Thursday, June 26, 2014

A New Way of Thinking

I have always looked to science, facts and figures for the answers to problems.  As a chiropractor/bodyworker, I have looked to the anatomy, physiology, neurology to figure out what was wrong with a patient (or myself).  It was in the science that I would figure out the system or systems of the body that were not functioning properly and use the knowledge to assist that patient’s health process.  This method of healing required hands on techniques directly to the affected areas.  My thinking was that the body was not functioning at optimal due to either a sudden trauma, repetition overuse, poor body mechanics, compensation for some other areas not working at it’s best.  All these ideas of the causes of the dysfunction are based in the physical body.  That premiss was challenged early in my career and then repeatedly with my own health journey.  I guess I wasn’t getting the message and needed more first hand experience.  I only wish I was a quicker learner when it came to this area.  The problem was, that I always used this method of thinking  - If I have a problem with my physical body then something in that physical body was not functioning properly leading to the pain or dis-ease.  But, could it be that my owns thought patterns were the root cause.  My mind was causing the changes in my body?  How could that be?  I was taught it took years of destruction in a low back to affect the mechanics of how the disc functioned.  And, over time the disc and joints become compromised until one day - BAAM! - a bulged disc and sciatica.  Yes, but, that does not explain the young, heathy, fit man with no previous signs or symptoms that steps out of the shower and experiences sudden sever low back pain and leg pain that dropped him to the floor.  He managed to get himself up and to the office.  After a thorough history, X-rays and exam it was determined that he had a Lumbar 4 and lumbar 5 disc bulge.  Why and How ?  This did not make sense to me how a healthy man would get this condition for no apparent reason.  In my quest to understand these types of scenario’s I found a book by Louise Hay called “You Can Heal Your Life” or "Heal Your Body" and another book called “ All is Well ” by Dr. Mona Lisa Schulz MD.  These books explore the idea that our thoughts affect our bodies.  Mona Lisa Schultz says that “body symptoms become the language that tells us we need to change”.  She also goes on to say that “Chronic, degenerative disease involves fear, worry, hopelessness and feeling that you’re not good enough”.  In Louise Hay’s book she lists named illnesses/conditions and the thought patterns that can lead to that condition.  She then gives you an affirmation to say to help to reprogram your thought patterns.  Buy reprogramming your thought patterns you can reprogram the effect those thoughts are having on your body.  You can even affect your DNA ( let’s leave that topic for another day).

So, back to the patient with the bulging discs.  On day 3 of treatment as I was palpating his back, a strange thought popped into my head.  Could there  be an emotional component to his problem since there was no physical evidence prior.  He seemed like a very stable, professional man.  But, obviously something had to have rocked his boat to cause such a dramatic shift in his body.  Then I remembered from Louise Hay’s book that Lumbar 4, and lumbar 5 relate to issues of family and  security.  I said to Mr. X that I have been using science to try and explain why this happened to you and I haven’t found any explanation that I am satisfied with.  What I do know is that something in your life suddenly was turned upside down in the last week.  This news caused you to feel like the rug was pulled out from under you and your stable, secure world was shaken.  Mr. X turned his face upward from the table and said - WOW !  My wife told me she wanted a divorce the day before my back went out.  I was shocked, amazed, and delighted that now we knew the cause and could fix it.  Prior to this conversation the prognosis and treatment plan was the usual adjustments, ice, stretching, then PT for he next several months.  But now, that all changed. It changed because we now knew the root cause.  So I gave him the affirmation from Louise Hay’s book and we personalized it for him.  Now he was on the path to heal his body and mind.  It was 4 days later when he came back into the office 80% improved.  He took control of his health and life and was on a path to once again feel safe and secure.


I do continue to struggle with this concept, especially when it comes to my own health.  When my hips are loose in the sockets, bursitis, pain and instability there must be a neurological, biomechanics reason for it.  So, I research, poke and prod myself to the find the scientific medically based answer.  Yes, I get some improvement with the appropriate PT and various treatment.s  However, it is still a problem and affecting every aspect of my life.  Then, I am once again reminded that there could be another cause - my own mind and thought patterns.  Louise Hay says that hips are what carries the body forward in perfect balance. Fear of moving forward or not having anything to move forward to. Wow, how true.  I have been feeling my life has no purpose, no direction, like I am in limbo.  So, I work on that with my therapist, lots of conversations with Spirit, and start to implement the Louise Hay affirmations. The affirmation I used was, I am in perfect balance.  I move forward in life with ease and with joy at every age.  Hip Hip Hooray - there is joy in every day.  In 3 days my hips feel different, they feel more secure.  Now, I can begin to heal and strengthen the muscles and  ligaments that have been damaged.  I still have to address the physical manifestations in my body because that are real.  By knowing the root cause and addressing that then the healing will be on a deeper level.


I found this website that might help to clarify some of this new information and give you more resources.