Breathe Right To Decrease Pain

Reframing Your Pain -

When pain abruptly shows up presumably out of the blue, our breathing mechanics alter, our muscles tense up, and our posture shifts. The first thought is typically that something is structurally wrong, but we can reframe that by understanding the body’s innate ability to protect us. In a primitive sense, that sciatica pain or shoulder pain could be the alarm that you are not prepared for the hunt today. Perhaps someone else can construct your shelter this time while you recover. In our modern society, we push through to pay the bills. However, eventually the piper expects that payment.

The first step to reframing your pain is by tapping into relaxed, diaphragmatic breathing patterns which confirm a safe and secure environment to your nervous system.

Listen To Your Pain -

Pain does not necessarily correspond to the amount of damage. Through phantom pain syndrome, we know that an individual can experience pain even after the limb is not there. In an extremely heightened state of arousal such as a firefight, an individual may be wounded by a round without realizing it since survival supersedes pain sensation at that moment. These examples illustrate how the perception of pain can be different depending on the context.

Pain signals may be a loud alert system. The pain might be created to slow you down or stop you in your tracks. It might be saying, “Rest Now” or “Address This Now.”

Correcting breathing mechanics to decrease pain -

When the diaphragm is the main breathing muscle, the brain feels safe enough to decrease the pain which is trying to keep you away from the danger. No threat perceived means there is no reason to stop you from moving forward anymore.

Start by placing your tongue on the roof of your mouth, closing your lips, & breathing smoothly through your nose. Focus your attention on your belly and ribcage while initiating your next breath in these areas. Try to extend your exhale a little longer than your inhale. Notice if you feel any restrictions or regions that do not want to move fluidly. These will be the targeted areas for treatment to unlock your full breathing capacity. (Note: you may need to release tension in the pelvic floor first which will be highlighted in a future blog post.)

How we can help -

There are often adhesions preventing full diaphragm and rib expansion. Once removed, you will feel an immediate difference in breathing capacity. Then, you can breathe less while delivering more oxygen to your muscles which makes them happy, so they send signals back to the brain that everything is all good. Your brain starts ignoring the pain receptors or halts its protective pain mechanism. 

We have several hands-on manipulative techniques, massage strategies, and taping protocols which release the adhesions/restrictions, allowing you to experience some level of pain relief. Now, you will have the tools available to decrease the pain further, if needed, or address it sooner when you experience a new painful episode.