Top 5 Pain Myths, BUSTED!

Written by: Angie Mohamed, PTA

Pain is a burden everyone deals with throughout their lives. It could be a short-lived, acute injury or a chronic long term condition. Regardless, the pain is there and it can be very burdensome and frustrating.

Since pain is so common, there are a lot of misconceptions and myths relating to pain that we will bust today. These myths could hinder your treatment and relief and therefore are important to discuss. On the other hand, some of these myths, although silly-sounding, are in fact true.

Here are the facts you need to know:

1. Weather can affect your pain.

   If your joint pain gets worse in the cold and/or when it is raining, it’s not your imagination. Studies have shown mixed results, but overall, changes in barometric pressure can cause some people to have increased pain. When the weather gets warmer, known as “high pressure system”, the increased pressure usually brings about relief.

2. Rest is good for back pain.

   Apart from immediate post-injury or surgical recovery, complete bed rest is one of the worst things you can do for back pain. If you are inactive, your body becomes quickly deconditioned, causing more pain when you start moving. Stretching and strengthening under the supervision of a medical doctor and/or physical therapist and chiropractor at our facility can help ensure that you are protecting yourself from increased pain in the long run by facilitating healing in a supervised and professional manner.

3. The pain is in your head if there is no medical cause.

   Just because medical doctors cannot find an exact source of your pain, does not mean you don’t feel it. Due to the complexity of the human body, it is not possible to determine all the possible causes of nociception, which is your sensory nervous system’s response to certain stimuli. Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome are just two of the many hard-to-pin down conditions that may cause persistent pain.

4. You don’t need to worry about minor pain.

   Many people believe that pain is just something to live with. Pain should not be ignored, especially if lasting more than a week or two and interferes with your activities of daily living. Think of pain as one of the lights that pop up on your dashboard. That light is indicating that something is wrong and you should seek medical attention.

5. Pain is a natural part of aging.

   Just like gray hair and wrinkles, a few aches and pains are a part of everyone’s life. Chronic pain, however, does not have to be. Most people should be able to live relatively pain-free lives as they age.

If you are bothered by acute and/or chronic pain, our medical doctor, staff of physical therapists, chiropractors, acupuncturists, and massage therapist can help you find relief. Call Monmouth Pain today for a free evaluation ($245 value) and get pain-free today! You can reach our Shrewsbury and Wall offices at (732) 345-1377.