The more you feel

The more you feel, the more you heal.

”Perhaps this is a confusing statement, as it is common to think that “feeling less” equals feeling better. The latter applies particularly to medical treatment where the success is measured by a quick reduction or elimination of pain,

In my view, the body and brain are inseparable and mutually dependent on each other. This implies that bodily pain will influence your psyche, and mental distress will manifest in your body. Pain in either body or mind is often a result of imbalances and the treatment is to find and correct the imbalances.

Peter’s story*

To make the above concept more tangible, let’s look at the story of “Peter,” an athletic 27-year-old man. Since Peter was 17 years old, he had been suffering from debilitating, periodic headaches. He had seen every doctor there was to be seen and had tried a wide variety of medical and alternative modalities to no avail. He ended up in my office as he had been told it was probably a psychosomatic issue. He was unable to answer when the headache occurred as in his experience they would come on randomly whether he was at home, at work or with friends.

Cause of the headaches

It was clear that the headaches were a result of tension in the neck as well as the rest of his body. However, treating his tight muscles was not going to provide sustained relief. By further exploration he became aware that the root of his misery was a very critical mother who instilled in him at an early age that he was useless as a man. In his brain, this message translated into an association between women and degradation, and manifested as a fear of interacting with women. His recent change of job had doubled the number of female encounters. With every prospect of interacting with a woman his whole body would seize up in protection and trigger the headache.

Awareness and change

Knowing what was going on with him did not cure the headaches overnight, but it opened the door for changes. By cultivating awareness of both his emotional and physical self, he was able to notice what was going on with him before and during contact with women. Little by little he was able to quiet the old triggers, lower the anxiety and change his behavior. However, the change did not happen by awareness alone. Peter’s emotional trauma triggered headaches and bodily tension. In order to undo this pattern the healing process had to include the body so that the neuromuscular networks that were activated by his triggers could be reprogrammed. We used movements, balance and manual manipulation to integrate the physical and emotional changes.

Structural Misalignment

Peter’s tight muscles were responsible for his physical tension, and in addition they created an imbalanced pull on the skeletal bones, leading to misalignment of the joints. For most people, structural (skeletal) misalignment is a source of pain as it activates pain receptors in the muscles, joints and fascia.

Shifting pain patterns

As our work progressed, Peter’s headaches subsided, but new pain patterns showed up in different places in his body. These newly felt pains were actually old pains caused by his misalignment, but the headaches had suppressed the pain from other areas of his body from reaching consciousness. He needed much reassurance to stay calm as the various pains emerged, and I discouraged him from asking “doctor google” about his symptoms.

Neuromuscular reprogramming

It takes time and effort to reprogram neuromuscular patterns, as the brain is stubborn and likes to hold onto what is familiar, even if the familiar is dysfunctional. However, with enough repetition and novelty, the brain eventually accepts and integrates the new way of being and moving in the world. One thing that added an extra challenge with Peter was the fact that he was very fit. While we are accustomed to equate fitness and health, it is not necessarily so. In Peter’s case, having a perfect-looking body had served as a survival mechanism for his feeling of “being less than.” Prior to working with me nothing would stop him from exercising, and this diligent workout regime had solidified many of his neuromuscular tracks. When he was in pain he would take painkillers before going to the gym, and by numbing the pain he reinforced the imbalances and misalignment.

As part of Peter’s healing process he learned to listen to his body. He reluctantly agreed to go to the gym only when he felt that his body was cooperating and pain-free. He also retired his whole arsenal of pain medication.

A year later

It took a year of diligent work before Peter was pain free and his muscles and bones were interacting biomechanically correct. He still felt some anxiety in interaction with women, but he understood where it was coming from, and was able to separate old triggers from what was happening in the moment.

Peter’s journey is a good illustration of humans’ ability to change if you are willing to put in the time and effort. The plasticity of our brains allows for much change, learning and healing to occur, and while the process might be challenging, the reward is the gift of a less anxiety-driven and more peaceful life.

(*Peter’s name and story has been altered so that nobody can be recognized)