I am going to start this post with a warning – be prepared for a rant! Have you ever seen a doctor that did some tests and told you that everything was normal and they couldn’t find anything that could be causing your symptoms, and then just left it at that? Maybe they referred you to a specialist, but then that specialist did some other tests and still couldn’t find anything abnormal. Maybe you saw 5 specialists and none of them could find anything in their myriad of testing that could explain your symptoms. Well, usually the answer then becomes psychological. They think that you must be depressed, it’s the only “logical” reason for your continued symptoms despite their lack of findings. Of course you’re not feeling quite up to par – you have pain or other issues that no one can figure out or help you with and it’s getting worse! Anyone in this situation would be feeling lost, upset, alone, angry, frustrated and like giving up hope. Most likely, the depression didn’t cause your symptoms, your symptoms and lack of guidance and improvement drove you towards depression! UGGHHH!!!! This irritates me SO MUCH! Western medicine tends to gravitate towards tests, imaging, medication and surgery. If nothing is found and the medication and/or surgery doesn’t work, there must be nothing wrong physically, so it might all be psychological. I will say, there is definitely a psychological component to everything – our bodies are all connected and we cannot completely separate our psyche from our physical body. I think that a lot of treatments work purely based on the placebo effect, which means that if you think it will work, it works, no matter if it’s actually resulting in actual measurable changes. This is great! If it works, it works! I’ve also realized throughout the years that if someone is emotionally disconnected, has negative feelings towards their body and their symptoms, does not believe that they can get better, and isn’t open to trying non-conventional treatments, they do not tend to improve as quickly. So there is always a psychological component, but it is not the only solution!
There is hope! There are many things in the body that cannot be explained by modern science. Does that mean that they are not real? Heck no! Every person is so different that I feel like it is extremely small-minded of us to think that we could ever truly understand someone’s physical, mental and emotional makeup. But the best part is that we don’t have to understand it, we just have to listen and let it guide us. People’s bodies and words can give us so much more information than many of those tests and measures if we just take the time to really listen, feel and allow their body and mind to tell us how to proceed. It doesn’t mean that we are going to fix them, it means that we are going to follow their cues and allow their body to fix itself. The body is an incredible healing machine and yes, healing is often supported by therapies, medications and other treatments, but that doesn’t mean that these are the end-all-be-all. This is one example of what I’m trying to explain. A friend of mine developed moderate pain in her right hip region when she was in her 40's. Over the next 10 years she had every kind of therapy, x-ray, MRI, CT scan, and any other diagnostic tool that her insurance would pay for. And, she had tried a multitude of different treatments. No one could find anything wrong with her right hip. FINALLY, she asked if she could come see me for a Myofascial Release treatment. She was feeling miserable. Note: I had asked her to come see me for treatment for years, and she had declined!
This was one of those cases, that not one physician or treating healthcare provider ever looked elsewhere for the cause. Everyone had been so focused on her complaints of right hip pain. And so we began... I worked on her right hip for a short time during her 1st visit, and then moved to areas that seemed unrelated to her right hip. When she stood up after her first visit with me at Dynamic Myofascial Release, she got up off the table and she had tears in her eyes saying that for the 1st time in about 10 years her pain was decreased by 50%! She did see me for a few more visits, and was given a home stretching program to do. Her pain was finally gone!
I cannot tell you how many patients tell me that their doctors couldn’t find anything abnormal with their testing so they suggested antidepressants or straight out told them that their symptoms were “in their head.” It's heartbreaking to me when I hear this. I will never tell anyone that their symptoms are all in their head. As practitioners, we need to be open-minded and realize that even if our skill set does not seem to be helping someone’s symptoms, that there are so many other pathways towards healing! In my experience, many chronic issues or difficult-to-treat conditions require a team of practitioners. The work that we do at Dynamic Myofascial Release is very holistic in nature – we treat the entire body, we think outside-of-the-box and utilize many different forms of specialty therapies. My patients that have the absolute best results are often also seeing one or many of the following: a doctor that specializes in regenerative medicine, chiropractor, another PT, acupuncturist, functional medicine or naturopathic doctor, massage therapist, etc. Together, we can put all of our incredible skills and talents towards helping each patient as an individual – we can treat them as the very unique person that they are and allow their body to lead the way towards healing.
In conclusion, don’t ever let anyone else tell you what you are feeling. You are the only person that knows what you are feeling, and keep searching until you find the people that will really listen and allow your body to guide them towards what is right for you. Dynamic Myofascial Release is a great place to start, as we do full-body assessment and treatments and go far beyond the symptoms to find the true source of the issue. Also, if you are already seeing other practitioners, Myofascial Release can be a great addition. Wherever your path takes you, don’t give up! We only have one chance to live our best lives. Karen Burg, Massage Therapist, is a Myofascial Release therapist for those suffering from chronic pain, acute injury and trauma. It’s her calling to facilitate the body’s natural ability to heal. She’s known for blending the ancient wisdom of Myofascial Release with empathy and compassion to offer powerful, mind/body education and treatment, resulting in personal empowerment, long-lasting pain relief and an amazing, joyful life. Dynamic Myofascial Release is here to help you.
Check out our website at www.Dynamic-MFR.com, email us at DynamicBodyworkMFR@gmail.com
or call 619-823-9478.
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