Therapeutic Interventions: home based strategies

It's been a while, but here's a great subject to break that cycle: therapeutic interventions.

These are things that are done to break a cycle in your body in the attempt to return it to its "normal" function.

When I work with someone in pain, often I ask if they did anything to help change their situation, if so what and was it helpful?  This is a list to give ideas of at home strategies for physical pain that you can try by yourself to make a therapeutic intervention.

Temperature Apps (applications)- these tend to have a shorter effectiveness, but can be very helpful in trying to figure out your pain.

• Ice or cold application- a natural analgesic that helps slow down nociceptor interaction (pain receptor).  This strategy is usually helpful for the first few hours after acute injuries and nerve and trigger points tend to respond well to cold stimulus.  If you tend to tolerate or favor cold outside of an acute injury, this may indicate trigger point or nerve involvement.
• Heat application or hot shower or soak- muscles and fascia typically respond well to heat and this is a great strategy for stiffness.

Mindfulness- beneficial for overall health and especially chronic pain.

• 10-20 minutes of meditation
• 5-10 minutes visualization-  see yourself returning to pain free normal activity 
• puzzles, reading or coloring
• observe well performed activity- activate mirror neurons in the brain and try to feel the motion as though it was a memory
• spend time enjoying music or art

Movement based strategies-  A good way to try to free up stiffness and restriction, keep it gentle.

• stretching
• yoga
• swimming or trmpoline/rebounder
• dance
• tai chi
• light weights, light cardio or light exercise

Pressure based strategies-

• self massage- your hands are wonderful tools you take with you everywhere.  They are great, and my number 1 pressure tool, when you can reach the spot.
• tools- balls, foam rollers, theracane, still point inducers...(etc.) this list is endless.  I'd recommend starting with a softer tool held over a stiff or tender spot, for a minute or a few, and letting the tissue soften around the tool.  You can use a towel if your tool is too pointy or increase the tool density over time as necessary.  Tools can easily become a noxious stimulus to your nervous system, when this happens, your work becomes counterproductive.  Back off on the tools density or your pressure (or both) your next try.

This is only meant to give you ideas about home based interventions and is by no means a complete list. Please feel free to add comments below.

Enjoy,

Joe

myelitemt.com