What's New on WHR (Nov 2009)

WHEE-kly articles           

Which do we address first in wholistic care: body, emotions, mind, relationships or spirit?             

Daniel J Benor, MD, ABIHM           

Many people with acute pain simply want to be rid of it, without giving it much of a second thought. A pain pill does the trick and they move on with their lives. They see no reason to poke about and ask whether there are any deeper understandings to be had about the pain.

Most of the time, a painkiller for acute pain is a benign remedy for whatever hurts. Sometimes, however, it might be insufficient or even dangerous. A heart attack, twisted bowels, or appendicitis treated with strong pain killers could lead to delays in treatments for such serious problems, which could progress to fatalities if not treated in time.

With chronic pain it is a somewhat different story. These pains demand more than just a casual response. Backaches, arthritis, migraines, irritable bowel syndromes and other persistent pains interfere with our normal activities and demand more considered attention.

Addressing chronic pain is a challenge on many levels. Pain medication often becomes a problem when taken over a period of time. Side effects may develop, such as constipation, drowsiness, fuzzy-mindedness. Habituation and addiction may begin to loom as dangers. Fatalities from pain medicines properly used occur every year in significant numbers of users.

Chronic pain invites us to look more deeply at what might be causing the pain, so that we can address the underlying causes rather than just addressing the symptom. It is here that we may open doors to deeper understanding of the place of pain in our lives. Let us examine the various levels of our being and how they may be involved in pain and pain management…  Read More