During my last massage, I had an anxiety attack. It had been a while since that had happened on the table. The pressure was good, my therapist was on point, yet I still had an attack. It was more of a mental battle for me because as soon as I mentioned my prior anxiety attack of the week it was like an avalanche of events. I couldn’t stop it from coming on, nor could I stop my session. I needed the bodywork!
I could feel the physical changes in my body, as well as the mental/emotional changes in my brain. I knew that my brain was hijacked by the chemicals/hormones but I had no control over it. Then I noticed that I was internally talking myself through the pain & discomfort with the “spiel” I use with my own clients.
Pain is “ouch please stop that. We don’t want pain during massage.” ❌
Discomfort is “I don’t know how I feel about it but I know I feel uncomfortable.” We can work with that.❓
“Does that hurt or is it uncomfortable? Is this helping or hurting?”
Then my therapists reminded me to breath & listened to the description of my discomfort & pain. We worked through my anxiety & finished out the session.
I spend a considerable amount of time trying to walk the fine line of pain & discomfort with my clients, but in that moment it took me by surprise because it was so unexpected.
The purpose of pain is to warn the body of danger, real or perceived. The body is equipped with receptors & they establish boundaries regarding what we can tolerate. Discomfort is the edge of the boundary. Problems arise when we ignore the initial signs of distress, both physically & mentally. We medicate, push through, dismiss, & numb as much as possible then wonder why our bodies & minds are so overworked & hurting. That being said, not all pain is bad.
In life, a certain amount of pain & discomfort are required for growth. My massage session was an exercise in both. My ribs are prone to subluxation, something I forgot to go over with my therapist. Despite my forgetfulness, my ribs were reset on their own during the treatment. I am now, days later, acutely aware of the soreness from them having been out of place for so long. It will take time & care to prevent them from slipping again. I have to be aware of the limitations of my movements.
In strength training pain is welcomed as much as discomfort. The goal is to grow stronger by pushing yourself to your limit. Injury occurs when we mistake the pain for discomfort. Again, the issue of respecting boundaries & knowing the difference.
In therapy, both pain & discomfort are observed & awareness is enhanced to help the individual gain ground in the battle of the mind. This would be like shining a spot light on the boundary(ies).
In a spiritual sense, pain & discomfort are also welcomed however they are also gifted. We turn over our suffering in reparation for what we have done wrong; an example set by one who did no wrong.
“For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his footsteps.”
-1 Peter 2:21
In all areas of life, pain & discomfort are experienced & each time it is important to know the tolerance levels & respect the limits. To reach past our limits requires us to get comfortable with the idea that a little hurt is ok, but too much hurt is trauma. It is absolutely a fine line. The key is to listen with all your senses & ask yourself “Does this hurt or is it uncomfortable? Is this helping or hurting?”
✝️🕊❤️