ROUTES

Google Maps. An essential part of urban life. It helps you get the best route to your destination. Re-routes itself when it sees an obstruction. The body and mind are like Google maps, continuously mapping. New routes replacing old routes. Going back to old routes. So, how does this affect chronic pain? Chronic by itself says long-standing. It has been around. It has different paths that lead to different destinations. Just that the traveler is the same, YOU.

It is confusing. It is perceived as a new symptom but it is actually the same brain that is choosing different locations. Most chronic pain sufferers observe this. Say apart from the constant nagging backache one also has headaches or with the terrible headache one also develops knee pain. As unrelated as they may seem they are not. It is the same brain, it is the same you. We have already seen how receptors play an important role in the pain pathway, what if the receptors are everywhere and the brain is getting confused? What happens when the brain assumes that normal is actually painful?

This confusion leads to havoc. The brain goes into overdrive and starts finding new pathways but makes the destination pain. We are Bipedal, meaning we walk on twos and not fours. The job of the back is simply to keep us straight when we walk and sit. Why is something so normal turning painful? What has the brain misunderstood? It is known that everyone suffering from chronic pain has resorted to every possible treatment with pharmaceuticals, injections, exercises, biofeedback, and so on but has gone back to square one. Sometimes to the old pain, sometimes to a new one. We need to tell our brains not to be afraid. Everything is not painful. Standing for your favorite food in line, sitting at a beautiful concert, playing with your dog, or going for a run just because you want to should not be painful.

So, how do we stop this? Is it simple? The road is long. Assuming something is going to hurt and getting fearful is one of the easiest ways to put the poor brain into overdrive. Fear as we know produces the flight and fight chemicals. An overactive brain stimulates muscles. This leads to tightening of muscles at rest in turn leading to muscle fatigue and eventually pain. The triggers to this can come from childhood to adulthood stressors, suppression of emotions, persona, and denial to name a few. All the above reasons can be looked at after making sure that there is no underlying pathology.

The answer is elusive. Not because it is tough, but because we tend to neglect it. As I have said time and again, first acknowledge the problem. Once you know the truth try and observe your body. Are the muscles tighter? Are you holding yourself in an uncomfortable position? Why are you doing this and what is bothering you? Questioning your brain’s

decision to hurt you may be a good starting point. There are numerous methods of tackling this. Tracking pain, and understanding its quality. Figuring out why the pathway has changed, and why something that is not supposed to be painful is hurting. Talk to your pain physician. Ask for their help.