Chronic Pain Checklist
Pain is a normal human experience. When pain and discomfort become the new normal, this is what we could call “chronic pain”. In this blog post I’m going to discuss my own experiences with navigating chronic pain so that maybe you will find some hope and comfort in knowing you aren’t alone.
First of all, the reason as to WHY you’re experiencing what you are feeling could be for so many different reasons. I’m not a fan of quick fixes because I don’t believe in them. I believe doing the basics really well, which I will highlight later in this post.
When I was in my younger 20’s I experienced my first chronic back pain episode. I was also experiencing some chronic joint tendonitis in my shoulder and knee. I was under eating and over exercising for a long time, while also having a really negative self perception of never looking “lean enough”. I bring the mental side of things into the chat because (in my experience) mental health can play a large role in chronic pain. The more you think about it the more it consumes you and the more you spiral etc. At the time I was also working a job that had me stuck in fight or flight all the time. I was always anxious and worried I was going to mess up. My back pain didn’t go away until I was furloughed during quarentine. I realized that by removing the stressors of my work environment, I was able to regulate my nervous system better.
Throughout my 20’s I started to have some SI Joint stuff pop up. These flare ups would last for a week or 2 but it was nothing as bad as the first time. Again, pain and flare ups do happen, no matter how fit or healthy you are. The word hypermobility gets thrown around a lot, and I’m not going to say I have an extreme case, but it does affect me. (going off on a tangent) Hypermobility does not always mean you are just weak in certain areas. It is is broad spectrum of varying degrees of severity. It can be as simple as being a little more bendy than most people, or it could be a true connective tissue disorder where it not only affects your muscle tissues and joint, but also your internal organs. (tangent done). With that being said, I have had stuff on and off for a while. Over time I was able to to get my mental health in check, improve my resistance training routine (hired a coach for a few years) and create a better environment to live in. These all helped me live in a relatively pain free lifestyle for a while.
It wasn’t until October of 2024 that I felt like I reached rock bottom again. I got an injury that no one knew what was really wrong with me. My symptoms were all real, but imaging showed nothing. I saw 4 different physical therapists within the past 9 months. And within that time frame, I kept working out and doing what I could. When it comes to injury, recovery it vital. When it becomes chronic, staying active and focusing on what you can do it just as vital (for the mind and body). This has been the most difficult experience yet, because I had no answers. I have had some ups and some big downs during this process, but I have learned a lot and I wanted to share with anyone who needs to hear it. There were days where walking was all I could do. There were other days where I couldn’t walk or stand at a concert because of the pain.
Eventually I found help. and it required me to take a huge step back and stop fighting. It was really frustrating seeing my strength decline and my body change. But doing the simple things really well gave me guidance and a path to progress.
The Chronic Pain Checklist:
Daily movement- any movement you can do that’s pain free
Hydration- tissues need water
Sleep- your nervous system needs more than 6-7 hours a night
Mental health- how you speak to yourself/perceive yourself and the world around you
Your environment (house, job, city etc)- is it causing you more stress in your life?
Community/support system- do you have a good support system/people you can talk to?
Current gym routine- is it helping or hurting you?
Get HELP - keep going until you find the right person to help you. Don’t settle for any less
I could go on, but these are some of the big rocks. When it comes to chronic pain, everyone is unique. Mental health and our perception of the circumstance can also affect symptoms. So as hard as it is, keep focusing on the things you CAN DO. keep fighting for the level of care you deserve. Keep good people in your circle. And don’t let your job ruin your life!!
-With love,
Coach Emma
