Delicateness...

One of the things that I have learned since being healed from chronic pain is that my body is not a delicate structure that might be struck down in pain at any moment. Not anymore.

I certainly did feel that way when my low-back was in a constant state of oxygen deprivation from the unrelenting muscular tension I endured. Every move that I made put me at risk to pull a muscle or tendon, or be struck down with spasming back muscles that might leave me unable to get out of bed for a week or more. I felt then the way that many people feel about their backs, and that is that the human back is a delicate part of the body that must always be protected, and treated in a careful way.

Some time after I cured my back pain, I watched the wonderful documentary series “Your Inner Fish” which is based on a best-selling book by paleobiologist Neil Shubin. This science adventure takes viewers from Ethiopia to the Arctic Circle on a hunt for the many ways in which our animal ancestors shaped our anatomical destiny. Neil Shubin is a super smart guy, and has a really great way of explaining complex scientific ideas in a very entertaining manner. It is a brilliant series, and I would highly recommend it to anyone.

I was very impressed with the series, but there was one part that I knew was completely wrong, and misguided. During a portion of the documentary they were talking about how the human back evolved from an animal walking on all fours to animal that stood up on it’s hind legs. The segment seemed to suggest that the human back was delicate and easily injured because of the changes to had to go through to get the body standing up to a standing posture.

Now that I had overcome my own pain, I realized that my back had always been quite powerful, even when I was in pain. What kept me in a constant state of physical peril was simply a lack of oxygen which I experienced during that time. Once I resolved the tension issue, and the pain was gone, it was clear to me that my back was always powerful, healthy and strong.

I see others trying to solve low-back pain with many different types of exercise, therapies, and lessons about posture. Websites, books and videos constantly tell us we have bad posture, and that is the reason for our pain. Indeed I tried those things too, but none of them was able to resolve the issue.

My struggle to find a cure taught me that there was no exercise program, or therapy, or unnatural postures that were going to cure my chronic low-back pain. It was a relief to find out that life didn't need to be so difficult, and demanding. I simply needed to stop the tension, manage my stress/negative emotions - that is all it took overcome two decades of chronic pain. That being said, everyone’s path to freedom from pain is different.

I hope for the best for everyone seeking an end to their suffering from chronic low-back, neck or shoulder pain.

---