When Your Body Talks, Are You Listening?

We are in constant conversation with our bodies.

I always tell my patients to listen to what their body is telling them about their health. When we exercise, we are telling it we want to be strong and able. When we put good food into it, we are asking it to return to us, energy and healing. If we are injured, we attempt to ask exactly how we can get better. We expect to give and take, always becoming better acquainted with the vessel that we are forever tied to. What do we do when, one day, our body refuses to respond to us? Or worse, if our bodies do respond and the answer is “no”?

The relationship between our emotional health and that of our physical being is complicated, yet so very simple.

When there is a disruption in dialogue we begin to see signs through chronic and often unexplained illness and pain. 

The consequences of not reestablishing a connection between conscious thought and bodily health can become a long-term strain on all aspects of your life. No one is meant to live their lives in this way and you no longer have to. Through conscious action, we can not only identify the quiet signals that you are getting from your body but, also, begin to interpret them. This, supported by expert guidance and the healing power of proper use of myofascial release techniques, will change the way you perceive yourself and the limits of your body. We can guard our future, giving ourselves a chance at mobility and ache-free later years. You can address and resolve your health concerns.

For example, cognitive-behavioral therapy teaches people to think, feel, and behave in response to chronic pain. The goals are to lessen your perception of chronic pain and improve your ability to cope with it. Utilize this in a number of ways. We will also explore the importance of relaxation techniques such as progressive muscle relaxation can lessen the subjective feeling of pain in people with chronic pain or post-surgical pain. As we walk through what this and how you can put it into motion at home, you will find yourself becoming more comfortable with the notion that we are in control of how our bodies react, not just act.

Take a Deep, Deep Breath for Your Health

Deep breathing focusing on conscious controlled breathing is a staple technique in relaxation. It induces what is called the 'relaxation response', which contracts the stress response to chronic pain and lessens its severity. When used properly, this technique can lessen the time between perceived stress and the moment at which you begin addressing it.

Related to this, but not the same is meditation. Meditation is another approach that can and will help you combat back pain. The meditative state is a building block for many relaxation therapies. Research has shown that people who meditate regularly have a reduced subjective perception of the intensity of their pain. You can be one of those people.

Mindfulness & Your Health

Mindfulness is as effective as CBD for relieving chronic back pain. It goes hand in hand with meditation but addresses the way you approach your cognitive thoughts outside times of meditation.

In all, stress management is also a key factor for health. Keeping stress in check is much easier than clearing it completely after you have become overwhelmed, years and years down the line. Finding a relaxation technique such as yoga, meditation, or deep breathing - no matter what it is, what matters is that it works for you.

No longer will you feel as if you are trapped in a body that is not working for you. Instead, we will seed, nurture, and encourage a new relationship within that will bloom into a long-lasting home. The road to full healing may be long and it may require many steps but this can be your first. Today, let’s start the conversation.

Take the bold step toward a happier, healthier, more active life today.

Do something that your future self will thank you for. Your time is irreplaceable. Let us help you get back to doing what you love. Unlike traditional PT’s, at Arancia PT our patients get the facts they need to know what’s going on in their bodies and what it needs to heal for good. They learn how to listen to their body, follow what they feel, and become their own self-care expert so they can put the end to “nothing ever works”.

Let us teach you how to listen to your own body. Contact Arancia Physical Therapy for a free phone consultation, to see if my team can help you.

Stay Well,
Dr. Jessica Papa, PT, DPT, Owner
Arancia Physical Therapy
Cranston, RI