One of the problems that can prevent people from making fitness goals is having the motivation to do more when we already deal with everyday aches and pains. Adding on to what we already experience can seem like an impossible task. However, if we start to understand where our everyday pains come from than we can begin to find relief and make fitness goals appropriate to our body’s needs.
It’s important to first understand where pain comes from. When we are injured the nerves send a distressed signal to the brain. These signals then tell us to try and find relief in some way and to warn others around us to avoid this painful situation (hopefully in not too colorful of language!).
The problem comes when the signals to the brain get messed up or delayed. This leads to conditions like fibromyalgia and chronic pain syndrome. In fact, 1 in 5 American adults experience persistent aches and pains so this is no small problem. Researchers say powering through the pain is not the right answer but instead recommend looking for small steps we can take to find relief and get our brains to start sending the right signals.
Some common solutions to lessen or eliminate everyday pains include stretching, meditation, over-the counter pain relief medicine, resting, elevation or applying ice. There may also be a mental health aspect to our pain which should be addressed. In addition, if we are fighting an infection or virus we may be more sensitive to pain and fatigue than we might otherwise be.
It may also be helpful to keep a pain log of when we feel pain and what steps help. Many people who deal with migraines find this beneficial. When does the pain occur? What helps us? What aggravates the pain? For instance some find drinking caffeine to help with pain but others find it causes more problems. We are the only ones that know our own bodies so listening to what works for us is very important.
There are other foods besides caffeine that may help/hurt our quest for pain relief. Even if we’re not technically allergic to a certain food like gluten products, the inflammatory properties may be a pain trigger for our bodies. The pain log will help us keep track of these problematic elements.
We also recommend trying our Zim’s Max-Freeze Roll-On product. It has a vanishing scent, works fast and can help you get right to the core of the pain. It’s also made from natural ingredients like aloe, arnica and tea tree oil.
Whatever we find relief from it is important we don’t shrug off these everyday pains. The more we do the more pain is required for our nerves to send the correct signals to the brain creating a tangled web of pain problems!
What do you use to deal with everyday pains? We’d love to hear in the comments section.
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