From Collision To Pain Perspectives

From Car Collision To Pain Perspectives

I got into a car accident last month. This is my third accident and all three happened the same way - I rear ended someone while looking at oncoming traffic when making a right turn at a light. Luckily there were no serious injuries. For a healthcare provider, I’ve done my share of damage to others when it comes to auto collisions. 

After hitting the car in front of me, I let out a few primal expletives and then immediately went to go check on the other driver to see if they were OK. She was an older lady in her 60s and she was in shock. I helped her out of her car, had her sit by the sidewalk away from oncoming traffic, got her to slow down her breathing, and offered some water. I told her everything was going to be fine. It took her a few minutes to get over the initial shock of what happened, but she was finally able to relax. 

I apologized many times and took responsibility for what happened. I reassured her that I would take care of everything to make the situation as easy as possible for her. She became more comfortable and began to trust me as she understood that I was coming from a good place. I realized she started to ease up and relax. Her entire demeanor changed and by the end, she was the one telling me that everything will be OK. She told me that I need not apologize so much, and thanked me for looking out for her.

This made me think about pain and rehab. Oftentimes our pain experience can respond in the same manner. We get injured or deal with chronic pain and have no clue what to expect going forward. Uncertainty can heighten our pain experience. This can result in an increased respiration rate which may last beyond a normal response time (for months and years in some situations). Increased respiration rates cause our rib cage and spine to stiffen up. This can lead to a loss in mobility. It takes a movement expert to examine the situation and explain what is going on to reassure you that there is a way forward to improve your condition.

This is important to know, because our bodies remember the trauma we experience. Our brains operate independent of our conscious thought. It takes a lot of convincing for the brain to allow the body to relax after trauma and injury. You should not accept that your back is stiff because you are getting older. Your hip and ankle don't have to feel wonky because you’ve sustained past injuries. Chronic pain does not have to be a consequence of previous trauma or injury. A couple stretches here and there along with some easy band exercises may help us feel good, but will never take care of the complete problem.

It is important to challenge yourself in rehab. Revenant Physical Therapy will curate a step-by-step system that is specific to your needs. We will get you the long lasting results you deserve. Through a movement-based neurological approach, we will address prior injuries. We will discover the resulting adaptations your body has compensated with to get to the root cause of your symptoms.