic formations that set in after injury to muscles, ligaments, tendons, etc. Acupuncture is a phenomenal tool for decreasing pain and inflammation, and rejuvenating the tissue. Chiropractic care will help centralize the joint and help with proper mechanics.  At Integrated Health Solutions, we follow this integrated approach to help treat the cause, not just cover the symptoms.

If you have been involved in an accident, or have experienced an injury, please seek medical attention by a provider who specializes in restoring soft tissue integrity, joint mechanics, and who is focused on addressing the cause of the pain, not just masking it.  Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate in contacting us at 317.449.2020.

About Integrated Health Solutions

Dr. Charbel Harb is a licensed chiropractic physician and the Medical Director of Integrated Health Solutions. Our core belief is that each patient who walks through the doors is a person, not just a medical record or chart. Our greatest pleasure is bringing joy to our patients and helping them to fully embrace life, allowing them to enjoy each day: active, healthy and pain free.

The post Why You Shouldn’t Ignore Even the Slightest Pain after a Car Accident appeared first on Integrated Health Solutions.