An Integrative TCM Approach To Relieving Your Chronic Pain

An Integrative TCM Approach To Relieving Your Chronic Pain Senior Physician Yan Are you suffering from chronic pain? Chronic pain is defined as pain that lasts or recurs for more than three months. It has been reported that chronic pain affects around 20% of people worldwide. While most people think chronic pain is something that only exists in elderly people, there is a rising trend of our younger population complaining of aches and pain that is persistent and recurrent. These aches and pains are commonly seen in our clinic with patients as young as 21 years old, some in the prime of their life (30s to 40s), and many who are our seniors of the Merdeka and Pioneer generation. Chronic pain is not gender-specific and non-biased. And while pain can occur in every part of the body, back pain is one of the more common issues that we see in our patients – research has shown that approximately 15% to 30% of adults suffer from back pain each year. [1][2] As the saying goes: Knowing is half the battle won. Knowing how chronic pain comes about and mitigating the aggravating factors goes a long way in the management of chronic pain. Depending on the age and type of condition, some can even rid themselves of their pain baggage with proper treatment and care. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been backed by much research to be effective in pain management. For example, a National Institutes of Health study on chronic myofascial pain suggests that TCM is safe and frequently efficacious alone or subsequent to standard psycho-social interventions.[3]  TCM is widely available and provides patients with an effective, natural form of pain relief therapy. The following list includes some medical conditions (not exhaustive) commonly associated with chronic pain: Headaches Sprains Joint pain/ Arthritis/ Arthralgia Neck  and shoulder pain Back pain and sciatica Tennis elbow (Epicondylitis) Tightness and pain at the elbow and forearm can result in weakness when gripping Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Numbness/pain at the palm and first three and half fingers, with possible tightness and ache at forearm or muscle wastage in the palm if severe Mechanical back syndrome, Rotator cuff tendonitis Pain and ache at the neck, back and shoulders can vary among different individuals in area and severity Trigger finger, DeQuervain’s syndrome/Mother’s thumb Pain with difficulty when flexing or extending the finger joints; feeling as though fingers are ‘locked’ Fibromyalgia Post-operative pain Cancer pain Common causes of chronic pain and pain relief methods Below are some common causes and methods to relieve chronic musculoskeletal pain from both biomedical and TCM perspectives. 1) Repetitive strain This usually occurs due to repetitive movements and over-usage of muscles. You can sustain repetitive strain injury when at work, during exercise, doing housework (such as washing dishes, cooking or cleaning the floor), or even at rest (when bending your head down to look at your phone or play mobile games on your tablet). Some of the specific common pains due to repetitive strain include tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger finger and ‘Mother’s thumb’. Besides taking pain killers, anti-inflammatory medicine and applying pain relief plasters, those who prefer a gentler, natural approach rather than steroid injections or surgeries achieve good results in their pain management with a combination of TCM and Tech-enhanced treatments – more information on Tech-enhanced treatments are shared below. 2) Poor posture and lack of exercise Due to many city dwellers’ sedentary and stressful lifestyles, we are often not just in a bad posture, but we are in it for prolonged periods because we are focused on other tasks at hand. When we move and exercise less, the disuse of our bodies leads to a deterioration of many bodily functions. Disuse syndrome has received much attention in relation to back pain problems, chronic pain disorders, and other illnesses. It has been generalized beyond chronic pain problems and some feel it is related to “the base of much human ill-being.” At work, office workers should always ensure that their sitting postures do not strain their neck, back and wrists. They should take short breaks at roughly 1-hour intervals to prevent stagnation in Qi and Blood, which can result in stiffness and aches. Additional attention should be made to avoid a forward head posture, which is the result of bending over and looking downwards too often (in the case of mobile phone usage). When sleeping, a good pillow of appropriate height and firmness should be used so that neck muscles are relaxed and that the cervical joints are well supported. Source: Fairfield Physiotherapy After a long day of sitting at your desk for work, try engaging in some back exercises that are good for back pain relief. These exercises relieve back muscle tightness, keeping them supple and reduces strain on the back. Do them daily and try to relax while you stretch – you should feel your body loosening and a sense of relief in your back muscles. Location Back exercise for pain relief Upper back Chin tuck Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor. Your shoulders should be relaxed and down. Now pull your chin in toward your neck. Count to five, then relax. Repeat 10 times. Chest and upper back stretch Clasp your hands behind your back or behind the back of your chair and stretch your chest forward. Slowly lift your head and stretch as far back as possible. Hold for at least 10 seconds. Repeat 5 times. Low back Low back twist Lie down on the ground. Bend your knees with both feet planted on the ground, hip-width apart.Drop your knees to the left as you turn your head to the right. Hold for 10 seconds.Then drop your knees to the right and turn your head to the left. Hold for 10 seconds. Repeat 5 times. 3) Energy blockages and exposure to pathogens From TCM perspective, the body is seen as a holistic whole. This means that pain is the body’s way of signalling a warning