HELP FOR YOUR PAIN
Cover your BASES!
BASES is an acronym for Body therapies, Allopathic medicine, Social support, Emotional wellbeing, and Spiritual practices/energetic balancing.
The BASES show us we always have MANY ways to expand our healing. Some of the BASES directly treat the pain site, while others calm and balance the nervous system, which is also vital to decreasing pain.
Neuroplasticity is a term that means neurological patterning (like pain patterning) can change; it is not fixed in stone! In the brain, positive emotions and pain processing have some overlapping neural pathways. This is actually wonderful news, because as we strengthen the neural circuits for enjoyment and other "feel good things" in the BASES, we are slowly weakening the pathways for pain. For example, imagine there are two walking routes in a forest, one that leads to a waterfall, and one that doesn't. If we purposefully take the one that leads to the waterfall far more often than we take the one that doesn't, the path to the waterfall will slowly become more carved into the ground and easier to follow, while the alternate path will gradually become harder to see and to follow. Similarly, our brains can learn to favor the positive pathways when we deliberately use them again and again, and at the same time, the pain circuitry will become less efficient, little by little.
Moreover, in a grander sense, we are integrated beings, body, mind, and spirit, which all influence one another. When we help one aspect of ourselves it positively extends into other areas, and then helps us wholistically. Healing typically is not instant. Fortunately, during the healing process, we have LOTS of options to keep active with when covering our BASES. Over time, more often than not, we will come to feel much, much better. The time will pass by anyway, so why not incorporate your own special version of the BASES? Then you'll be living with more variety and joy as your healing comes along....
Note: To learn about a healthy nervous system versus chronic stress causing a dysregulated nervous system, scroll down below the BASES.
Body therapies
Allopathic medicine
Social support
Emotional wellbeing
Spiritual practices/energetic balancing
A Healthy Nervous System Versus Nervous System Dysregulation:
A healthy, well-regulated nervous system is most often in a calm state where we can rest, recover, and feel content and connected to the world around us. This is referred to as parasympathetic dominance. Still, a healthy nervous system must be able to toggle into crisis/stress management states when needed. One way we cope is by the sympathetic nervous system taking over. It will command our cells and tissues to mount a strong defensive battle against perceived threats. Alternatively, our nervous systems can dive into an extremely low energy mode, where we retreat and disengage from everyone to protect ourselves from what feels hazardous. Whether we’ve managed stress with the heightened sympathetic state or through deep withdrawal, a healthy nervous system will always return again to the calm, contented, connected parasympathetic norm once the immediate danger has subsided.
The trouble occurs when we’ve endured chronic stress and our nervous systems get stuck in the crisis management states. This is termed “nervous system dysregulation.” If a dysregulated nervous system could talk, it would say, “The world is not safe. I must perpetually shield my body. Sometimes I will be on high alert, actively combating threats; other times my energy will plummet, and I will disconnect to preserve myself.”
As described by Dr. Linnea Passaler, in her book, Heal Your Nervous System, “If your nervous system is dysregulated, it may spend too much time stuck in a chronically activated state and not enough time in a rest-and-recovery state. You may feel anxious all the time, like there’s always something wrong and you can never fully relax. It may also get stuck in a state of burnout or shutdown, where you feel exhausted, depressed, or like nothing really matters. Often, a dysregulated nervous system will cycle between these states, and you’ll feel like you’re caught in a loop of anxiety and fatigue.” (p. 13)
Dr. Passaler’s book is a fantastic resource for gradually healing nervous system dysregulation. The techniques she espouses are wholly in line with the BASES approach that I describe above. In fact, all of the books and resources I have listed on this page can be used independently or blended with the BASES, as the underlying principles are similar. Purposefully infusing our days with highly strategic habits will gradually teach our nervous systems to return to parasympathetic dominance. Our nervous systems can then coordinate harmonious physiology in our bodies once again, because we are feeling safe, peaceful, and connected to others and our world.
********************
Deb Dana’s website has extensive explanations about the nervous system’s responses to stress. She has also written several excellent books that are listed on her website. https://www.rhythmofregulation.com/polyvagal-theory
For healing professionals that I know personally and recommend, click my Professional Colleagues tab from the menu at the top left corner of this webpage.
