If you are living with chronic pain, you’re certainly not alone – it is a hidden epidemic affecting about a quarter of people in the UK. Often people may have been told that they ‘just have to live with it’, or told that since their scans and blood tests are normal that there’s nothing to be done – or worse, that they are somehow exaggerating or are just a ‘poor coper’. Most people with chronic pain have had to make their lives smaller to avoid flare ups, and may face difficulty explaining their issue to their family, friends and employer which can all add an extra layer of stress and emotional difficulty onto the physical symptoms.
At our clinic, we believe that every person’s pain is unique and everyone’s story deserves to be heard. Because our osteopaths take the time to really listen to your story and understand your body’s unique circumstances, we often find that there is in fact an underlying reason for the pain when people have been told it’s ‘just one of those things’ – and so there is a lot that can be done to address the situation. When you live with persistent pain for a long time, you will naturally develop adaptations and compensations to help cope – maybe you’re walking differently to avoid pain, or you’ve stopped activities you used to love. Sometimes these adaptations can become part of the problem or cause other issues, so our osteopaths are skilled at taking a whole-person approach to identifying these adaptations and helping you and your body find better options.
If you are frustrated and feel you would like to be more in control of your pain, rather than it controlling you, we would love to hear from you to discuss how we might work together to help you find relief, rediscover comfort in your body and improve your quality of life.