Sometimes a patient comes to therapy treating it like a fire extinguisher. They come in for a few weeks to reduce their inflammation or intensity of pain. But they may not stay consistent with treatments.
Injuries do not always recover fully with this mind set. When injuries don’t heal entirely, they can potentially contribute to re-injury or a new injury. Keeping you stuck in the inflammatory stage of healing. We have often been taught in to take a pill.
Band aid the symptoms. Mute the pain. However, this does not solve the problem. It can sometimes result in a longer recovery period. At Beyond Integrative Physical Therapy we feel it’s important to share the complexities of healing. This often answers many questions and provides some peace of mind as a patient going through a recent injury.
- Understand that recuperation ebbs and flows.
- As you get better. It is common to have changes in intensity and/or frequency of pain.
- Intensity may reduce at first, but symptoms remain frequent.
- Or frequency reduces, but when symptoms come on, the intensity is still high.
- Any change is a good change. As stagnation hinders healing. Change is essential.
One day you may be able to do a lot of activity and need a few rest days. Eventually, you will be able to do more with less rest. However, there may be random days where symptoms seem to come out of nowhere. Over time, this reduces in frequency and intensity. Rest assured this is normal in the healing process.
Although traditional soft tissue healing takes 6 weeks. And bones take 8 weeks. More time is still often needed for full recovery. We find ourselves over doing, under doing, or avoiding altogether. So many factors contribute to the trajectory of recovery. If you are going about this naturally, had injections or required surgery. Whatever it may be. Give your body, mind and spirit a chance to heal as one.
Often our mind is so ready to be over it and move on. And often we think, Enough! As our day to day life is so busy and doesn’t have time for this. But our body is just not ready, and lets us know.
This may be the most important time to listen, take note and be patient. Having this perspective may help you understand how complicated healing can be.
