It is understood with relative certainty that the structure of a thing determines its appropriate function. In the same manner, when it pertains to human beings, QUALITY of life determines the QUANTITY of life. This principle can be seen in other species as well. In order to determine what “quality” means, we have to look at the biological structure of the human being. Human physiology has built-in mechanisms for determining whether or not it is operating as it was designed to operate. The most obvious of these mechanisms is pain. We are all familiar with pain in one form or another, but do we really understand what role pain plays in our design?

Pain is a normal sensation that is designed to alert you to a problem that is occurring in your body. Pain can manifest itself in two forms: acute and chronic. An example of an acute pain would be a sprained ankle. In this instance, an immediate injury has occurred and the body activates an inflammatory response to heal the injury. Chronic pain is different from acute pain in that it is an ongoing excitation of pain signals to the nervous system. This can occur for weeks, years or even decades. Chronic pain can stem from an initial injury or can occur without any association to an injury at all. Chronic pain commonly begins as a stiffness or a minor ache, but left untreated becomes a source of constant irritation.

The early symptoms of aching or stiffness are in fact warning signs to us that something in our physiology is not operating well or healing as it was meant to heal. When these symptoms occur after an activity such as lifting weights, it may only be the normal recovery response from the physical exertion. However, when these aches and pains begin to occur with more frequency and are unrelated in time to physical activity, such as getting up in the morning with a stiff lower back, your body is sending the normal signals to let you know that something is no longer functioning as it used to function. If this abnormal functioning is not corrected and if it is allowed to progress, then degeneration begins to occur and the pain becomes chronic. When this pain begins to interfere with our daily activities, it prompts us to seek relief from our doctor. The most widely accepted practice for the relief of pain in the medical community is through the modification of the chemical process of pain in our body. We know this as prescription medication.

These chemicals are designed to accurately affect specific nerve receptors in our body that are part of the pain relay mechanism. In order to relieve chronic pain, the associated nerve receptors must be blocked. This is routinely done through the use of drugs known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs. These drugs function to inhibit the activity of an enzyme in the pain cycle thereby blocking the pain stimuli. More recent national attention has been given to medications that work in a similar manner and are called COX-2 inhibitors. These medications have become increasingly popular due to their efficiency in interrupting the pain cycle. However, we are learning of the dangerous and potentially life-threatening side effects of interfering in this manner with one of the body’s natural processes.

One of the most attractive reasons for the use of pain relievers is the speed with which they produce results. These medications can sometimes provide relief in minutes. While this is merely temporary relief, it is extremely convenient and requires nothing more than a glass of water. This is where we must weigh the risks and benefits to see what our future holds. Is it more prudent to be active in our approach to pain? Should we be alarmed by every new ache or pain? Should we scrutinize every ache or stiffness to determine whether it is becoming an accepted part of our lives? As silly as this may sound, we have seen where we will end up if we treat these early stage symptoms as the generation before us did.

Relieving pain must include removal or reversal, if possible, of the aggravating cause. To simply interfere with the pain cycle will not provide any changes other than a chemical alteration. The body’s structure must be brought back to normal, or as normal as can be achieved, in order for the appropriate function to be returned. Another consideration in the use of chemicals and medications is that EVERY chemical change has a SIDE EFFECT. Some side effects are quickly noticeable and some are far more subtle and occur over a very long period of time. These side effects also produce changes which lead to even more side effects. Multiply this effect by the average of 4.5 prescription medications in our ambulatory elderly population. This is the trend we can look forward to unless we alter our approach to pain in our generation.

Imagine what it would be like to experience a pain free existence; a life where pain doesn’t dictate the activities in which you can partake. What does it take to achieve this? These are questions to which we must have answers if we are going to be effective in changing the way we deal with pain.

Now that we understand that stiffness or an ache is a normal signal to alert us to correct a problem, our focus should be on searching out and appropriately treating the reason for this irritant. Once relief has been achieved, we must adhere to positive habits that will allow us to be stronger in the future to avoid the recurrence of these symptoms. The mistake must not be made that when we “feel” better we “are” better. Just like the process that preceded the initial pain went unnoticed until the pain began, once the pain is relieved we must continue with a process that is designed to specifically improve function thereby putting more and more distance between the state of pain and the state of health.

This path, should you choose to take it, will lead you far from the destination at which our grandparents arrived. This path will require that you become proactive and aggressive with your health. You will learn about what your body needs and why it may respond differently than you might expect. You will need a program that will remove your current aches and pains and continue to strengthen your specific weaknesses in the areas of nutrition, exercise, posture, relaxation and lifestyle. You will want the specialists in these areas to show you the path to take to achieve your needs and desires. LET US GUIDE YOU TO A NEW APPROACH TO HEALTH - take control of your future by being healthy, happy and free from pain. Let us show you how. We will provide you with a complimentary visit to describe what a program of care and wellness can do for you!

AGE is inevitable; AGING is not.

Dr. Jonathan A. Truhlar
Board Certified Chiropractic Physician
Member of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine
as published in the Suburban Woman of Kane County, March/April 2005