Sitka Back Pain Patients Tips for Waiting on Relief: Walking, Breathing, Walking
Liminality. A time of waiting. A time of transition. The holidays have many of us waiting and transitioning to holiday gatherings and a new year. Back pain has many of us Sitka back pain and neck pain sufferers transitioning and waiting on the arrival of pain relief, too. The waiting is at times the hardest part. Waiting for the big holiday and waiting for the relief of back pain or neck pain are packed with anticipation. Exercising, breathing, and walking are positive ways to deal with the liminality. Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka is right beside our Sitka chiropractic patients as they wait.
HOW TO HELP YOURSELF THROUGH BACK PAIN’S LIMINALITY
Back pain specialists will often prescribe ice/heat/exercise for home care. New reports are describing how deep breathing exercises (particularly the pursed-lips version which patients reported to be more calming and pleasant with stronger sense of control) (1), diaphragmatic deep breathing (6 breaths a minute for 10 minutes twice a day for 4 weeks effectively generated positive outcomes to improve autonomic function by decreasing sympathetic activity) (2), and long-distance walking (which allowed for time to enter a ‘liminal space’ to reflect on one’s struggles, discover calmness, and process current feelings) (3) are useful. Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka supports any of these practices to augment the healing, pain-relieving course of action with Sitka chiropractic services.
LIMINALITY IN BACK PAIN AND SCIATICA CARE
A fascinating outcome from a study performed in the UK - SCOPiC (SCiatica Outcomes in Primary Care) – described the thinking state of ‘liminality’ many sciatica or sciatic leg pain sufferers employ to deal with their pain and its path to recovery. The study has researchers interview low back and sciatica sufferers. Sciatica is accompanied by its own distinctive set of issues in terms of its persistence and symptom severity. Researchers described the concept of “biographical suspension” as it related to sciatica patients who tend to put life on hold while expecting an ultimate return to their previous, pain-free selves, holding onto hope while also managing worry. This is a type of ‘liminality’, the time between pre- and post-pain, strengthened by a belief that sciatica is a passing problem that is fixable, not a long-term illness. Even those who experienced sciatic leg pain for a while kept this belief. (4) Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka is often awestruck by the persistence of back pain and leg pain sufferers to find a treatment that works for them. They frequently talk with many different types of healthcare providers and try many different approaches as they just know there is help. Sitka back pain and Sitka leg pain patients often find that relief when they finally arrive at Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka as we take the time to clearly explain the spinal problem, its treatment, its expected outcome, and its treatment plan comprising the frequency of visits and the expected timeframe for relief. The 50% Rule guides both: 50% subjective relief (how you feel) along with 50% objective relief (via specific test findings) decrease the treatment plan frequency by 50% (ex: daily visits turn to every other day). Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka is always monitoring the back and leg pain sufferer’s progress toward pain relief with the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
CONTACT Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Robert Patterson on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he shares the role of patient expectations in their pain relief via The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
Set up your next Sitka chiropractic appointment soon. Waiting while transitioning from pain to pain-relief is a time of hope combined with a little worry. Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka knows this and has the experience in walking this path with our low back pain and sciatica patients. Liminality need not be experienced alone!