The BASES are adapted from: Penny Cowan and Christine Stamatos, DNP, ANP-C.
For more about Penny Cowan's American Chronic Pain Association: www.acpanow.com/#/
Christine Stamatos, DNP, ANP-C in an interview discussing chronic pain: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90hHvVhTW5s
Cover your BASES!
BASES is an acronym for Body therapies, Allopathic medicine, Social support, Emotional wellbeing, and Spiritual practices/energetic balancing.
The BASES show us we always have MANY ways to expand our healing. Some of the BASES directly treat the pain site, while others calm and balance the nervous system, which is also vital to decreasing pain.
Neuroplasticity is a term that means neurological patterning (like pain patterning) can change; it is not fixed in stone! In the brain, positive emotions and pain processing have some overlapping neural pathways. This is actually wonderful news, because as we strengthen the neural circuits for enjoyment and other "feel good things" in the BASES, we are slowly weakening the pathways for pain. For example, imagine there are two walking routes in a forest, one that leads to a waterfall, and one that doesn't. If we purposefully take the one that leads to the waterfall far more often than we take the one that doesn't, the path to the waterfall will slowly become more carved into the ground and easier to follow, while the alternate path will gradually become harder to see and to follow. Similarly, our brains can learn to favor the positive pathways when we deliberately use them again and again, and at the same time, the pain circuitry will become less efficient, little by little.
Moreover, in a grander sense, we are integrated beings, body, mind, and spirit, which all influence one another. When we help one aspect of ourselves it positively extends into other areas, and then helps us wholistically. Healing typically is not instant. Fortunately, during the healing process, we have LOTS of options to keep active with when covering our BASES. Over time, more often than not, we will come to feel much, much better. The time will pass by anyway, so why not incorporate your own special version of the BASES? Then you'll be living with more variety and joy as your healing comes along....
Note: To learn about a healthy nervous system versus chronic stress causing a dysregulated nervous system, scroll down below the BASES.
Body therapies
- Exercise that is enjoyable and appropriately challenging for you
- The Mediterranean diet (or other plant-based eating)
- Natural supplements (such as multivitamins, turmeric, fish oil, probiotics, vitamin D)
- Dr. Tina Peers lists several anti-inflammatory supplements with dosage amounts that have helped many of her patients https://www.menopauseconsultancy.co.uk/self-help-long-covid
- Sleep prioritization
- Chiropractic care (see my low-force chiropractic methods on the Home page!), physical therapy, acupuncture, massage, assisted stretching, yoga
- Vagus nerve stimulation: diaphragmatic breathing, humming, singing, ear massage
- Modalities (such as heat, saunas, ice, cold plunges, TENS units, red light lasers, LifeWave patches, CBD oils/creams)
- The book, Change Your Brain, Change Your Pain: Breaking the Doom Loop to Heal Chronic Physical and Emotional Pain, by Dr. Daniel G. Amen describes how physical and emotional triggers change the brain to amplify pain, and how to reverse this with brain healthy strategies (covers all BASES)
- The book, Heal Your Nervous System: The 5-Stage Plan to Reverse Nervous System Dysregulation, by Dr. Linnea Passaler, explains body movements, breathwork, and mental, emotional, and spiritual techniques to restore nervous system function (covers all BASES)
- My book, Soft Health: A handbook for those who aren’t motivated by killer workouts and strict diets, gives home exercises, home stretches, health motivation tips, ways to manage difficult emotions, plus it explains the Mediterranean diet, and various treatments for pain (covers all BASES)
Allopathic medicine
- Medications
- Injections
- Nerve blocks
- Surgery
- The book, It Doesn’t Have to Hurt: Your Smart Guide to a Pain-Free Life, by Sanjay Gupta, MD, discusses a wide array of allopathic options as well as many natural options for pain relief.
Social support
- Family
- Friends
- Special interest groups
Emotional wellbeing
- The book, When the Body Says No: Understanding the Stress-Disease Connection, by Gabor Mate, MD, illuminates the way our cells and tissues are damaged from stress. He guides the reader toward healthier emotional living as well.
- The book, Chronic Pain Reset: 30 Days of Activities, Practices, and Skills to Help You Thrive, by Afton L. Hassett, PsyD, gives research-backed techniques that enhance emotional wellbeing and calm pain pathways. She describes the neurology of chronic pain in plain language.
