A ROOT Awakening: Overcoming Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is no joke as I’m sure anyone who lives with chronic pain can agree. For over a decade, opioids have been on the front lines for chronic pain treatment. But with more than 100,000 overdoses later, long term use of opioids to treat chronic pain is not only unsustainable but also dangerous.

I’m not stranger to chronic pain. When I was 14 years old (yes just 14), I began experiencing intense lower back pain from years of poor posture and lack of body awareness. After seeing numerous doctors, I decided to take matters into my own hands and dive heavily into a therapeutic yoga practice. I had heard that yoga was great for posture and it didn’t hurt that everyone who practiced gushed over its ability to keep you long and lean! Before long, I started seeing results in my symptoms as I strengthened my posture and overall happiness.

It was through this personal journey that I found what I’m calling the “3 Bs” of how yoga therapy can work to help improve, manage and even prevent chronic pain.

Brain: I’ll be the first to admit that I used to think that meditation was either a waste of time or an excuse for a nap! Little did I know it was one of the most vital parts of my healing because of its impact on the brain. Recent studies done by the National Institute of Health show that practicing yoga therapy can prevent or reverse the effects of chronic pain on the brain. Chronic pain leads to less grey matter which can negatively affect memory, emotions and cognitive functioning. But, when you engage in activity that engages both mind and body your grey matter increases! Yoga practitioners were found to have more grey matter (vs. the control group) in multiple parts of the brain, including those involved in pain regulation.

Body: Chronic pain contributes to stress and tension which is further aggravated by a sedentary life style, lack of exercise and poor posture. Adapted yoga therapy postures bring both steadiness and suppleness to the body, which relaxes this tension. I was so excited when I finally felt what it meant to feel connected to my body and began strengthening the parts of my body needed to properly support my spine. This allowed me to let go of the tension and the “protective” guarding patterns I had adopted – letting my guard down. I spent time reconnecting with and realigning my body, and re-learning how to use my whole body which ultimately strengthened my muscles, optimized tissue functioning and opened vital energy channels.

Breath: The stress of chronic pain can affect everything from your energy levels and ability to work to your personal relationships and emotional well-being. Like many of us who struggle with chronic pain, I began to feel helpless, hopeless and trapped. When I was in pain, I felt frustrated, discouraged, and tense which caused my breath to be strained, short and shallow. This type of breathing not only feeds physical and emotional pain but also can add anxiety. As I began to pay more attention to my breathing, I gained more control of my physical and mental state. I learned that just as thoughts and emotions affect my breathing pattern, the opposite is also true. Our breathing pattern is reflected internally as stressful or relaxed and the body responds accordingly. I found it impossible to stay frustrated and tense while breathing in a slow, deep and conscious way. In my opinion, it is probably the single most valuable thing that a patient in chronic pain can learn on the road to recovery.