In one sense, pain is one of the most useful things going on in our body. It’s unbeatable as a warning system we have a physical problem that needs our attention. But it’s also the worst of all things because, once we have the message, we can’t switch it off. The same message keeps on going like a burglar alarm that won’t shut off even though the thief is long gone. Whoever designed this system without an off-switch was not very intelligent. So, when the pain message keeps on playing, we need a way of managing the problem. Otherwise, it may keep us awake and wreck our lives.

The first step is to get a proper diagnosis of the cause of the pain. If this is real pain, there’s no sense in guessing. You need a professional opinion. It’s the old saying applied to lawyers: “A lawyer who acts for himself (herself) has a fool for a client.” So unless it’s obvious like a bleeding wound or broken bone, or the same old problem like arthritis, always get a doctor to confirm exactly what is wrong and to advise on the different treatments available. Sometimes, the proper approach is not obvious. For example, almost as soon as you have had treatment for some physical injuries, you should start exercising. Muscles lose their tone if you are inactive. More importantly, you sometimes need to build up muscles to compensate for an injury. So even though moving may be painful, the best treatment can sometimes be to work through the pain to heal more quickly.

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