Three years ago, I injured my back.
The pain was excruciating. I couldn’t sleep, let alone walk. I hobbled around, and barely could function. I was in agony, and the only time things felt tolerable was when I was snuggled up to my heating pad or gritting my teeth using a roller right in the most painful part of the injury.
I was shocked at how much it hurt. I also was surprised at how quickly my mind shut down on me. The pain had me convinced I would never walk again without pain. It had me convinced I wouldn’t be able to lift again. It had me convinced I was now a statistic, the person who hurt their back and would have back pain for the rest of my life.
I’d injured myself before, but it had never hurt like this. It felt like everything anyone had ever told me to do was not making any difference. Resting didn’t do a thing, especially when I had a job that required me to walk around without grimacing.
But I had learned something essential years before. When something hurts, GET HELP. I don’t mean drugs. I mean get the professionals — massage, acupuncture, chiropractor — to help. I didn’t get help when I injured my groin while rock climbing; I thought you were supposed to rest, so I did. Years later, that injury still nags at me. I didn’t want to do that again.
That first day, I went online and magically, my massage therapist was available. During our first session, he worked right into the knot of tissue clenched around my back injury. A couple of vertebrae were out of alignment; the body doesn’t like that, he said. Ya think?
While it didn’t release completely, I at least could hobble out of the session.
I made an appointment for another session for five days later. I also booked a session with an acupuncturist.
Six days in, things were still super painful. It still hurt so much, I wondered what else was going on.
That’s when I realized what I really needed to do.
I needed to ask my body what was going on. I had to find out why it was reacting this way to a normal day doing backsquats at the gym. I had to figure out the hart of the pain. I had to find out the lesson that was showing up as excruciating pain.
Once I learned the answer, I swear to God, the pain disappeared the next day.
This secret — asking my body to share answers with me— has been the key to resolving physical ailments, from dealing with colds to a foot thing that was all about trying to control the timing and the details. Your body always knows, by the way.
Dear soul, if you’re dealing with a nagging injury that won’t go away or are struggling with your health or energy, let’s talk. Book a discovery call here.