- Journaling quietly, or verbally venting difficult emotions with therapists or trusted confidants
- The book, Mind Your Body: A Revolutionary Program to Release Chronic Pain and Anxiety, by Nicole J. Sachs, LCSW, describes a specific journaling style explained with research and case studies, for relieving pain. Be sure to follow this deep journaling style with a positive meditation; this is key.
- Meditation and mindfulness (equally for emotional and spiritual benefits)
- Being in nature
- Interacting with animals (even simply viewing animals)
- Gratitude for what is going well
- Communicating your needs and boundaries respectfully to others
- Enjoying music
- Traveling afar and to local venues to appreciate museums, architecture, and natural wonders
- Fun with leisure activities such as games, and non-fiction, fiction, and comedic movies, shows, and books (Stanlin & Sylvia was my fantasy, sci-fi escape novel!)
Spiritual practices/energetic balancing
- Religion
- Personal prayer
- Meditation and mindfulness (equally for emotional and spiritual benefits)
- The book, No Ordinary Moments: A Peaceful Warrior’s Guide to Daily Life, by Dan Millman, includes enlightening perspectives and exercises for spiritual growth, without pointing to specific religious beliefs. Another book by Dan Millman, The Laws of Spirit: A Tale of Transformation; Powerful Truths for Making Life Work, reveals similar spiritual approaches to life in story form.
- Sound healing, conducted by professionals, or by listening to songs with healing frequencies, such as 528 Hz, 285 Hz, and 174 Hz
- Reiki or other assisted energy-based treatments
A Healthy Nervous System Versus Nervous System Dysregulation:
A healthy, well-regulated nervous system is most often in a calm state where we can rest, recover, and feel content and connected to the world around us. This is referred to as parasympathetic dominance. Still, a healthy nervous system must be able to toggle into crisis/stress management states when needed. One way we cope is by the sympathetic nervous system taking over. It will command our cells and tissues to mount a strong defensive battle against perceived threats. Alternatively, our nervous systems can dive into an extremely low energy mode, where we retreat and disengage from everyone to protect ourselves from what feels hazardous. Whether we’ve managed stress with the heightened sympathetic state or through deep withdrawal, a healthy nervous system will always return again to the calm, contented, connected parasympathetic norm once the immediate danger has subsided.
The trouble occurs when we’ve endured chronic stress and our nervous systems get stuck in the crisis management states. This is termed “nervous system dysregulation.” If a dysregulated nervous system could talk, it would say, “The world is not safe. I must perpetually shield my body. Sometimes I will be on high alert, actively combating threats; other times my energy will plummet, and I will disconnect to preserve myself.”
As described by Dr. Linnea Passaler, in her book, Heal Your Nervous System, “If your nervous system is dysregulated, it may spend too much time stuck in a chronically activated state and not enough time in a rest-and-recovery state. You may feel anxious all the time, like there’s always something wrong and you can never fully relax. It may also get stuck in a state of burnout or shutdown, where you feel exhausted, depressed, or like nothing really matters. Often, a dysregulated nervous system will cycle between these states, and you’ll feel like you’re caught in a loop of anxiety and fatigue.” (p. 13)
Dr. Passaler’s book is a fantastic resource for gradually healing nervous system dysregulation. The techniques she espouses are wholly in line with the BASES approach that I describe above. In fact, all of the books and resources I have listed on this page can be used independently or blended with the BASES, as the underlying principles are similar. Purposefully infusing our days with highly strategic habits will gradually teach our nervous systems to return to parasympathetic dominance. Our nervous systems can then coordinate harmonious physiology in our bodies once again, because we are feeling safe, peaceful, and connected to others and our world.
********************
Deb Dana’s website has extensive explanations about the nervous system’s responses to stress. She has also written several excellent books that are listed on her website. https://www.rhythmofregulation.com/polyvagal-theory
For healing professionals that I know personally and recommend, click my Professional Colleagues tab from the menu at the top left corner of this webpage.
The BASES are adapted from: Penny Cowan and Christine Stamatos, DNP, ANP-C.
For more about Penny Cowan's American Chronic Pain Association: www.acpanow.com/#/
Christine Stamatos, DNP, ANP-C in an interview discussing chronic pain: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90hHvVhTW5s
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