Living with Chronic Pain

If you are one of the many people who suffer daily with chronic pain, know that you are not alone. Chronic pain is something that millions of people live with, but not a lot of people talk about. 

About 6 years ago I had a herniated disc at L5-S1. I was miserable, in excruciating pain, and didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t get out of bed, walk to the bathroom, or do any of my normal daily activities without debilitating pain. I had to take three whole months off of work, and relied on all of my friends and family to help me cook, clean, and do normal chores. 

At the age of 30, I knew that I did not want to get back surgery.  I felt that was too early in life for such a major surgery, and lots of friends and clients advised me against it. I believed that I could heal naturally and with holistic medicine. Luckily, I was able to heal, with the help of massage therapy, chiropractic, and acupuncture. I did also use opioid painkillers for a while, until I was able to manage my pain with herbs. 

Unfortunately, I still have chronic low back pain. It comes and goes, and I have been able to manage it by losing excess weight, doing yoga, getting regular massage and chiropractic adjustments, and using essential oils and natural pain relief remedies. However, this is not the case for most people. 

Many people with similar stories often get addicted to opioid pain pills, or get invasive back surgeries that often don’t work. Sometimes people do both, and end up in more pain than when they started. Many don’t know how to manage their pain, and feel helpless. So, they suffer in silence.

This is why I am a firm believer in the power of holistic and complementary alternative medicine. I also believe that we must take our health into our own hands, and not rely on doctors and pharmaceuticals to make us well. WE must make ourselves well!

My questions to people suffering from chronic pain are:

1. What does your lifestyle look like? Are you eating a good diet, stretching, getting adequate exercise, getting sun and fresh air daily, and managing/avoiding extra stress? (Stress is a HUGE component of inflammation in the body!)
2. Are you getting CAM (complementary alternative medicine) treatments such as massage, acupuncture, energy work, or chiropractic?
3. Are you taking herbs or using other holistic approaches to pain management, or are you relying solely on pharmaceuticals?

If you aren’t doing these things for yourself, I highly recommend you start. I know that my pain would be a lot worse if I wasn’t actively taking charge of my health. If you need help, please reach out to me! I am here for you! Feel free to shoot me a DM, or schedule an appointment with me via the link in my bio. May you be well. 

With love, 

Crystle