Relapses in Pain

Pain and the “healing process isn’t always plain sailing. Sometimes during the care plan, we can see ups and downs in our clients pain and function levels. These blips in care often happen in the early “painful phase” of care and demonstrate our body’s stubbornness to re-learn the new positions and movement patterns that will allow for a “pain-free” body.

For the Majority of Relapses in the office are clients who haven’t successfully undertaken the 2nd corrective phase of the care plan and have put their body through too much stress and strain too soon resulting in a relapse of their pain/dysfunction.

Remember that pain is there for a reason, telling us that there is something wrong. However we know that even when pain begins to reduce that is a sign of improvement, not a sign that the body is back to its best. Sometimes clients can “jump the gun” and go back to their aggravating activities too quickly thinking that they will be ok, or will decide to stop midway through their treatment plan as they feel better and don’t think that the pain will come back anymore.

If the body hasn’t fully healed, the patient will not be ready to deal with the stress and strain they apply to their body resulting in a reoccurrence of symptoms and pain.

This emphasises the importance of the corrective phase of care where the spaces in-between each appointment is longer and rehab exercises are given to continue soft tissue rebuilding and recovery.

With this approach, we are far less likely to experience major relapses as the body is now fully primed to cope with the additional stresses which previously would evoke a painful response.