Feeling Under the Pain

Tuning out pain can be a mode of survival. We learn throughout our lives to shut down when we have a moment of trauma or injury. We can thank our brain and central nervous system for that. Which at the time of injury or trauma, can help to save us. The trouble with this though, is that many times, that shutting down can create a host of problems later on.

So during treatment, we talk a lot about “tuning in” and feeling into the sensations. At times, these sensations can mimic old injuries or traumas. You may feel aching, burning, tingling shaking etc.

When this happens, we as the skilled therapist talk about “feeling under the pain” These pain sensations are signals. Without labeling the sensation as good or bad, just feel. Just acknowledge what it is. And in this case, it is just a sensation. Your body is trying to help you heal. Your body is giving you signals, so that these sensations don’t become something louder.

I like to compare it to a smoke detector. The alarm on the smoke detector only tells us that there is a fire. It doesn’t tell us where the fire is. It also doesn’t tell us how big of a fire we are dealing with . Is it a burning pizza in the oven or is the entire house on fire.

So with pain, we can think similarly . We feel the pain (smoke detector) but we need to search to find the pain.  This is where feeling under the pain can help us to solve that mystery.

So instead of just dampening down the signal, we would be better off finding the pain. Listening to our body’s messages. Investigating. And then allowing yourself the permission to let go can often help to soften the tissue and the body will thank you .