5 self help ways to BEAT PAIN

1 Manage stress

‘Stress flares up existing pain but also causes new pain,’ says Dr Ravindran. ‘The chemicals involved in mediating the stress response are the exact chemicals and nerve circuits used to mediate pain, and therefore amplify or dampen it.’

When our body produces stress hormones for a fight-or-flight response, it tightens muscles in readiness for whatever action we’re going to take. ‘The problem is that if the nervous system is already sensitised because of pre-existing pain issues or an injury, then a tightening up of muscles will increase that