Looking Back to Go Forward
Image by Márta Valentínyi from Pixabay
Back in September 2024, when I dove into this chronic health condition exploration, I had no idea it would take me this far into the new year. Nor did I anticipate how much I would learn along the way. Fingers crossed you picked up a new tidbit too. Better yet, if any of this has led to more informative healthcare conversations and greater relief if needed, wahoo!
As a refresher, the mind influences the body and vice versa. There’s no doubt. Neck and shoulder tension when your stress levels are elevated. Cold, clammy hands and goosebumps when you’re afraid. Tummy butterflies before an intimidating or exciting event. Tears while watching a sad movie scene. Stomach rumbles passing by an enticing bakery. These are all evidence that our minds are processing our thoughts and translating them into physical sensations also known as somaticizing. Those symptoms are part of the normal human experience.
Those common reactions are rarely given a second thought that they’re occurring or how they happen. Consider the possibility that atypical symptoms such as rashes, neuropathy, acid reflux, burning mouth, insomnia and so much more could be the result of messaging or more aptly miscommunications or malfunctions between and within the brain, nervous system, and body. Subsequently unless promptly and appropriately, we’re at risk for mind-body disorders, psychophysiological disorders, or Tension Myositis syndrome disorders. In essence, all these terms are used interchangeably to describe symptoms that result from psychological or emotional elements causing or worsening physical health. And vice versa. Pain and other systemic dysfunctions can also persist due to various other causes which I will cover in a future blog.
Taking Measures When All Feels Lost
We’ve journeyed through a bit of the hows and whys, are you ready for next steps? I offer you this month’s blog for the times when you yearn for measures of hope, any measures when symptoms and suffering have gone on too long. For the days after you’ve celebrated that the pain finally dissipated, then days later it comes thrusting back either in the same location or has migrated from one location to another. For the times when it feels like your moral support system’s threads are fraying, and you can’t ask for one more favor or another day off, or quiet time to yourself. When you just need one more idea, one more source to turn to, one more glimpse of hope. May you find a glimmer here.
A Few Things You Should Know First
Now, I should clarify that although there’s a list of steps forward, not all will work for everyone, specifically you. In fact, you may not find any that work at all. You may find that long awaited relief is sabotaged as your body acclimates to a remedy. Flares and reflares target the same spot or migrate to another location presenting in a completely different form despite resulting from the same origins such as the covid virus. As you may recall, this transitioning or migrating symptom phenomenon was coined “Symptom Imperative” by the late Dr. John Sarno, MD. Dr. Sarno was on staff as a back surgeon for many years at the Rusk Institute for Rehabilitation at NYU. He was a pioneer in the field of modern brain-body science related symptoms which he labeled Tension Myositis Syndrome (TMS) later renamed as Tension Myoneural Syndrome.
Regardless, the road to recovery could be a straight shot. For those prone to nervous system dysregulation and other brain-based challenges, the route can be long, windy, and you’re likely to get lost a few times along the way.
Something Else You Should Know
Full disclosure, I’m still searching. I’m one of those on a circuitous, steep trail that sometimes feels like it just won’t end. I’ve tried nearly all the remedies and modalities on the suggested list, and yet, as I said, I’m still searching. But here’s where this chronic condition journey has reshaped my perspective. I’m no longer looking for bandages to place over the many, varied symptoms. I’ve come to recognize with complete certainty that a dysregulated nervous system is at the root. Sometimes the root is obvious like high stress levels leading to nerve impingement in my neck. Other times, I have no idea why things are going goofy like a horrid acne breakout when stress levels seem no different than any other time. Keep in mind, with a dysregulated nervous system, stress elevation is the norm. When the diagnostic dots aren’t easily connected, it’s more difficult to articulate to medical professionals that the genesis isn’t necessarily physical like a cheek full of zits. Consequently, addressing the situation with any degree of success declines.
Yet, even with the knowledge that the locus lies within my brain, spinal cord, and enteric nervous system (the gut brain), my constitution has not been receptive to the array of conventional and alternative treatments to date. Warning, your body could resist too. Unpleasant treatment side effects or absolutely no effect at all is within the realm of possibilities when going after the brain and nervous system. But hey, taking aspirin for headaches doesn’t always relieve my head pain.
Healthy Skepticism is Useful, Note I Said Healthy
Nevertheless, review any suggestions to determine what you’ve already tried. Give another go to steps that might benefit from a touch of tweaking if you thought you were coming close. Delve into any that you haven’t yet explored if within your means. The most powerful adjustment I can recommend is to keep an open mind if rigid skepticism plagues you. Healthy skepticism is good. Research, question, get multiple professional opinions, and get ready to push back when you encounter resistance from practitioners, insurance companies, and even your own body/mind. Our own resistance is often the most formidable and happening beneath the conscious mind.
Navigating Through the Roadblocks
Let's Begin Walking Forward
First and foremost, seek a diagnosis and treatment from your healthcare practitioner, or seek out a specialist trained in those types of ailments. If you’re symptoms are chronic and/or seem to migrate (today it’s a migraine, yesterday it was shoulder pain, last week it was digestive distress), look for a professional specializing in mind-body disorders. You can ask a trusted physician for recommendations if this falls outside their scope, search the internet, ask your own network of connections, or look for associations that have directories of trained mind-body disorder physicians, psychologists, and related conventional and alternative fields. My best suggestion is to locate a practitioner or group practice integrating mind body diagnostic and treatment therapies.
Although it can be intimidating or embarrassing to consider enlisting someone in the psychological realm, think about the number of uncomfortable physical ailments or various stages of undress witnessed by your doctors. Focus on finding relief. A minute or two of discomfort is a small price to pay to end a lifetime of suffering.
Sadly, I know more people than I care to count who are traversing the world of chronic physical, mental, and emotional pain. You might chalk it up to a byproduct of my profession, but the suffering transcends into my personal circles too. Could be a matter of age, yet I can’t discount the Millennials and Gen Z’ers on that list navigating through ADHD, bipolar, depression, anxiety, autism spectrum, along with a multitude of debilitating physical maladies. Bottom line, you’re not alone.
If you’re feeling shame around seeking mental health services, I find it useful to couch my search in terms of finding resources to regulate a dysregulated nervous system which in turn may calm the other physical issues. That reframe, to me, puts it back in the body rather than feeling like a mental illness.
Because this month’s blog turned out to be far longer than I anticipated (big surprise as I tend to be highly verbose), I’m going to set aside more specific approaches until next month.
