Are you hoping for a cure-all for back pain? If there is one thing I’ve learned in the past 10 years as a doctor of chiropractic, it is this: there is no magic bullet for back pain (or health, for that matter). To complicate matters, there is not just one cause for back pain, but many.

The good news is the purpose of back pain is not to be a pain in the (you know what), but to protect your body from harm. It’s a feedback mechanism to let you know how your body is handling the stress it’s being put through.

Back pain can be CAUSED by many different things, but one of the most commonly overlooked areas is emotional stress. Experience has taught me that emotions play a huge role in a person’s physical health in addition to one’s mental health. The mind-body connection is just that, connected. You can’t separate them. Emotions such as fear, anger and frustration(just to name a few) create tension in the muscles, which restricts the blood flow that feeds the muscles. The lack of blood flow in turn, leads to painful muscle spasms and nerve pain.

Many people don’t even consider that emotions may be at the heart of their pain. Consider, for example, a peptic ulcer. People have known for years that ulcers are caused by tension resulting from emotional stress. Yet traditional medical treatment for ulcers focuses on treating the symptom (excess acid) instead of eliminating the source of the problem (tension), never curing the body of the real problem.

So what’s the solution? Daily stress reduction. Yes! It can be that easy. Here are some simple, yet effective, tips I use for myself and my patients to reduce stress and in effect, the likelihood of ulcers and other pain.

Breathe. Take in 10 deep diaphragm breaths in through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Make sure you breathe into your belly and not your chest. This helps relax the CNS (Central Nervous System) and puts your body into a state of ease.

Reflect on the positive things in your life. What are you thankful for? We spend enough energy focusing on the negative, which makes us tense. Right now, take time to list at least three things you’re thankful for.

i.      _______________________________________
ii.      _______________________________________
iii.      _______________________________________

Repeat some positive affirmations that inspire you, give yourself some hope. Reprogram your mind to focus on what is right in your life, focus on what you want more of and not on what you don’t want. You have probably heard it said; as you think, so shall you be.  Start now by listing at least three positive affirmations.

i.      _______________________________________
ii.      _______________________________________
iii.      _______________________________________

These are just a few things that work to help reduce stress and tension. And the best part is, they’re free!

Make it a great day!

Dr Myles Dixon

p.s. In about 2 weeks, we will be launching a brand-new back pain website that will provide the internet with a 100% guaranteed system for comprehensive back pain relief – keep your eyes & ears open for details, coming soon!

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