BalanceOctober2016 - 44

S LUG HEA DER

a
t
a
h
W

pain!

We've been conditioned to reach for drugs as soon as
symptoms strike. However, holistic pain specialist
Sophia Kupse believes there are other options
Illustrations by S H A R M M U RU G I A H

P

ain is your body's way of letting
you know it's been damaged
or something is wrong. We've all
experienced it and usually take immediate
action to help put things right. Emotional
pain, on the other hand, is a by-product of
either short- or long-term psychological
conditions, including stress, anxiety or
depression, often brought on by life events.
Sometimes, people struggling with pain
will turn to a medical solution, such as
painkillers or antidepressants, without
addressing the underlying causes. But a
holistic approach to relieving pain is
important for recovery, as it means the
root cause is being treated, as opposed to
just the symptom.
As a holistic pain specialist, I have seen
people every day in my practice, for over 20
years, who have been down the medical route,
but still cannot find a reason for their pain.
According to the Health and Safety
Executive Labour Force survey (2014/2015),
stress, depression, anxiety, musculoskeletal
disorders and back pain result in the loss of
more than nine million working days a year.
But new studies published in the journal
JAMA Internal Medicine suggest our most
frequently-used strong medications are not
only ineffective, they may even be dangerous.

ORIGINS OF PAIN
It is important to recognise different levels
of pain, which fit in two classifications...

44

Acute pain is short-term pain of less
In my experience, it is also important that
than 12 weeks' duration; chronic pain
a client recognises where and when their
is defined as continuous long-term pain
pain originated. For example, one client of
that either lasts more than 12 weeks, or
mine had suffered from chronic back
persists for an unusual length
pain for more than 10 years, which
NOT EFFECTIVE
of time following trauma or
had led to sciatica (pain caused
Reports reveal that by irritation or compression
surgery, or due to conditions
opioid painkillers that of a spinal nerve root). It
including osteoarthritis.
include morphine,
If the cause of pain can't
was only after we got to the
tramadol and
be put down to physical
cause of the pain, which
oxycodone provide
only 'minimal
trauma, or a diagnosed
was related to his difficult
benefit' for lower
condition or autoimmune
relationship with his mother,
back pain.
disease, it's likely to be from
that we could begin to restore
inflammation in the muscles
his health. He worked on letting go
- created by accumulated lactic acid
of the past and learned to accept that his
- which has formed knots that are putting
mother's negative behaviour towards him
was not his fault, but rather, it was related
to how she had been rejected by her own
parents. Following this, his pain healed
within days and it never came back.
However, it's worth remembering that
A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO
chronic pain can be debilitating and not
RELIEVING PAIN MEANS
straightforward to treat. But exploring the
THE ROOT CAUSE IS BEING mind/body connection is important.

TREATED, AS OPPOSED TO
JUST THE SYMPTOMS

POSITIVE BENEFITS

pressure on the sensory nerves. There are
three main habitual or environmental
causes of inflammation: dehydration, lack
of movement and sugar. It is essential to
address these factors and many people
have alleviated their symptoms through
following an anti-inflammatory diet.

Different people 'hold' stress in various
ways; some hold it in their minds. They
may worry so much about a problem they
can't think clearly. Negative thoughts
activate adrenaline and cortisol, our body's
'fight or flight' response. If you do not use it
quickly, it converts to lactic acid, building
knots and pressure pockets in the biggest

BALANCE October 2016



Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of BalanceOctober2016

BalanceOctober2016 - 1
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